Anteneh Assefa Desalegn

• Zwiers, Laura C.; Grobbee, Diederick E.; Schneijdenberg, Rob; Baljé, Corine; Laurent, Samantha St. & Esposito, Daina B. [Show all 24 contributors for this article] (2025). Clinical Course, Outcomes, and Risk Factors of Myocarditis and Pericarditis Following Administration of mRNA-1273 Vaccination: A Protocol for a Federated Real-World Evidence Vaccine Safety Study Using Data from Five European Data Sources. Vaccines. 13(7). doi: 10.3390/vaccines13070755. Full text in Research Archive
• Zidan, Mahmoud; Trinh, Nhung; Desalegn, Anteneh Assefa; Smith, Louisa H.; Gelder, Marleen van & Nordeng, Hedvig Marie Egeland [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2025). BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness in pregnancy: Emulating trial NCT04754594 using observational data from Norwegian health registries. Vaccine. ISSN 0264-410X. 68. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127908. Full text in Research Archive
• Haeuser, Emily; Byrne, Sam; Nguyen, Jason; Raggi, Catalina; McLaughlin, Susan A & Bisignano, Catherine [Show all 1,331 contributors for this article] (2025). Global, regional, and national trends in routine childhood vaccination coverage from 1980 to 2023 with forecasts to 2030: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2023. The Lancet. ISSN 0140-6736. 406(10500), p. 260–260. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(25)01037-2. Full text in Research Archive
• Desalegn, Anteneh; Schillemans, Tessa; Papadopoulou, Eleni; Sakhi, Amrit K.; Haug, Line S. & Caspersen, Ida Henriette [Show all 50 contributors for this article] (2024). Urinary concentrations of phthalate/DINCH metabolites and body mass index among European children and adolescents in the HBM4EU Aligned Studies: A cross-sectional multi-country study. Environment International. ISSN 0160-4120. 190. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108931. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background Phthalates are ubiquitous in the environment. Despite short half-lives, chronic exposure can lead to endocrine disruption. The safety of phthalate substitute DINCH is unclear. Objective To evaluate associations between urinary concentrations of phthalate/DINCH metabolites and body mass index (BMI) z-score among children and adolescents. Method We used Human Biomonitoring for Europe Aligned Studies data from 2876 children (12 studies, 6–12 years, 2014–2021) and 2499 adolescents (10 studies, 12–18 years, 2014–2021) with up to 14 phthalate/DINCH urinary metabolites. We used multilevel linear regression to assess associations between phthalate/DINCH concentrations and BMI z-scores, testing effect modification by sex. In a subset, Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) and quantile-based g-computation assessed important predictors and mixture effects. Results In children, we found few associations in single pollutant models and no interactions by sex (p-interaction > 0.1). BKMR detected no relevant exposures (posterior inclusion probabilities, PIPs < 0.25), nor joint mixture effect. In adolescent single pollutant analysis, mono-ethyl phthalate (MEP) concentrations were associated with higher BMI z-score in males (β = 0.08, 95 % CI: 0.001,0.15, per interquartile range increase in ln-transformed concentrations, p-interaction = 0.06). Conversely, mono-isobutyl phthalate (MiBP) was associated with a lower BMI z-score in both sexes (β = -0.13, 95 % CI: −0.19, −0.07, p-interaction = 0.74), as was sum of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (∑DEHP) metabolites in females only (β = -0.08, 95 % CI: −0.14, −0.02, p-interaction = 0.01). In BKMR, higher BMI z-scores were predicted by MEP (PIP=0.90) and MBzP (PIP=0.84) in males. Lower BMI z-scores were predicted by MiBP (PIP=0.999), OH-MIDP (PIP=0.88) and OH-MINCH (PIP=0.72) in both sexes, less robustly by DEHP (PIP=0.61) in females. In quantile g-computation, the overall mixture effect was null for males, and trended negative for females (β = -0.11, 95 % CI: −0.25, 0.03, per joint exposure quantile). Conclusion In this large Europe-wide study, we found age/sex-specific differences between phthalate metabolites and BMI z-score, stronger in adolescents. Longitudinal studies with repeated phthalate measurements are needed.

