Evaluación de la respuesta inmunológica a tres dosis de la vacuna contra la Hepatitis B en trabajadores de un hospital universitario portugués / Evaluation of the immunological response to three doses of the Hepatitis B vaccine in workers of a Portuguese university Hospital

Objetivos: Evaluar la respuesta a tres dosis de la vacuna contra la Hepatitis B en profesionales de la salud. Analizar su asociación con la edad, género, tabaquismo, índice de masa corporal (IMC), presencia de enfermedades crónicas y tiempo transcurrido entre la vacunación y la medición del AcHBs. Material y Métodos: estudio observacional, transversal. Muestra de trabajadores de un Hospital Universitario Portugués que realizaron medición del AcHBs en 2018 y que tenían esquema de vacunación completo. El proceso clínico individual fue consultado. Fue aplicado el Test Mann-Whitney y Chi-cuadrado y se aceptó un nivel de significancia del 5%. Resultados y Conclusiones: Analizamos resultados de 181 trabajadores, edad media 32,99 años (min. 20 - max. 64), la mayoría mujeres (76,80%). El AcHBs fue positivo en 140 (77.35%) y negativo en 41 (22.65%). La presencia de enfermedades crónicas mostró asociación estadísticamente significativa con AcHBs negativo tras un esquema de vacunación completo (AU)

Objectives: evaluate the response to three doses of the Hepatitis B vaccine in healthcare workers. Analyze its association with age, gender, smoking, body mass index (BMI), presence of chronic diseases and time elapsed between vaccination and the measurement of AcHBs. Material and Methods: observational, cross-sectional study. Sample of workers from a Portuguese University Hospital who measured AcHBs in 2018 and who had a complete vaccination scheme. The individual clinical process was consulted. The Mann-Whitney and Chi-square test were applied and a significance level of 5% was accepted. Results and Conclusions: We analyzed the results of 181 workers, mean age 32.99 years (min. 20 - max. 64), the majority women (76.80%). The AcHBs was positive in 140 (77.35%) and negative in 41 (22.65%). The presence of chronic diseases showed a statistically significant association with negative AcHBs after a complete vaccination scheme (AU)

Symptoms in healthcare professionals infected with SARS-CoV-2 at a university hospital.

Introduction: Healthcare professionals are among the main risk groups for novel coronavirus disease (COVID 19). The identification of respiratory symptoms is important in the clinical assumption of infection, but it may be asymptomatic or paucisymptomatic. Objectives: To compare the proportion of professionals with symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 who tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) with the proportion of positive asymptomatic professionals with high-risk contact; and to identify respiratory and non-respiratory symptoms of professionals with suspected COVID-19 and the proportion of those who tested positive for SARS CoV-2. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that retrospectively analyzed clinical records of health professionals who spontaneously sought the occupational health service of a university hospital center from March to August 2020 for presenting with symptoms and/or for having had high risk contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 and who, in this context, underwent the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction test for SARS-CoV-2. Results: COVID-19 was confirmed in 27 of the 420 symptomatic professionals vs. three of the 193 asymptomatic professionals (p = 0.009). Of the 371 professionals with respiratory symptoms, 19 were positive for COVID-19 vs. 11 among the 242 with no respiratory symptoms (p = 0.750). Nasal congestion and rhinorrhea were the respiratory symptoms with the highest proportion of positive cases (11.43 and 8.97%, respectively). Conclusions: Although COVID-19 is typically associated with respiratory symptoms, not all these symptoms were predictive of disease. It becomes crucial to value mild symptoms among healthcare professionals.

[Seroprevalence of Measles Antibodies in Healthcare Professionals in a Central Hospital in Portugal]. / Seroprevalência de Anticorpos Contra o Sarampo em Profissionais de Saúde de um Hospital Central em Portugal.

INTRODUCTION: Immunity against measles may result from previous contact with the virus or vaccination. In this study we aimed to evaluate the prevalence of immunity to measles in healthcare professionals of a central hospital. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective study, with description of the results of measles-specific IgG assay in healthcare professionals, between May 2010 and March 2018. RESULTS: The results of 1339 healthcare professionals were analyzed. The average age was 39.3 ± 10.11 years, 71.1% female. The prevalence of positive IgG was 81.5%, higher among professionals in the age groups 40 - 49 and over 50 years (91.9% and 94.6% respectively). Healthcare professionals who presented negative or equivocal IgG were mostly under 40 years old (83.1%) (p < 0.05). DISCUSSION: The prevalence of serological immunity to measles in healthcare professionals was found to be lower than in other studies. That may be due to differences between the characteristics of the studied samples. Susceptibility to measles was higher in lower age groups. These results may reflect low vaccination coverage in this age group, an incomplete vaccination schedule, or the possibility of older healthcare professionals having the disease, which may confer an immune response with higher IgG levels. CONCLUSION: Knowing the prevalence of susceptibility to measles in healthcare professionals enabled the establishment of prevention strategies for outbreaks that may occur. Vaccination remains the best preventative measure, but a third dose of vaccine may be considered in certain epidemiological contexts, particularly in the youngest exposed healthcare professionals.

Introdução: A imunidade contra o sarampo poderá resultar do contacto anterior com o vírus ou da vacinação. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a prevalência de imunidade contra o sarampo em profissionais de saúde de um hospital central.Material e Métodos: Estudo retrospetivo com caraterização dos resultados do doseamento de imunoglobulina G (IgG) específica contra o sarampo em profissionais de saúde, entre maio de 2010 e março de 2018.Resultados: Analisaram-se os resultados de 1339 trabalhadores, média de idades 39,3 ± 10,11 anos, 71,1% mulheres. A prevalência de IgG positiva foi de 81,5%, mais elevada entre os profissionais nas faixas etárias dos 40 aos 49 e mais de 50 anos (91,9% e 94,6% respetivamente). Por sua vez, 83,1% dos profissionais com IgG negativa ou equívoca tinham maioritariamente idades inferiores a 40 anos (p < 0,05).Discussão: Verificou-se que a prevalência de profissionais imunes ao sarampo foi mais baixa que noutros estudos, podendo, contudo, esse resultado dever-se a diferenças entre as caraterísticas das amostras estudadas. Foi encontrada uma maior suscetibilidade ao sarampo em profissionais nas faixas etárias inferiores. Estes resultados podem refletir uma baixa cobertura vacinal nesta faixa etária, um esquema de vacinação incompleto, ou a possibilidade dos profissionais mais velhos terem tido a doença, o que contribuíu para uma resposta imunitária com níveis de IgG mais elevados.Conclusão: Conhecer a prevalência de profissionais suscetíveis ao sarampo, permitiu definir estratégias de prevenção face aos surtos que possam vir a acontecer. A vacinação continua a ser a melhor medida preventiva, uma terceira dose de vacina poderá vir a ser equacionada em determinados contextos epidemiológicos, especialmente nos profissionais expostos mais jovens.