The Rising Threat of Mucormycosis: Oman's Experience Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Mucormycosis is a rare, severe fungal infection mainly affecting immunocompromised individuals. Because of limited data on its epidemiology in Oman, we present this national, multicentric, retrospective review that includes all cases of proven mucormycosis between 2006 and 2022 in Oman. There were 51 cases of mucormycosis reported in Oman.

Implementation of routine HIV testing policy in medical admissions in the sultanate of Oman: An experience from the Middle East.

Objectives: To tackle the issue of late HIV diagnosis in the country, the Ministry of Health (MOH) in Oman introduced a national policy of routine opt-out HIV in medical admission units in September 2022. We hereby report the implementation and outcomes of this policy.

Method: All patients aged 16-65 years admitted to a medical ward in secondary and local hospitals were offered an HIV test regardless of their symptoms by medical doctors, with training and support from HIV teams.

Time trend of respiratory viruses before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in severe acute respiratory virus infection in the Sultanate of Oman between 2017 and 2022.

Introduction: Severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) is a potentially lethal condition, necessitating thorough medical care. COVID-19 underscored the SARI threat, but other high-risk pathogens require monitoring alongside SARS-CoV-2. Oman instituted a comprehensive testing system to gauge the prevalence of these pathogens between 2017 and 2021, aiding resource allocation and public health responses to potential respiratory pathogen outbreaks.

Recurrent Infective Endocarditis in an Adolescent due to : A Rare Presentation of a Common Pathogen.

is known to cause invasive infections in risk groups such as pregnant women, newborns, and immunosuppressed patients but it is uncommon in older children. We describe a case of recurrent infective endocarditis due to in an 11-year-old boy with Loeys-Dietz syndrome who was successfully treated with long-term antimicrobial therapy for one year.

The Seroprevalence of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) in Hemodialysis Patients in Oman: A National Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: HCV infection in hemodialysis units is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. The risk of HCV infection among dialysis patients is higher compared to the general population due to high potential blood exposures in hemodialysis settings. This study aims to assess the national HCV seroprevalence in selected dialysis units and to determine the risk factors for acquiring HCV infection.

Mapping of infection prevention and control education and training in some countries of the World Health Organization's Eastern Mediterranean Region: current situation and future needs.

Background: A strong understanding of infection prevention and control (IPC) procedures and comprehensive training among healthcare workers is essential for effective IPC programs. These elements play a crucial role in breaking the chain of nosocomial infections by preventing the transmission of resistant organisms to patients and staff members. This study mapped the components of IPC education and training across various member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) at national, academic, and healthcare institutional levels.

The First Confirmed Pediatric Chronic Osteomyelitis due to in Oman.

We describe here the first confirmed case in Oman of chronic osteomyelitis due to in a previously healthy four-year-old Omani girl. After laboratory confirmation of infection using molecular and qualitative and quantitative serological assays, the case was successfully managed with a combination of oral ciprofloxacin and cotrimoxazole and thereafter followed up for a long period without remission.

The impact of the hand hygiene role model project on improving healthcare workers' compliance: A quasi-experimental observational study.

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO)'s multimodal strategy for improving hand hygiene (HH) compliance was endorsed in 2009 and was implemented by every hospital in Oman. There was variation in adherence to the practice even within the same facility and in sustaining improvement after the intervention.

Objectives: Evaluate the impact of national HH role model project on health care worker's immediate and long term compliance with HH practices.

Disseminated Cryptosporidiosis in an Infant with Non-HIV Pediatric Immunodeficiency: First Case Report from Oman.

is a rare but important pathogen, especially in children with immunodeficiency. Intestinal cryptosporidiosis is well described in immunocompetent and immunocompromised children, but respiratory and disseminated cryptosporidiosis in immunodeficient children is not often reported. We describe an Omani infant with disseminated cryptosporidiosis and failing pharmacological therapy in the context of severe combined immunodeficiency.

Challenges and Opportunities for Public Health Service in Oman From the COVID-19 Pandemic: Learning Lessons for a Better Future.