• Elyass, Jovan; Desalegn, Anteneh Assefa; Trinh, Nhung; Orangzeb, Saima; Zidan, Mahmoud & Nordeng, Hedvig Marie Egeland [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2024). Individual and familial factors associated with mRNA COVID-19 vaccine uptake in pregnancy: A large-scale registry-based linkage study. Vaccine. ISSN 0264-410X. 42(21). doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.126171. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The association between maternal COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy and factors such as high risk for severe COVID-19, pre-existing asthma, prior adverse reproductive history, or paternal COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy, remains unclear. The aim of this study is two-fold: (i) to describe uptake of COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy by maternal risk for severe COVID-19 and asthma, and (ii) to comprehensively examine individual and familial factors associated with vaccine uptake during pregnancy in Norway. Based on nation-wide registry-linkage data in Norway, we included 101,659 deliveries with gestational length ≥12 weeks, in 2021–2022. Our outcome measure was uptake of at least one dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy, using a narrow (first ever dose) and broad (any dose) definition. We fit univariate and multivariate modified Poisson regression models, clustered by county of residency and adjusted for calendar time, to estimate risk ratios (RR) with 95 % Confidence Intervals (CIs). Gestational uptake of any COVID-19 vaccine dose increased from <1 % before mid Aug-2021, to 38.8 % in the rest of 2021, and 48.9 % in 2022. Only 28.8 % and 33.9 % pregnant individuals with high risk for severe COVID-19 or asthma, respectively, received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose. Paternal COVID-19 vaccination was strongly associated with greater vaccine uptake by pregnant individuals (adjusted RR: 7.2, 95 % CI: 6.8–7.5). Maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection pre-pregnancy (adjusted RR: 0.31, 95 % CI: 0.26, 0.37), familial and individual migrant status were associated with a considerable decreased likelihood of vaccine uptake in pregnancy. History of miscarriage or pregnancy with congenital anomaly were not associated with vaccine uptake. Despite rising COVID-19 vaccine rates in pregnancy, uptake remained low for high-risk individuals. Paternal vaccination, pre-pregnancy infection, migration status, and maternal citizenship were strongly associated with prenatal vaccine uptake. This knowledge can inform tailoring of future vaccination campaigns.

• Orangzeb, Saima; Desalegn, Anteneh Assefa; Trinh, Nhung; Zhao, Jing; Nordeng, Hedvig Marie Egeland & Lupattelli, Angela (2024). COVID-19 vaccine uptake among children and adolescents in Norway: A comprehensive registry-based cohort study of over 800,000 individuals. Vaccine. ISSN 0264-410X. 42(15), p. 3420–3428. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.04.039. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Factors related with COVID-19 vaccine uptake in children and adolescents in Norway remain unclear, despite this being useful knowledge for future pandemic preparedness. This study aimed to comprehensively examine individual and familial factors associated with vaccine uptake in children and adolescents in Norway. We utilized nationwide registry-data from various health registries and Statistics Norway, encompassing all children and adolescents living in Norway during the pandemic, until 31-Dec-2022. Vaccine uptake is defined as receiving at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. We employed a forward stepwise logistic regression model and a random forest machine-learning algorithm to explore the relationship between vaccine uptake and socio-cultural, demographic, and health-related factors. We included 423,548 5–11-year-olds, 269,830 12–15-year-olds, and 120,854 16–17-year-olds. Vaccine uptake in these three groups was respectively 2.6 %, 73.3 %, and 87.3 %. Factors associated with vaccine uptake varied by age group. In youngest children, immigrant background (Odds-ratio (OR) = 1.58, 95 % confidence interval (CI) (1.14–2.19)), born extremely preterm (OR = 2.38, 95 % CI (1.60–3.54)), having risk of severe COVID-19 (OR = 5.40, 95 % CI (4.69–6.23) and maternal COVID-19 vaccination (OR = 6.34, 95 % CI (5.35–7.53)) were positively associated with vaccine uptake. The latter two factors were also strongly, positively associated with vaccine uptake in 12–15-year-olds, while previous SARS-CoV-2 infection was negatively associated (OR = 0.12, 95 % CI (0.11–0.14). Similar findings were observed in 16–17-year-olds. COVID-19 vaccine uptake differed markedly by age group, and major associated factors included socio-demographics and parental COVID-19 vaccination status, prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, but also being born premature and having moderate or high risk of severe COVID-19.

