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[Introduction]: Health-care Workers (HCW) are facing a critical situation caused by Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) which could impact on their mental health status. In addition, HCW women have been identified as a group at high-risk of developing psychological distress, although no previous longitudinal studies have explored this issue in a sample of HCW., [Aims]: The main aim of the study was to observe the temporal pattern of the stress reactions among HCW as well as to explore its potential predictors of poor outcome. Moreover, we analyzed possible gender differences in stress reaction responses., [Methods]: One thousand for hundred and thirty-two HCW responded an online survey including sociodemographic, clinical, and psychometric tests in May 2020 while 251 HCW answered in November 2020. Bivariate and multivariate analyses as well as repeated measures analyses were used to achieve the aims of the study., [Results]: The proportion of HCW who fulfilled Acute Stress Disorder criteria did not change over the follow-up period, although we observed a significant improvement in stress reactions responses among HCW. Proximal factors were the most salient predictors of traumatic reactions. Repeated analyses revealed significant gender differences in acute stress reactions. In addition, women showed significantly greater improvement than men in re-experiencing the traumatic event and hyperarousal dimensions., [Conclusions]: Monitoring of working conditions as well as emotional reactions in HCW facing major disasters should be carried out to prevent the development of peritraumatic stress reactions. In addition, HCW women are characterized by a different pattern of progression in stress responses.

The seal heartworm Acanthocheilonema spirocauda (Nematoda: Onchocercidae) parasitizes the heart and pulmonary arteries of various phocid seals of the Northern Hemisphere. Over many decades, potential vectors of this parasite have been discussed, and to this date, the life cycle is not fully known. The seal louse Echinophthirius horridus (Anoplura: Echinophthiriidae) is an obligatory, permanent and haematophagous ectoparasite of phocids that has been hypothesized to function as obligate intermediate host for A. spirocauda. We examined 11 adult E. horridus specimens collected from stranded harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) in rehabilitation at the Sealcentre Pieterburen by X-ray microCT imaging, aiming to illustrate larval A. spirocauda infection sites in situ. In three of these specimens, thread-like larvae were detected in insect organs. Detailed imaging of the most infected louse revealed a total of 54 A. spirocauda larvae located either in fat bodies or the haemocoel. Histological analysis of the same specimen illustrated nematode cross-sections, confirming X-ray microCT data. The current data strongly suggest that E. horridus is a natural intermediate host for A. spirocauda. Moreover, we demonstrate the potential of X-ray microCT-based imaging as a non-destructive method to analyze host-parasite interactions, especially in the neglected field of marine mammal parasitology.

[Background] Few investigations have been carried out on metabolic syndrome in antipsychotic- naïve patients with schizophrenia., [Methods] Our primary objective was to compare the prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS), as defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program, Adult Treatment Panel III in 2001 (NCEP-ATP III), between a Spanish cohort of 303 drug-naïve patients with a first episode of psychosis (FEP) without any previous cardiovascular condition, and 153 healthy individuals., [Results] Participants included 303 patients with FEP (M:F 53:46) and 153 control subjects (M:F 56:43). The mean and standard deviation ages were 31(9.38) and 29 (7.57) years in the study and control groups respectively (F = 4.09; p = 0.93). We found that the prevalence of MetS in drug-naïve patients with FEP (5.6 %) was similar to the prevalence of MetS in age-sex matched controls (5.12 %). However, 60.7 % of patients with FEP met at least one of the five MetS components, while among the control subjects only 36.5 % met at least one component. Additionally, we found that other factors not included among the operational definition of MetS, but still important in cardiovascular risk, were also altered., [Conclusion] FEP patients have a greater risk of presenting at least one altered MetS component than healthy controls which could indicate the need of development of screening methods detecting cardiovascular risk. Likewise, gender differences in metabolic components such as waist circumference, which is a predictor of cardiovascular events have been found. Similarly, research should focus on metabolic risk predictors that include not only MetS, but also specific parameters for the early psychosis population.