{"entity": "publication", "iuid": "d9c43fdb45fc4f848240ed45faeee3a3", "timestamp": "2026-08-12T05:08:52.184Z", "links": {"self": {"href": "https://publications.scilifelab.se/publication/d9c43fdb45fc4f848240ed45faeee3a3.json"}, "display": {"href": "https://publications.scilifelab.se/publication/d9c43fdb45fc4f848240ed45faeee3a3"}}, "title": "Risk Factors for COVID-19 and Respiratory Tract Infections during the Coronavirus Pandemic.", "authors": [{"family": "Mockeliunas", "given": "Laurynas", "initials": "L", "orcid": "0000-0002-7008-4946", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications.scilifelab.se/researcher/a59335eec73d457daca2d454dbfe9db3.json"}}, {"family": "van Wijk", "given": "Rob C", "initials": "RC"}, {"family": "Upton", "given": "Caryn M", "initials": "CM"}, {"family": "Peter", "given": "Jonathan", "initials": "J"}, {"family": "Diacon", "given": "Andreas H", "initials": "AH"}, {"family": "Simonsson", "given": "Ulrika S H", "initials": "USH", "orcid": "0000-0002-3424-9686", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications.scilifelab.se/researcher/653eb745f8e847d0b4bac44bba7dec4d.json"}}], "type": "journal article", "published": "2024-03-19", "journal": {"title": "Vaccines (Basel)", "issn": "2076-393X", "volume": "12", "issue": "3", "issn-l": null}, "abstract": "(1) Background: Some individuals are more susceptible to developing respiratory tract infections (RTIs) or coronavirus disease (COVID-19) than others. The aim of this work was to identify risk factors for symptomatic RTIs including COVID-19 and symptomatic COVID-19 during the coronavirus pandemic by using infection incidence, participant baseline, and regional COVID-19 burden data. (2) Methods: Data from a prospective study of 1000 frontline healthcare workers randomized to Bacillus Calmette-Gu\u00e9rin vaccination or placebo, and followed for one year, was analyzed. Parametric time-to-event analysis was performed to identify the risk factors associated with (a) non-specific symptomatic respiratory tract infections including COVID-19 (RTIs+COVID-19) and (b) symptomatic RTIs confirmed as COVID-19 using a polymerase chain reaction or antigen test (COVID-19). (3) Results: Job description of doctor or nurse (median hazard ratio [HR] 1.541 and 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.299-1.822), the reported COVID-19 burden (median HR 1.361 and 95% CI 1.260-1.469 for 1.4 COVID-19 cases per 10,000 capita), or a BMI > 30 kg/m2 (median HR 1.238 and 95% CI 1.132-1.336 for BMI of 35.4 kg/m2) increased the probability of RTIs+COVID-19, while positive SARS-CoV-2 serology at enrollment (median HR 0.583 and 95% CI 0.449-0.764) had the opposite effect. The reported COVID-19 burden (median HR 2.372 and 95% CI 2.116-2.662 for 1.4 COVID-19 cases per 10,000 capita) and a job description of doctor or nurse (median HR 1.679 and 95% CI 1.253-2.256) increased the probability of developing COVID-19, while smoking (median HR 0.428 and 95% CI 0.284-0.648) and positive SARS-CoV-2 serology at enrollment (median HR 0.076 and 95% CI 0.026-0.212) decreased it. (4) Conclusions: Nurses and doctors with obesity had the highest probability of developing RTIs including COVID-19. Non-smoking nurses and doctors had the highest probability of developing COVID-19 specifically. The reported COVID-19 burden increased the event probability, while positive SARS-CoV-2 IgG serology at enrollment decreased the probability of RTIs including COVID-19, and COVID-19 specifically.", "doi": "10.3390/vaccines12030329", "pmid": "38543963", "labels": {"Bioinformatics Support for Computational Resources": "Service"}, "xrefs": [{"db": "pmc", "key": "PMC10974083"}, {"db": "pii", "key": "vaccines12030329"}], "notes": [], "created": "2024-11-25T10:34:02.026Z", "modified": "2025-02-28T14:24:54.815Z"}