• Rodríguez-Carrillo, Andrea; Remy, Sylvie; Koppen, Gudrun; Wauters, Natasha; Mustieles, Vicente & Desalegn, Anteneh Assefa [Show all 20 contributors for this article] (2024). Urinary phthalate/DINCH metabolites associations with kisspeptin and reproductive hormones in teenagers: A cross-sectional study from the HBM4EU aligned studies. Science of the Total Environment. ISSN 0048-9697. 929. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172426. Full text in Research Archive
• Cox, Bianca; Wauters, Natasha; Rodríguez-Carrillo, Andrea; Portengen, Lützen; Gerofke, Antje & Kolossa-Gehring, Marike [Show all 21 contributors for this article] (2023). PFAS and Phthalate/DINCH Exposure in Association with Age at Menarche in Teenagers of the HBM4EU Aligned Studies. Toxics. ISSN 2305-6304. 11(8). doi: 10.3390/toxics11080711. Full text in Research Archive
• Rodríguez-Carrillo, Andrea; Remy, Sylvie; Koppen, Gudrun; Wauters, Natasha; Freire, Carmen & Olivas-Martínez, Alicia [Show all 24 contributors for this article] (2023). PFAS association with kisspeptin and sex hormones in teenagers of the HBM4EU aligned studies. Environmental Pollution (1987). ISSN 0269-7491. 335. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122214. Full text in Research Archive
• Desalegn, Anteneh Assefa; Ent, Wietske van der; Lenters, Virissa Claire; Torcelino-Iszatt, Nina Louise; Stigum, Hein & Lyche, Jan Ludvig [Show all 10 contributors for this article] (2023). Perinatal exposure to potential endocrine disrupting chemicals and autism spectrum disorder: From Norwegian birth cohort to zebrafish studies. Environment International. ISSN 0160-4120. 181. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108271. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background The etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is multifactorial, involving genetic and environmental contributors such as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Objective To evaluate the association between perinatal exposure to 27 potential EDCs and ASD among Norwegian children, and to further examine the neurodevelopmental toxicity of associated chemicals using zebrafish embryos and larvae. Method 1,199 mothers enrolled in the prospective birth-cohort (HUMIS, 2002–2009) study. Breastmilk levels of 27 chemicals were measured: polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorine pesticides, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, and perfluoroalkyl substances as a proxy for perinatal exposure. We employed multivariable logistic regression to determine association, utilized elastic net logistic regression as variable selection method, and conducted an in vivo study with zebrafish larvae to confirm the neurodevelopmental effect. Results A total of 20 children had specialist confirmed diagnosis of autism among 1,199 mother–child pairs in this study. β-Hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH) was the only chemical associated with ASD, after adjusting for 26 other chemicals. Mothers with the highest levels of β-HCH in their milk had a significant increased risk of having a child with ASD (OR = 1.82, 95 % CI: 1.20, 2.77 for an interquartile range increase in ln-transformed β-HCH concentration). The median concentration of β-HCH in breast milk was 4.37 ng/g lipid (interquartile range: 2.92–6.47), and the estimated daily intake (EDI) for Norwegian children through breastfeeding was 0.03 µg/kg of body weight. The neurodevelopmental and social behavioral effects of β-HCH were established in zebrafish embryos and larvae across various concentrations, with further analysis suggesting that perturbation of dopaminergic neuron development may underlie the neurotoxicity associated with β-HCH. Conclusions Prenatal exposure to β-HCH was associated with an increased risk of specialist-confirmed diagnoses of ASD among Norwegian children, and the EDI surpasses the established threshold. Zebrafish experiments confirm β-HCH neurotoxicity, suggesting dopaminergic neuron disruption as a potential underlying mechanism.