Despite the apparent challenges inflicted by COVID-19 globally, the pandemic provided an opportunity to utilize and expand existing public health capacities for a more adaptive and resilient system during and after each wave of the disease. This paper provides a narrative review of Oman's public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic from January 2020 to July 2021, and the challenges it faced for a more rapid and efficient response. The review demonstrates that the three main pillars influencing the direction of the pandemic and aiding the control are Oman's unified governmental leadership, the move to expand the capacity of the health care system at all levels, and community partnership in all stages of the response including the COVID-19 vaccination campaign.

The Impact of Mobility Restriction Strategies in the Control of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Modelling the Relation between COVID-19 Health and Community Mobility Data.

Background: Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), particularly mobility restrictions, are mainstay measures for the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide. We evaluated the effects of Oman's mobility restriction strategies to highlight their efficacy in controlling the pandemic.

Methods: Accessible national data of daily admissions and deaths were collected from 1 April 2020 to 22 May 2021.

The role of children and adolescents in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 virus within family clusters: A large population study from Oman.

Background: In Oman, many extended families tend to live in one household. Some families can include 20-30 individuals with the majority of them being children. This study investigates the role of children in spreading SARS-CoV-2 causing COVID-19 within family clusters in Oman.

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the general population of Oman: results from four successive nationwide sero-epidemiological surveys.

Objective: To assess the seroprevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Oman and longitudinal changes in antibody levels over time within the first 11 months of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Methods: This nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted as a four-cycle serosurvey using a multi-stage stratified sampling method from July to November 2020. A questionnaire was used and included demographics, history of acute respiratory infection and list of symptoms, COVID-19 contact, previous diagnosis or admission, travel history and risk factors.

Elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Oman: a success story from the Middle East.

Background: In January 2016, the National AIDS Programme (NAP) in Oman introduced a package of interventions, including capacity building for service providers, to improve the quality of HIV services.

Aims: To report the impact of these interventions on the rate of vertical HIV transmission in the period from January 2016 to December 2019. We also describe the virological and obstetric outcomes for HIV-infected pregnant women.

The role of supporting services in driving SARS-CoV-2 transmission within healthcare settings: A multicenter seroprevalence study.

Objective: To determine the seroprevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in healthcare workers (HCWs) based on risk of exposure to COVID-19 patients.

Method: This was a SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence cross-sectional study in risk-stratified HCWs randomly selected from three main district hospitals in Oman.

Results: 1078 HCWs were included, with an overall SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence of 21%.

The Spectrum of Bacille Calmette-Guérin Diseases in Children-A Decade of Data from Neonatal Vaccination Settings.

In this paper, we present a multicentre record-based descriptive study used to estimate the incidence and characterize the spectrum of confirmed bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine-related disease among children in Oman. This study included all children (age ≤ 14 years) who had culture and/or polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-confirmed BCG disease from January 2006 to December 2018, as identified from Central Public Health Laboratory data and International Classification of Diseases coding of an electronic patient information system. In total, 88 children confirmed to have BCG disease were included in the study, making an average incidence of 9.

Epidemiology, characteristics and outcome of children hospitalized with COVID-19 in Oman: A multicenter cohort study.

Objectives: To describe the epidemiology, clinical and laboratory features, and outcome of children hospitalized with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the Middle East.

Methods: A multicenter retrospective study of children hospitalized with COVID-19 in 7 centers across Oman between February and July 2020.

Results: In total, 56 children <14 years old required hospitalization in 7 Omani centers over 5 months (February - July 2020).

Characteristics, Risk Factors, and Survival Analysis of Cases: Results of One-Year National Surveillance Data from Oman.

Background: () is an emerging healthcare-associated pathogen resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study is to report data from the national surveillance system for 2019 and conduct a survival analysis of the reported cohort.

Methods: a retrospective analysis was conducted for all cases reported nationally to the Oman Antimicrobial Surveillance System (OMASS) in 2019, and isolates were sent to the Central Public Health Laboratories (CPHL).

Effects of COVID-19 on mortality: A 5-year population-based study in Oman.

Background: Mortality surveillance provides a crucial method for monitoring disease activity. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can cause excess mortality both directly and indirectly by increasing deaths from other diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of COVID-19 on mortality in Oman.