A coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) surveillance study was performed in MarcheApril 2020 among asymptomatic healthcare workers (HCWs) at a specialist infectious diseases hospital in Naples, Italy. All HCWs underwent two rounds of molecular and serological testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). One hundred and fifteen HCWs were tested; of these, two cases of infection were identified by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and two HCWs were SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G seropositive. The overall prevalence of current or probable previous infection was 3.4%. The infection rate among HCWs was reasonably low. Most of the infected HCWs had been asymptomatic for the preceding 30 days, which supports the need for periodic screening of HCWs for COVID-19.

Stress and depression are known to modulate the aging process, and might also affect telomere biology. In fact, exposure to some biochemical pathways involved in stress-related depression may contribute to an ‘‘accelerated aging” phenotype, as well as the incidence of age-related diseases, including metabolic disorders and dementia. Basic studies support the notion that the telomere and telomerase system plays a pivotal role in the aging process and disease promotion. Interestingly, short and dysfunctional telomeres are associated with reduced lifespan, as shown in animal models. In this context, telomeres are very sensitive to stress, mindset, and lifestyle, and their rescue may be sufficient to restore cell and organism viability. This mini-review discusses conceptual models of healthy and active aging and their relationship with telomere biology and mental health.

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