| Journal: | Revista de saude publica |
| Database: | |
| System number: | 000535629 |
| ISSN: | 0034-8910 |
| Authors: | Salles, Fernanda Junqueira1 Leroux, Isabelle Nogueira1 Araujo, Alda Neis Miranda de2 Assunção, Nilson Antonio2 Luz, Maciel Santos3 Veiga, Glaucia Raquel Luciano da4 Fonseca, Fernando Luiz Affonso2 Diaz Quijano, Fredi Alexander1 Olympio, Kelly Polido Kaneshiro1 |
| Institutions: | 1Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Saúde Pública, São Paulo, São Paulo. Brasil 2Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Instituto de Ciências Ambientais Químicas e Farmacêuticas, Diadema, São Paulo. Brasil 3Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnológicas de São Paulo, Laboratório de Processos Metalúrgicos, São Paulo, SP. Brasil 4Centro Universitário Faculdade de Medicina do ABC, Laboratório Clínico, Santo André, SP. Brasil |
| Year: | 2023 |
| Volumen: | 57 |
| Country: | Brasil |
| Language: | Inglés |
| English abstract | OBJECTIVE To compare the incidence of covid-19 symptoms between informal home-based workers and a control group and to assess the association of these cases with blood elements concentrations and other relevant risk factors for Sars-Cov-2 infection. METHODS Welders chemically exposed to potentially toxic elements (PTEs) (n = 26) and control participants (n = 25) answered questionnaires on adherence to social distancing and signs and symptoms of the disease for five months during the covid-19 pandemic. After follow-up, covid-19 serology tests were performed on a subsample of 12 chemically exposed workers and 20 control participants. Before the pandemic, PTE concentrations in blood (As, Mn, Ni, Cd, Hg, Sb, Sn, Cu, Zn, and Pb) were measured by ICP-MS. RESULTS The chemically exposed group had higher lead and cadmium levels in blood (p < 0.01). The control group presented lower adherence to social distancing (p = 0.016). Although not significant, welders had a 74% greater chance of having at least one covid-19 symptom compared with control participants, but their adherence to social distancing decreased this chance by 20%. The use of taxis for transportation was a risk factor significantly associated with covid-19 symptoms. CONCLUSION The lower adherence to social distancing among the control group greatly influences the development of covid-19. The literature lacks data linking exposure to PTEs and Sars-Cov-2 infection and/or severity. In this study, despite chemical exposure, working from home may have protected welders against covid-19, considering that they maintained greater social distancing than control participants. |
| Keyword: | Chemical Compound Exposure, Occupational Exposure, Informal Sector, Physical Distancing, COVID-19 |
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