Symptom severity in an outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 at a university student gala in the Omicron era, Chicago, Illinois, April 2022.

Objective: In April 2022, the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) COVID-19 Contact Tracing & Epidemiology Program identified an outbreak associated with an indoor student gala. This study's aims were to characterize COVID-19 transmission dynamics and measure symptom severity among cases.Participants: The study population included UIC-affiliated gala attendees. Outbreak-associated cases tested positive for COVID-19 between April 2 and April 11, 2022. Attendees who did not test positive or develop symptoms within ten days of the event were classified as contacts.Methods: We ascertained cases through phone-based contact tracing and a survey and evaluated symptom severity using a novel classification system.Results: Among 307 UIC students registered to attend the gala, the minimum attack rate was 14.0%. Approximately 56% of cases were mildly symptomatic, and 38.9% reported severe symptoms.Conclusions: Our findings align with prior research documenting heightened transmissibility of Omicron-variant-related strains and highlight the need for nuanced symptom assessment methodologies.

Implementation and effectiveness of a COVID-19 case investigation and contact tracing program at a large, urban midwestern university.

BACKGROUND: The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) COVID-19 Contact Tracing and Epidemiology Program was critical to the university's COVID-19 incident response during the 2020-2021 academic year. We are a team of epidemiologists and student contact tracers who perform COVID-19 contact tracing among campus members. Literature is sparse on models for mobilizing non-clinical students as contact tracers; therefore, we aim to disseminate strategies that are adaptable by other institutions. METHODS: We described essential aspects of our program including surveillance testing, staffing and training models, interdepartmental partnerships, and workflows. Additionally, we analyzed the epidemiology of COVID-19 at UIC and measures of contact tracing effectiveness. RESULTS: The program was responsible for promptly quarantining 120 cases prior to converting and potentially infecting others, thereby preventing at least 132 downstream exposures and 22 COVID-19 infections from occurring. DISCUSSION: Features central to program success included routine data translation and dissemination and utilizing students as indigenous campus contact tracers. Major operational challenges included high staff turnover and adjusting to rapidly evolving public health guidance. CONCLUSIONS: Institutes of higher education provide fertile ground for effective contact tracing, particularly when comprehensive networks of partners facilitate compliance with institution-specific public health requirements.

Prevalencia y factores asociados a dismenorrea en estudiantes de ciencias de la salud / Prevalence and factors associated with dysmenorrheal in health science students / Prevalência e fatores associados à dismenorréia em estudantes de ciências da saúde

Introducción: La dismenorrea presenta una prevalencia entre el 60 y el 93%. Se han descrito factores asociados como edad de la menarquia, índice de masa corporal, actividad física, tabaquismo, antecedente de dismenorrea materna, entre otros. Materiales y métodos: Se realizó un estudio de corte transversal, basado en una encuesta anónima aplicada a una muestra aleatoria de 127 mujeres de la Universidad del Rosario pertenecientes a las facultades de Medicina y Psicología. Resultados: Se encontró una prevalencia de dismenorrea del 73%. El 67% de las participantes que presentaron dolor menstrual refirió tomar medicamentos para aliviar el dolor (66,7% automedicado). El 32,5% de las encuestadas con dismenorrea se han ausentado de sus labores académicas o sociales, con un porcentaje de ausentismo escolar a causa del dolor del 74,5%, en al menos un día. El riesgo de dismenorrea fue 2,36 veces mayor en las mujeres que tenían madres con este antecedente (OR =2,36 IC 95% 1,03-5,40). No se encontró asociación con los otros factores estudiados. Conclusiones: La dismenorrea es una enfermedad con una alta prevalencia y con impacto importante sobre el ausentismo académico. El antecedente materno de dismenorrea fue el único factor asociado positivamente en este estudio.

Introduction: Dysmenorrhea has a prevalence between 60 and 93%. Different factors have been associated such as age at menarche, body mass index, exercise, smoking and maternal history of dysmenorrhea among others. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted, based on an anonymous survey applied to a random sample of 127 women from the school of medicine and psychology at the Universidad Del Rosario. Results: The prevalence of dysmenorrheal was 73%. 67% of participants presenting with menstrual pain, reported they have taken medication for pain relief, (66.7% self medicated). 32.5% of respondents with dysmenorrheal have been absent from their academic or social work, with a percentage of school absenteeism due to pain from 74.5% in at least one day. The risk of dysmenorrhoea was 2.36 times higher in women who had mothers with this history (OR = 2.36, 95% CI 1.03 to 5.40). No associations with other factors were found. Conclusions: Dysmenorrhea is a disease with a high prevalence and significant impact on school absenteeism. Maternal history of dysmenorrhea was the only factor positively associated in this study.

Introdução: A dismenorréia apresenta uma prevalência entre o 60% e o 93%. Tem-se descrito fatores associados como idade da menarquia, índice de massa corporal, atividade física, tabaquismo, antecedente de dismenorréia materna, entre outros. Materiais e métodos: se realizou um estudo de corte transversal, baseado em uma enquête anônima aplicada a uma amostra aleatória de 127 mulheres da Universidad del Rosario pertencentes às faculdades de Medicina e Psicologia. Resultados: Se encontrou uma prevalência de dismenorréia do 73%. O 67% das participantes que apresentaram dor menstrual preferiu tomar medicamentos para aliviar a dor (66,7% automedicado). O 32,5% das pesquisadas com dismenorréia tem se ausentado de seus trabalhos acadêmicos ou sociais, com uma porcentagem de absentismo escolar a causa da dor do 74,5%, em ao menos um dia. O risco de dismenorréia foi 2,36 vezes maior nas mulheres que tinham mães com este antecedente (OR =2,36 IC 95% 1,03-5,40). Não se encontrou associação com os fatores estudados. Conclusões: A dismenorréia é uma enfermidade com uma alta prevalência e com impacto importante cobre o absentismo acadêmico. O antecedente materno de dismenorréia foi o único fator associado positivamente neste estudo.