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The emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern has greatly influenced the immune correlates of protection, and there are little data about the antibody threshold concentrations to protect against infection with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 or BA.2. We analyzed the antibody responses of 259 vaccinated healthcare workers, some of whom had been previously infected by SARS-CoV-2. The median follow-up was 179 days (IQR: 171–182) after blood collection. We detected 88 SARS-CoV-2 Omicron infections during the follow-up period, 55 (62.5%) with SARS-CoV-2 BA.1, and 33 (37.5%) with SARS-CoV-2 BA.2. A neutralizing antibody titer below 8 provided no protection against a BA.1 infection, a titer of 16 or 32 gave 73.2% protection, and a titer of 64 or 128 provided 78.4% protection. Conversely, the BA.2 infection rate did not vary as a function of anti-BA.2 neutralizing antibody titers. Binding antibody concentrations below 6000 BAU/mL provided no protection against Omicron BA.1 infection, 6000–20,000 BAU/mL provided 55.6% protection, and 20,000 or more provided 87.7% protection. There was no difference in BA.2 infection depending on the binding antibody concentration. Further studies are needed to investigate the relationship between antibody concentrations and infection with the Omicron BA.4/5 variants that are becoming predominant worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The relationships between asbestos exposure and colorectal cancer remain controversial. OBJECTIVES: We examined the association between asbestos exposure and colorectal cancer incidence. METHODS: Volunteer retired workers previously exposed to asbestos were invited to participate in the French ARDCo screening program between 2003 and 2005. Additional data on risk factors for colorectal cancer were collected from the ARDCo-Nut subsample of 3,769 participants in 2011. Cases of colon and rectal cancer were ascertained each year through 2014 based on eligibility for free medical care following a cancer diagnosis. Survival regression based on the Cox model was used to estimate the relative risk of colon and rectal cancer separately, in relation to the time since first exposure (TSFE) and cumulative exposure index (CEI) to asbestos, and with adjustment for smoking in the overall cohort and for smoking, and certain risk factors for these cancers in the ARDCo-Nut subsample. RESULTS: Mean follow-up was 10.2 years among 14,515 men, including 181 colon cancer and 62 rectal cancer cases (41 and 17, respectively, in the ARDCo-Nut subsample). In the overall cohort, after adjusting for smoking, colon cancer was significantly associated with cumulative exposure (HR = 1.14; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.26 for a 1-unit increase in In-CEI) and [greater than or equal to] 20-40 years since first exposure (HR = 4.67; 95% CI: 1.92, 11.46 vs. 0-20 years TSFE), and inversely associated with 60 years TSFE (HR = 0.26; 95% CI: 0.10, 0.70). Although rectal cancer was also associated with TSFE 20-40 years (HR = 4.57; 95% CI: 1.14, 18.27), it was not associated with ln-CEI, but these findings must be interpreted cautiously due to the small number of cases. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide support for an association between occupational exposure to asbestos and colon cancer incidence in men. http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/EHP153, Introduction Asbestos exposure is associated with several malignancies including lung cancer, mesothelioma, and more recently, ovarian and laryngeal cancers (IARC 2012). However, the role of asbestos in the pathogenesis of [...]

Objectives: Previous studies in the working environment have underlined the high prevalence of drug consumption. The aim of this study was to present the main characteristics of this consumption in French workers and to identify changes from the 1986, 1996, 2006 and 2016 surveys. Methods: The design was a repeated cross‐sectional study in 1986, 1996, 2006 and 2016. At each wave, demographic and socio‐professional characteristics, self‐reported consumption of medications during the week before the occupational medical visit, and perceived difficult working conditions and extraprofessional problems were collected among a sample of workers. Factors associated with consumption of any drug and of main therapeutic classes were investigated through multivariate logistic regression models, using 2016 as the reference for investigating temporal trends. Results: Prevalence of use of any drug was significantly higher in 2016, with marked changes observed in comparison with 1986: absolute decrease of psychotropic (−5.1%, p < 0.0001), antibiotics (−2.7%, p < 0.0001) and cardiovascular drug use (−3.8%, p < 0.0001), increase of analgesic use (+8.3%, p < 0.0001). Difficult working conditions, age and female gender were independently associated with analgesic drug use, and extraprofessional problems and female gender associated with psychotropic drug use. Conclusions: This analysis of self‐reported drug use in the working environment illustrates the global patterns of medication use in a French active population over 3 decades. The favorable development in the level of consumption of psychotropic drugs should not underestimate the attention to be paid to the determinants of chronic consumption, or possible transfers to less stigmatized medications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the relevancy of flexible nasoendoscopy as a routine screening procedure of sinonasal adenocarcinoma among people occupationally exposed to wood dust. Methods: This study included woodworkers, occupationally exposed to wood dust. Evaluations were scheduled at the time of inclusion (T0) and after a 2‐year period (T1). A questionnaire was used for standardized data collection. The score was based on anatomic landmarks on each side that are parts of the olfactory clefts: the area of middle turbinate, the anterior part of the olfactory cleft, the top of the choanal arch, the spheno‐ethmoidal recess, the posterior part of the olfactory cleft, and the middle part of the olfactory cleft. Results: A total of 965 nasoendoscopies (T0+T1) were performed. Olfactory clefts were visualized in 72% of the cases. Nasoendoscopies revealed pathological findings in 33.6% of cases: polyps, thick nasal secretion aspect, mucous edema, retractile scars and synechia, crusts, mucous erythema, and growth. One case of carcinoma was confirmed. Adverse effects (epistaxis, blood mark on the endo‐sheath, sneezing, or rhinorrhea) after the medical procedure occurred in 30% of cases without severe complications. Conclusion: Flexible nasoendoscopy offers meaningful efficacy and a promising safety profile, and, therefore, could become the new cornerstone of the routine screening procedure of sinonasal adenocarcinoma among woodworkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) is the main causative agent of bovine zoonotic tuberculosis. The aim of this systematic review is to highlight the occupational exposure to bovine tuberculosis due to M. bovis. Methodology/principal findings: A computer based literature search was carried out to identify papers published between January 2006 and March 2017. “PubMed, Cochrane Library and Science Direct” databases were searched systematically. Articles presenting the following properties were included: (i) focusing on M. bovis; (ii) concerning occupational exposure to bovine tuberculosis. A quality assessment was performed after selection of studies. Our search strategy identified a total of 3,264 papers of which 29 studies met the inclusion criteria. Of the 29 articles, 17 were cross-sectional studies (6 were of high quality and scored in the range of 6–7, 11 were of moderate quality and scored in the range 3–5), 10 were case reports, and 2 were reviews. Different occupational fields exposing to the disease were described: livestock sector, particularly in contact with dairy cattle (farmers, veterinaries and assistants, abattoir workers) and working in contact with wildlife (hunters, taxidermists). Conclusions: A specific guideline for occupational practitioners taking care of employees exposed to bovine tuberculosis is warranted and should be tailored to level of exposure. This review was intended to be the first step of such a project. Articles were identified from various continents and countries with different socio-economic situations, broadening our understanding of the worldwide situation. Published data on occupational exposure in developed countries are scarce. We had to extrapolate findings from countries with higher prevalence of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]