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ObjectivesTo assess if healthcare workers during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic had increased SARS-CoV-2 infection rates following close contact with patients, co-workers and persons outside work with COVID-19. DesignProspective cohort study. SettingPublic hospital employees in Denmark. Participants5985 healthcare workers (88.6% women) who daily on a smartphone reported COVID-19 contact. Main outcome measuresSARS-CoV-2 infection rates defined by the first positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test recorded in a register with complete test coverage. Results159 positive and 35 996 negative PCR tests for SARS-CoV-2 were recorded during 514 165 person-days of follow-up November 25, 2020 - April 30, 2021. The SARS-CoV-2 infection rate for healthcare workers who during the previous 3-7 days had close contact with COVID-19 patients was 153.7 per 100 000 person-days (0.15% per day) corresponding with an incidence rate ratio of 3.17 (40 cases, 95% CI 2.15 to 4.66) when compared with no close contact with COVID-19 patients. SARS-CoV-2 incidence rate ratios following close contact with co-workers and persons outside work with COVID-19 were 2.54 (10 cases, 95% CI 1.30 to 4.96) and 17.79 (35 cases, 95% CI 12.05 to 26.28). These estimates were mutually adjusted and further adjusted for age, sex, month and number of previous PCR tests. ConclusionsDespite strong focus on preventive actions during the second wave of the pandemic, healthcare workers were still at increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection when in close contact with patients with COVID-19. The numbers affected were comparable to the numbers affected following COVID-19 contact outside work. Close contact with co-workers was also a risk factor. This stresses the need for increased focus on preventive actions to secure healthcare workers health during ongoing and future waves of SARS-CoV-2 and other infections. Summary boxO_ST_ABSWhat is already known on this topic?C_ST_ABSDuring the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, preventive measures were inadequate and healthcare workers were at increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. What this study adds?During the second wave of the pandemic, despite a strong focus on preventive actions, healthcare workers were still at increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection following close contact with COVID-19 patients. The numbers affected were comparable to the numbers affected following COVID-19 contact outside work. Healthcare works were also at increased risk following close contact with co-workers.

BackgroundLittle is known about the long-term course of symptoms for mild coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) when accounting for symptoms due to other causes. We aimed to compare symptoms day by day for non-hospitalised individuals who tested positive and negative with polymerase chain reaction for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).MethodsWe followed 210 test-positive and 630 individually matched test-negative health-care workers of the Central Denmark Region up to 90 days after the test, April-June 2020. They daily reported seven COVID-19 related symptoms. Symptom courses were compared graphically and by conditional multivariable logistic regression.ResultsThirty % of test-positive and close to zero of test-negative participants reported a reduced sense of taste and smell during all 90 days of follow-up (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 86.07, 95% CI 22.86-323). Dyspnoea was reported by an initial 20% of test-positive with a gradual decline to about 5% after 30 days without ever reaching the level of the test-negative participants (aOR 6.88, 95% CI 2.41-19.63). Cough, headache, sore throat, muscle aches, and fever were temporarily more prevalent among the test positive participants, but after 30 days, no increases were seen. Women and participants aged 45 years or older tended to be more susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection.ConclusionPrevalence of long-lasting reduced sense of taste and smell is highly increased after being diagnosed with mild COVID-19. This pattern is also seen for dyspnoea at a low level but not for cough, sore throat, headache, muscle ache or pain, or fever.Key messagesReduced sense of taste and smell is present at a highly increased level of 30% during 90 days after testing positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov-2).Test-positive participants experience dyspnoea persistently more often than test-negative participants but affect only few.The prevalence of cough, sore throat, headache, muscle ache or pain, and fever following a positive test reach the level seen after a negative test within 30 days.Women and participants aged 45 years or older tend to be more susceptible to symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Objective To investigate the possible associations between maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and daughters' age of menarche and subsequent markers of reproductive health. Methods Nine hundred eighty-five pregnant women (80 %) were enrolled at their routine 30th week examinations in 1988-1989. In 2008, a follow-up questionnaire was completed for 365 daughters (83 %), while 267 daughters (61 %) participated in a subsequent clinical examination. Main outcome measures were age of menarche, reproductive hormone profile, and ovarian follicle count in daughters. Results Daughters of mothers in the highest pre-pregnancy BMI tertile (BMI ≥ 22.0 kg/m(2)) had an adjusted 4.1 (0.3; 8.0) months earlier menarche compared with the middle tertile group (BMI 20.0-21.9 kg/m(2)). Among non-users of hormonal contraceptives, daughters of mothers in the highest pre-pregnancy BMI tertile had non-significantly lower dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate (DHEAS), estradiol, and free estrogen index (FEI), compared to the middle BMI tertile. This was supported by a sub-analysis using the WHO classification (underweight, BMI

