ORCID Profile
0000-0001-9205-1048
Current Organisations
University Hospital Rigshospitalet
,
IT University of Copenhagen
,
Statens Serum Institut
,
University of Greenland
,
Karolinska Institutet
,
Queen Ingrids Hospital
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Publications
Testing Denmark: a Danish Nationwide Surveillance Study of COVID-19
Publisher: American Society for Microbiology
Date: 22-12-2021
DOI: 10.1128/SPECTRUM.01330-21
Abstract: To date, including 318,522 participants, this is the largest population-based study with broad national participation where tests and questionnaires have been sent to participants’ homes. We found that more emphasis from national and local authorities toward the risk of infection should be placed on age of tested in iduals, type of occupation, as well as exposure in local communities and households.
Persistent Symptoms and Sequelae After Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection Not Requiring Hospitalization: Results From Testing Denmark, a Danish Cross-sectional Survey
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 21-12-2022
DOI: 10.1093/OFID/OFAC679
Abstract: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is associated with persistent symptoms (“long COVID”). We assessed the burden of long COVID among nonhospitalized adults with polymerase chain reaction (PCR)–confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. In the fall of 2020, a cross-sectional survey was performed in the adult Danish general population. This included a self-administered point-of-care test for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, the Short Form Health Survey (SF-12), and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)–associated symptom questions. Nonhospitalized respondents with a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test ≥12 weeks before the survey (cases) were matched (1:10) to seronegative controls on age, sex, and body mass index. Propensity score–weighted odds ratios (ORs) and ORs for risk factors were estimated for each health outcome. In total, 742 cases and 7420 controls were included. The attributable risk of at least 1 long-COVID symptom was 25.0 per 100 cases (95% confidence interval [CI], 22.2–27.4). Compared to controls, cases reported worse general health (OR, 5.9 [95% CI, 5.0–7.0]) and had higher odds for a broad range of symptoms, particularly loss of taste (OR, 11.8 [95% CI, 9.5–14.6]) and smell (OR, 11.2 [95% CI, 9.1–13.9]). Physical and Mental Component Summary scores were also significantly reduced with differences of −2.5 (95% CI, −3.1 to −1.8) and −2.0 (95% CI, −2.7 to −1.2), respectively. Female sex and severity of initial infection were major risk factors for long COVID. Nonhospitalized SARS-CoV-2 PCR–positive in iduals had significantly reduced physical and mental health, and 1 in 4 reported persistence of at least 1 long-COVID symptom.
A Cross-Sectional Study of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies and Risk Factors for Seropositivity in Staff in Day Care Facilities and Preschools in Denmark
Publisher: American Society for Microbiology
Date: 14-02-2023
DOI: 10.1128/SPECTRUM.04174-22
Abstract: Identifying at-risk groups and evaluating preventive interventions in at-risk groups is imperative for the ongoing pandemic as well as for the control of future epidemics. Although DCS staff have a much higher risk of being infected within their own household than at their workplace, most are fearful of being infected with COVID-19 or bringing COVID-19 to work.
Mortality, risk factors, and causes of death among people with tuberculosis in Denmark, 1990-2018
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2023
Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in social housing areas in Denmark
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 10-02-2022
DOI: 10.1186/S12879-022-07102-1
Abstract: COVID-19 is thought to be more prevalent among ethnic minorities and in iduals with low socioeconomic status. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies during the COVID-19 pandemic among citizens 15 years or older in Denmark living in social housing (SH) areas. We conducted a study between January 8th and January 31st, 2021 with recruitment in 13 selected SH areas. Participants were offered a point-of-care rapid SARS-CoV-2 IgM and IgG antibody test and a questionnaire concerning risk factors associated with COVID-19. As a proxy for the general Danish population we accessed data on seroprevalence from Danish blood donors (total Ig ELISA assay) in same time period. Of the 13,279 included participants, 2296 (17.3%) were seropositive (mean age 46.6 (SD 16.4) years, 54.2% female), which was 3 times higher than in the general Danish population (mean age 41.7 (SD 14.1) years, 48.5% female) in the same period (5.8%, risk ratios (RR) 2.96, 95% CI 2.78–3.16, p 0.001). Seropositivity was higher among males (RR 1.1, 95% CI 1.05–1.22%, p = 0.001) and increased with age, with an OR seropositivity of 1.03 for each 10-year increase in age (95% CI 1.00–1.06, p = 0.031). Close contact with COVID-19-infected in iduals was associated with a higher risk of infection, especially among household members (OR 5.0, 95% CI 4.1–6.2 p 0,001). Living at least four people in a household significantly increased the OR of seropositivity (OR 1.3, 95% CI 1.0–1.6, p = 0.02) as did living in a multi-generational household (OR 1.3 per generation, 95% CI 1.1–1.6, p = 0.003). Only 1.6% of participants reported not following any of the national COVID-19 recommendations. Danish citizens living in SH areas of low socioeconomic status had a three times higher SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence compared to the general Danish population. The seroprevalence was significantly higher in males and increased slightly with age. Living in multiple generations households or in households of more than four persons was a strong risk factor for being seropositive. Results of this study can be used for future consideration of the need for preventive measures in the populations living in SH areas.
