Faculty of Pharmacy, Middle East University, Amman, Jordan.
Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2022 Oct;29(46):70408-70412. doi: 10.1007/s11356-022-20845-3. Epub 2022 May 19.
Foundry workers face a number of occupational health hazards, which may lead to an increased risk of respiratory disease, cancer, and anxiety level and are associated with endocrine, hematologic, renal, and neurological problems in humans. This study aims to evaluated thyroid functions, glutathione level, and the risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2 after vaccinated (two doses of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine) foundry workers in Jordan. We examined the efficacy BNT162b2 vaccine by calculating the rate of mortality and the degree of severity from mild to severe respiratory infections in 105 adult males foundry workers occupationally exposed to metals and Pb who had been received two doses, 21 days apart, of the BNT162b2 vaccine. Seventy-five male subjects not exposed to the Pb and who received two shots of the BNT162b2 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech) served as the control group. In foundry workers who were infected with COVID-19, the mortality rate (0%) was similar as in the control group (0%), and increased transmission of infection with SARS-CoV-2; the non-hospitalized infections increased nearly 3.4-times and hospitalized infections increased 4.29-times among people exposed to lead and metal contamination compared to the healthy persons control group. Also, among the foundry workers, the blood lead, FT3, and FT4 levels were significantly higher (p < 0.0001) and the levels of glutathione and TSH were significantly decreased (p < 0.0001) compared with the control group. In conclusion, long-term exposure to Pb is associated with a risk of infection with COVID-19 despite the 2 doses of the BNT162b2 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech). Also, exposure to Pb is associated with hyperthyroidism and a reduction in glutathione.
铸造工人面临许多职业健康危害，这可能导致患呼吸道疾病、癌症和焦虑症的风险增加，并与人类的内分泌、血液、肾脏和神经系统问题有关。本研究旨在评估接种（两剂 BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 疫苗）后约旦铸造工人的甲状腺功能、谷胱甘肽水平和感染 SARS-CoV-2 的风险。我们通过计算 105 名成年男性铸造工人的死亡率和从轻度到重度呼吸道感染的严重程度来评估 BNT162b2 疫苗的疗效，这些工人职业性接触金属和 Pb，已接种两剂 BNT162b2 疫苗，间隔 21 天。75 名未接触 Pb 且接种两剂 BNT162b2 疫苗（辉瑞-生物科技）的男性作为对照组。在感染 COVID-19 的铸造工人中，死亡率（0%）与对照组（0%）相似，且 SARS-CoV-2 感染的传播增加；与健康对照组相比，接触铅和金属污染的人中，非住院感染增加了近 3.4 倍，住院感染增加了 4.29 倍。此外，在铸造工人中，血铅、FT3 和 FT4 水平显著升高（p<0.0001），谷胱甘肽和 TSH 水平显著降低（p<0.0001），与对照组相比。总之，尽管接种了两剂 BNT162b2 疫苗（辉瑞-生物科技），但长期接触 Pb 与感染 COVID-19 的风险有关。此外，接触 Pb 与甲状腺功能亢进和谷胱甘肽减少有关。