The association between last 5 days of alcohol intake, semen quality and reproductive hormones was estimated in this cross-sectional study among 347 men. Conventional semen characteristics, DNA fragmentation index and reproductive hormones (testosterone, estradiol, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and inhibin B) were determined. There was a tendency towards lower semen characteristics at higher intake of alcohol past 5 days, albeit with no statistically significant dose–response association. The ratio between free estradiol and free testosterone was higher at higher alcohol intake during the 5 days preceding semen sampling. In conclusion, alcohol intake was associated with impairment of most semen characteristics but without a coherent dose–response pattern. The study indicates an association between recent alcohol intake and a hormonal shift towards higher estradiol/testosterone ratio. The hormonal changes observed may over time, lead to adverse effects on semen quality, but longitudinal studies are needed to study this.

Background A high body mass index (BMI) has been associated with reduced semen quality and male subfecundity, but no studies following obese men losing weight have yet been published. We examined semen quality and reproductive hormones among morbidly obese men and studied if weight loss improved the reproductive indicators. Methods In this pilot cohort study, 43 men with BMI > 33 kg/m2 were followed through a 14 week residential weight loss program. The participants provided semen samples and had blood samples drawn, filled in questionnaires, and had clinical examinations before and after the intervention. Conventional semen characteristics as well as sperm DNA integrity, analysed by the sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) were obtained. Serum levels of testosterone, estradiol, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and inhibin B (Inh-B) were measured. Results Participants were from 20 to 59 years of age (median = 32) with BMI ranging from 33 to 61 kg/m2. At baseline, after adjustment for potential confounders, BMI was inversely associated with sperm concentration (p = 0.02), total sperm count (p = 0.02), sperm morphology (p = 0.04), and motile sperm (p = 0.005) as well as testosterone (p = 0.04) and Inh-B (p = 0.04) and positively associated to estradiol (p < 0.005). The median (range) percentage weight loss after the intervention was 15% (3.5 - 25.4). Weight loss was associated with an increase in total sperm count (p = 0.02), semen volume (p = 0.04), testosterone (p = 0.02), SHBG (p = 0.03) and AMH (p = 0.02). The group with the largest weight loss had a statistically significant increase in total sperm count [193 millions (95% CI: 45; 341)] and normal sperm morphology [4% (95% CI: 1; 7)]. Conclusion This study found obesity to be associated with poor semen quality and altered reproductive hormonal profile. Weight loss may potentially lead to improvement in semen quality. Whether the improvement is a result of the reduction in body weight per se or improved lifestyles remains unknown.

Udgivelsesdato: 2010-Jun-29 BACKGROUND Concurrent alcohol exposure has been associated with reduced fecundity, but no studies have estimated the effect of prenatal alcohol exposure on male fecundity. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy, semen quality and levels of reproductive hormones in young, adult men. METHODS From a Danish pregnancy cohort established in 1984-1987, 347 sons were selected for a follow-up study conducted in 2005-2006. Semen and blood samples were analyzed for conventional semen characteristics and reproductive hormones, respectively, and results were related to prospectively self-reported information on maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy. RESULTS The sperm concentration decreased with increasing prenatal alcohol exposure. The adjusted mean sperm concentration among sons of mothers drinking >/=4.5 drinks per week during pregnancy was 40 (95% CI: 25-60) millions/ml. This concentration was approximately 32% lower compared with men exposed to

OBJECTIVES: To investigate if parity, fertility treatment, body mass index (BMI), time to pregnancy (TTP), and engagement in physical exercise are risk factors for sickness absence during pregnancy weeks 10 to 30.METHOD: We use data from The Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC) and the Danish Register for Evaluation of Marginalisation (DREAM). DNBC contains information on 100 418 pregnancies included from 1996 until 2002. Around pregnancy weeks 12-16 the participants were interviewed by telephone and provided information on potential predictors, on occupational exposures, lifestyle factors and health. We excluded women, who were no longer pregnant at the time of the interview, were unemployed, multiple pregnant or had an obstetrical event within one year before the DNBC pregnancy. This resulted in a study population of 65 047 pregnancies. Outcome data were retrieved from DREAM, which contains information on sickness absence on a weekly basis. Data will be analysed using multivariate logistic regression models.RESULTS: Mean age of the participants was 30.5 years, 46% were nulliparous, 6.3% received fertility treatment, mean BMI was 23.6 kg/m(2). Prevalence of sickness absence until pregnancy week 30 was 36%. Preliminary results indicate that sickness absence is related to fertility treatment and obesity. Women receiving fertility treatment had increased odds of sickness absence in pregnancy week 30; OR: 1.31 (95% CI: 1.21-1.42). Obese women had increased odds of sickness absence compared to normal weight women; OR: 1.37 (95% CI: 1.28-1.48). More statistical analyses will be conducted.CONCLUSIONS: Final results and conclusions will be presented at the conference.