• Desalegn, Anteneh Assefa; Collet, Bérénice; Iszatt, Nina; Stigum, Hein; Jensen, Tina K. & Jonker, Lydia [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2022). Aryl hydrocarbon receptor activity in human breast milk and cryptorchidism: A case-control study within the prospective Norwegian HUMIS cohort. Environmental Research. ISSN 0013-9351. 214, p. 1–11. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113861. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background The etiology of cryptorchidism remains poorly understood. Endocrine disrupting chemicals can impact estrogen signaling by interacting with aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activity. Objective To evaluate whether AhR activity in breast milk samples is associated with cryptorchidism. Method We conducted a case-control study based on 199 mother-child pairs (n = 91 cases/108 controls) selected from the Norwegian Human Milk Study (2002–2009). We defined cases for cryptorchidism based on maternal reports at 1-, 6-, 12-, and 24- months after birth. Chemically- and biologically stable AhR activity (pg 2,3,7,8-TCDD equivalent (TEQ)/g lipid) was determined by DR- CALUX® assay in the mothers’ milk collected at a median of 33 (10th–90th percentile: 18–57) days after delivery. We used multivariate logistic regression to compare AhR activity levels between cases and controls, and linear regression separately, to establish the relationship with the presence of 27 potential EDCs measured in breast milk and AhR activity. Results The average estimated daily intake (EDI) of dioxin and (dioxin-like (dl)-compounds via breast milk is 33.7 ± 17.9 pg TEQ/kg bodyweight per day among Norwegian children. There were no significant differences in AhR activation in breast milk samples between cases with cryptorchidism and controls. Among the 27 chemicals measured in breast milk, AhR activity was (borderline) significantly associated with all dl-PCBs, three non-dioxin-like (ndl)-PCBs (PCB-74, PCB-180, PCB-194) and two organochlorine pesticides (OCPs; HCB, β-HCH). No associations between AhR activity and brominated flame retardants (PBDEs) or poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). Conclusion No association between AhR activity and cryptorchidism was found among Norwegian boys. The average EDI of dioxin and dl-compounds in exclusively breastfed Norwegian infants remains above the safety threshold and, therefore requires further reduction measures. Consistent with a possible role in the observed AhR activity, all dl-PCBs were associated with AhR activity whereas the association was null for either PBDEs or PFASs.

• Schillemans, Tessa; Iszatt, Nina; Remy, Sylvie; Schoeters, Greet; Fernández, Mariana F. & D'Cruz, Shereen Cynthia [Show all 28 contributors for this article] (2022). Cross-sectional associations between exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and body mass index among European teenagers in the HBM4EU aligned studies. Environmental Pollution (1987). ISSN 0269-7491. 316(1). doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120566. Full text in Research Archive
• Collet, Bérénice; Desalegn, Anteneh Assefa; Swart, Kees; Naderman, Matthijs; Iszatt, Nina & Stigum, Hein [Show all 10 contributors for this article] (2022). Anti-androgenic compounds in breast milk and cryptorchidism among Norwegian boys in the HUMIS birth cohort. Science of the Total Environment. ISSN 0048-9697. 803. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149746. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The prevalence of cryptorchidism has increased over the past decades, yet its origins remain poorly understood. Testis descent is dependent on androgens and likely affected by endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs), targeting the androgen receptor (AR). We investigated the association between anti-androgenic activity, not derived from natural hormones, in maternal breast milk and impaired testis descent among boys. We performed a case-control study based on 199 breast milk samples from 94 mothers of cryptorchid boys and 105 random non-cryptorchid boys participating in the Norwegian HUMIS (Human Milk Study) cohort. For each participant, apolar, and polar fractions were extracted, and combined to reconstitute a mixture. Anti-androgenic activity was measured in all three fractions using the human cell-based in vitro anti-AR CALUX® assay and expressed in μg of flutamide equivalent, a well-known antiandrogen. Results from fraction analyses were compared among boys with cryptorchidism and controls using multiple logistic regression, controlling for appropriate confounders identified using a directed acyclic graph. Children's daily exposure to anti-androgenic EDCs through breastfeeding was estimated to 78 μg flutamide eq./kg of body weigh/day. The activity was higher in the polar fraction (1.48 ± 1.37 μg flutamide eq./g of milk) mainly representing non-persistent chemicals, in contrast to other fractions. However, the activity in the polar extracts was decreased when in mixtures with the apolar fraction, indicating synergistic interactions. No significant difference in the activity was observed according to cryptorchid status for polar, apolar or mixed breast milk fractions. The study showed anti-androgenic activity in nearly all human milk samples, and at levels higher than the advisory threshold. However, no significant association was observed between cryptorchidism and antiandrogenic activity measured in either polar, apolar, or mixture fractions derived from breast milk.