The New Arctic
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Date: 2015
SARS-CoV-2 antibody prevalence among homeless people and shelter workers in Denmark: a nationwide cross-sectional study
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 27-06-2022
DOI: 10.1186/S12889-022-13642-7
Abstract: People experiencing homelessness (PEH) and associated shelter workers may be at higher risk of infection with “Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2” (SARS-CoV-2). The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among PEH and shelter workers in Denmark. In November 2020, we conducted a nationwide cross-sectional seroprevalence study among PEH and shelter workers at 21 recruitment sites in Denmark. The assessment included a point-of-care test for antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, followed by a questionnaire. The seroprevalence was compared to that of geographically matched blood donors considered as a proxy for the background population, tested using a total Ig ELISA assay. We included 827 participants in the study, of whom 819 provided their SARS-CoV-2 antibody results. Of those, 628 were PEH (median age 50.8 (IQR 40.9–59.1) years, 35.5% female) and 191 were shelter workers (median age 46.6 (IQR 36.1–55.0) years and 74.5% female). The overall seroprevalence was 6.7% and was similar among PEH and shelter workers (6.8% vs 6.3%, p = 0.87) and 12.2% among all participants who engaged in sex work. The overall participant seroprevalence was significantly higher than that of the background population (2.9%, p 0.001). When combining all participants who reported sex work or were recruited at designated safe havens, we found a significantly increased risk of seropositivity compared to other participants (OR 2.23, 95%CI 1.06–4.43, p = 0.02). Seropositive and seronegative participants reported a similar presence of at least one SARS-CoV-2 associated symptom (49% and 54%, respectively). The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was more than twice as high among PEH and associated shelter workers, compared to the background population. These results could be taken into consideration when deciding in which phase PEH are eligible for a vaccine, as part of the Danish national SARS-CoV-2 vaccination program rollout. TrygFonden and HelseFonden.
First outbreak of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in Denmark involving six Danish-born cases
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2022
DOI: 10.1016/J.IJID.2022.02.017
Abstract: Denmark is a low-incidence country for tuberculosis (TB) and multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB at 5 and 0.05 cases per 100,000 population, respectively. Until 2018, the transmission of MDR-TB was nonexistent except for a few pairwise related family cases. In this study, we describe the first MDR-TB outbreak in Denmark. On the basis of genotyping of all Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) culture-positive cases in Denmark spanning 3 decades, 6 molecular- and epidemiologically linked Danish-born cases were identified as the first cluster of an MDR-TB in Denmark. The primary case was diagnosed posthumously in 2010 followed by 5 epidemiologically linked cases from 2018 to 2019. Through a combination of routine Mtb genotyping and clinical epidemiological surveillance data, we identified the first Danish MDR-TB outbreak spanning 10 years and were able to disclose the specific transmission pathways in detail, which helped guide the outbreak investigations. The occurrence of an MDR-TB outbreak in a resource-rich low TB incidence setting such as Denmark highlights the importance of a collaborative control system combining classic contact tracing timely identification of drug-resistant TB through rapid diagnostics and a close collaboration between clinicians and classical- and molecular epidemiologists for the benefit of TB control.
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Related Funding Activities
No related grants have been discovered for Anders Koch.