Epidemiology of Reportable Bacterial Infectious Diseases in Saudi Arabia.

Introduction: Bacterial infections have a significant impact on human health; they can cause severe morbidity and mortality, particularly in susceptible populations. Epidemiological surveillance is a critical tool for monitoring the population's health and facilitate the prevention and control of infectious disease outbreaks. Knowing the burden of bacterial communicable diseases is an initial core step toward public health goals.

Comparative genomic analysis of antibiotic resistance and virulence genes in isolates from patients and retail meat.

Introduction: is a significant human pathogen that poses a threat to public health due to its association with foodborne contamination and a variety of infections. The factors contributing to the pathogenicity of include virulence, drug resistance, and toxin production, making it essential to monitor their prevalence and genetic profiles. This study investigated and compared the genomic characteristics of isolates from retail meat and patients in Saudi Arabia.

Clonal Flux and Spread of Isolated from Meat and Its Genetic Relatedness to Isolated from Patients in Saudi Arabia.

In this study, we investigated both meat-derived and methicillin-resistant (MRSA), exploring their genetic relatedness to patient-derived MRSA isolates in Saudi Arabia. We collected 250 meat samples and identified 53 isolates, with 79% being methicillin-sensitive (MSSA) and 21% being MRSA. Moreover, we included 80 clinically confirmed patient-derived MRSA isolates.

Evaluation of Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra for the Diagnosis of Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis: A Retrospective Analysis in Saudi Arabia.

The incidence of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) in low- and middle-income countries, as well as, high-income countries has increased over the last two decades. The acid-fast bacillus (AFB) smear test is easy to perform and cost-effective with a quick turnaround time but the test has low sensitivity. Culture remains the gold standard for detecting TB; however, it has low sensitivity and slow bacterial growth patterns, as it may take up to 6 to 8 weeks to grow.

Tools to Alleviate the Drug Resistance in .

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (), an acid-fast bacillus that causes Tuberculosis (TB), is a pathogen that caused 1.5 million deaths in 2020. As per WHO estimates, another 4.

Reply to Zandi, M.; Soltani, S. Comment on "Alfassam et al. Development of a Colorimetric Tool for SARS-CoV-2 and Other Respiratory Viruses Detection Using Sialic Acid Fabricated Gold Nanoparticles. 2021, , 502".

When COVID-19 was first announced back in 2019, there were vast number of attempts to halt the progression of the SARS-CoV-2 virus once and for all [...

Common intestinal parasitic infections among patients living in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: Prevalence and demographic associations (A cross-sectional retrospective study).

Background: This study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) among patients referred from different primary healthcare centers (PHC) in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Material & Methods: A cross-sectional retrospective study conducted at Riyadh Regional Laboratory (RRL). All stool samples that are requested for intestinal parasite detection by physicians from PHCs across the Riyadh Region during year 2020 are referred to the RRL.

The diagnostic impact of implementing a molecular-based algorithm to standard mycobacterial screening at a reference laboratory with an intermediate prevalence for non-respiratory samples.

Rapid, reliable results can be given by molecular, direct detection and identification of the (MTB/Mtb) complex from clinical samples. The Xpert MTB/RIF assay is an assay that has been availablefor more than a decade for identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and resistance to rifampicin. However, there is minimal evidence on its clinical usefulness in paucibacillary, non-respiratory samples.

Development of a Colorimetric Tool for SARS-CoV-2 and Other Respiratory Viruses Detection Using Sialic Acid Fabricated Gold Nanoparticles.

Sialic acid that presents on the surface of lung epithelial cells is considered as one of the main binding targets for many respiratory viruses, including influenza and the current coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) through the viral surface protein hemagglutinin. Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) are extensively used in the diagnostic field owing to a phenomenon known as 'surface plasmonic resonance' in which the scattered light is absorbed by these NPs and can be detected via UV-Vis spectrophotometry. Consequently, sialic acid conjugated Au NPs (SA-Au NPs) were utilized for their plasmonic effect against SARS-CoV-2, influenza B virus, and Middle-East respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (MERS) in patients' swab samples.

Influenza vaccine acceptance by healthcare workers in Saudi Arabia: A questionnaire-based analysis.

The aim of this study was to gauge the reasons for accepting or declining influenza vaccine in healthcare staff in Saudi Arabia. A questionnaire was administered to healthcare workers in Saudi Arabia. In all, 633 respondents who provided gender, nationality and profession were included.