• Desalegn, Anteneh Assefa; Iszatt, Nina; Stigum, Hein; Jensen, Tina Kold & Eggesbø, Merete Åse (2021). A case-cohort study of perinatal exposure to potential endocrine disrupters and the risk of cryptorchidism in the Norwegian HUMIS study. Environment International. ISSN 0160-4120. 157, p. 1–9. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106815. Full text in Research Archive
• Desalegn, Anteneh Assefa; Bopp, Stephanie; Asturiol, David; Lamon, Lara; Paini, Alicia & Worth, Andrew (2019). Role of Physiologically Based Kinetic modelling in addressing environmental chemical mixtures – A review. Computational Toxicology. 10, p. 158–168. doi: 10.1016/j.comtox.2018.09.001. Full text in Research Archive
• Paini, Alicia; Leonard, J.A.; Joossens, E.; Dorne, J.L.; Desalegn, Anteneh Assefa & Gosling, J.P. [Show all 19 contributors for this article] (2019). Next generation physiologically based kinetic (NG-PBK) models in support of regulatory decision making. Computational Toxicology. 9, p. 61–72. doi: 10.1016/j.comtox.2018.11.002. Full text in Research Archive
• Desalegn, Anteneh Assefa; Bopp, Stephanie K.; Asturiol, David; Lamon, Lara; Worth, Andrew & Paini, Alicia (2018). Role of Physiologically Based Kinetic modelling in addressing environmental chemical mixtures - A review. Computational Toxicology. doi: 10.1016/j.comtox.2018.09.001. Full text in Research Archive
• Carlander, Ulrika; Desalegn, Anteneh; Moto, Tshepo Paulsen; Yokel, Robert A & Johanson, Gunnar (2018). Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling of Nanoceria Systemic Distribution in Rats Suggests Dose- and Route-Dependent Biokinetics. International Journal of Nanomedicine. ISSN 1176-9114. 13, p. 2631–2646. doi: 10.2147/IJN.S157210. Full text in Research Archive
• Desalegn, Anteneh Assefa & Berhan, Asres (2014). Absenteeism among medical and health science undergraduate students at Hawassa University, Ethiopia. BMC Medical Education. doi: 10.1186/1472-6920-14-81. Full text in Research Archive
• Desalegn, Anteneh Assefa & Berhan, Asres (2014). Cheating on examinations and its predictors among undergraduate students at Hawassa University College of Medicine and Health Science, Hawassa, Ethiopia. BMC Medical Education. doi: 10.1186/1472-6920-14-89. Full text in Research Archive
• Desalegn, Anteneh Assefa (2013). Assessment of drug use pattern using WHO prescribing indicators at Hawassa University teaching and referral hospital, south Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study. BMC Health Services Research. doi: 10.1186/1472-6963-13-170. Full text in Research Archive

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• Lupattelli, Angela & Desalegn, Anteneh Assefa (2024). Interim results from the VAC4EU Post-Authorization Safety Study (PASS) among recipients of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 (Comirnaty®) vaccine in Europe. Full text in Research Archive
• Lupattelli, Angela & Desalegn, Anteneh Assefa (2024). Identifying risk factors for myocarditis/pericarditis following mRNA1273 vaccination: results of the first interim analyses of a VAC4EU study. Full text in Research Archive

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