Risk Associated with Malaria Infection in Tihama Qahtan, Aseer Region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: 2006-2007.

Introduction: Since 2004, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has pursued a policy of malaria elimination. The distribution of malaria at this time was constrained to regions located in the South Western part of the country. The present study aimed to understand the risk of malaria infection and factors associated with these events between March 2006 and August 2007 in one part of Aseer region.

Nutrition, physical activity, and gender risks for adolescent obesity in Southwestern Saudi Arabia.

Background/aim: The aim of the study was to investigate gender differences in obesity and related behavior among adolescent school boys and girls in southwestern Saudi Arabia.

Patients And Methods: A cross-sectional study on a stratified sample of 1,249 adolescent boys and 620 adolescent girls, was conducted in southwestern Saudi Arabia. They were interviewed and examined for weight and height using standardized techniques.

Adherence of primary health care physicians to hypertension management guidelines in the Aseer region of Saudi Arabia.

Although there has been significant progress in the management of hypertension, rates for control of this chronic disease in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has been shown to be very low. This study was aimed to assess the knowledge of primary health care (PHC) physicians and the extent of their adherence to the recommendations of clinical practice guidelines concerning care of hypertensive patients. The assessment was made in the Aseer region of KSA using a modified version of the World Health Organization "Physician Inquiry Questionnaire.

Cardiovascular risk factors among adolescent secondary school boys in Ahad Rufeida, southwestern Saudi Arabia.

A cross-sectional stratified sample of 1249 adolescent secondary school boys was studied. More than 25% of boys did not practice any physical exercise. More than half of the parents (54.

Adolescents' mental health in Abha city, southwestern Saudi Arabia.

Using stratified random sampling technique, 1552 adolescent school age boys and girls in Abha city, southwestern Saudi Arabia, were screened for mental health using Arabic validated version of SCL-90-R. The overall prevalence of mental disorders amounted to 15.5%.

Injection safety at primary health care level in south-western Saudi Arabia.

In a study of injection safety in Abha health district, Saudi Arabia, data were collected from 47 physicians and 85 nurses at 24 primary health care centres, using an observation checklist and an interview questionnaire. All centres used individually packed disposable syringes and puncture-proof containers to collect used needles. Needlestick injury in the previous year was reported by 14.

Obesity and related behaviors among adolescent school boys in Abha City, Southwestern Saudi Arabia.

Using stratified sampling technique 2696 adolescent school boys (aged 11-19 years) in Abha City, Southwestern Saudi Arabia were interviewed and examined for weight and height using standardized techniques. The overall prevalence of obesity and overweight in the present study amounted to 16%. Using logistic regression analysis, lack of exercise practice in the previous week in general [aOR = 1.

Primary health care emergency services in Abha district of southwestern Saudi Arabia.

To study emergency services delivery in all 30 primary health care centres in Abha district of Asir region, Saudi Arabia, data were collected about equipment and facilities, physicians' practices and attitudes, and patients' utilization of and satisfaction with emergency services. Two centres had no devoted place for emergency services. Lack of some essential equipment and drugs was evident.

Knowledge and attitudes towards AIDS among Saudi and non-Saudi bus drivers.

We explored the AIDS knowledge and attitudes of long-distance (non-Saudi) and in-city (Saudi) bus drivers in Saudi Arabia. The 69 non-Saudi drivers tended to score higher on knowledge than the 40 Saudi drivers although there were several gaps in their knowledge. As regards attitude, more Saudis knew that chastity could protect against AIDS and both groups tended to think that they were not the kind of people to get AIDS.

Use of a new glass microfibre histamine release method to study the modulation of the host response in human schistosomiasis mansoni. Individuals with different degrees of exposure to the disease show differing antibody biological function.

A new glass microfibre histamine release method was used to study the modulation of the host response in human schistosomiasis mansoni to improve our understanding of the role of basophils in the development of immunity in schistosomiasis mansoni. The histamine release from umbilical cord blood basophils sensitized with sera from Sudanese individuals infected with Schistosoma mansoni was measured. Schistosomiasis sera (n = 113) were able to passively sensitize basophils and induce a positive histamine release in response to whole worm homogenate (WWH) (chi 2 = 40.

Specific immunoglobulin measurements related to exposure and resistance to Schistosoma mansoni infection in Sudanese canal cleaners.

The present work comprises a longitudinal study of Schistosoma mansoni infection in occupationally hyper-exposed canal cleaners in the Sudan and the influence of chemotherapy on humoral immune parameters. The study groups included chronically infected canal cleaners (n = 19), newly recruited canal cleaners (n = 17), normally exposed adults (n = 31), school children (n = 46) and Sudanese negative controls (n = 48). Previous studies of the same canal cleaners have demonstrated that chronically infected canal cleaners were more resistant to reinfection than newly recruited canal cleaners.

Patterns of infection and transmission of human schistosomiasis mansoni and schistosomiasis haematobium in White Nile Province, Sudan.

The overall prevalences of infection with Schistosoma mansoni, S. haematobium or both species among 6122 children from 27 schools in the former White Nile Province of Sudan (now divided into the Kosti, El Getaina, El Gebelein and El Duem Provinces) were 10.1%, 21.

Infection and transmission pattern of Schistosoma mansoni in the Managil irrigation scheme, Sudan.

The endemicity (prevalence, intensity and incidence) of schistosomiasis mansoni and its patterns of transmission (focality, seasonality) were studied in five villages in the Managil irrigation scheme, Sudan. Marked differences between villages were observed in overall prevalence (33.3%-54.

Evaluation of focal mollusciciding in the Rahad Irrigation Scheme, Sudan.

Since the establishment of the Rahad Irrigation Scheme in 1979, the prevalence of schistosomiasis has increased to high levels in some villages despite the efforts of the Blue Nile Health Project to prevent this. Although a programme of focal snail control has been implemented since 1979, when the first intermediate host snails were detected, infected snails are abundant in human water contact near villages where transmission of both S. mansoni and S.

Schistosoma haematobium infection patterns in the Rahad Irrigation Scheme, Sudan.

Patterns of infection of urinary schistosomiasis (Schistosoma haematobium) were studied in 4 highly endemic village areas in the Rahad Irrigation Scheme, Sudan. The prevalence of S. haematobium infection in the total study population of 4725 individuals was 30%, and the age-prevalence and age-intensity figures increased rapidly to reach their maxima in the younger age groups.

Immune response in chronic Schistosomiasis haematobium and mansoni. Reversibility of alterations after anti-parasitic treatment with praziquantel.

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from Sudanese children heavily infected with Schistosoma haematobium and S. mansoni were examined for lymphocyte subpopulations, for mitogen and antigen responsiveness, and for natural killer (NK) cell activity before and 5 months after treatment with praziquantel. The humoral immune response was simultaneously investigated by determination of parasite-specific IgG and IgE antibodies, IgE-containing circulating immune complexes, and circulating schistosome antigen.

Efficacy and tolerance of praziquantel in patients with Schistosoma mansoni infection and Symmers' fibrosis: a field study in the Sudan.

Ultrasonography was used in a village in the Gezira-Managil scheme in the Sudan to identify patients with Symmers' fibrosis. In a random sample from patients with active Schistosoma mansoni infection, 238 patients were found to have no liver involvement while 59 had Symmers' periportal fibrosis. Patients were treated with a single dose of 40 mg/kg body weight of praziquantel.

Praziquantel and oltipraz: the treatment of schoolchildren infected with Schistosoma mansoni and/or Schistosoma haematobium in Gezira, Sudan.

Of 111 schoolchildren--all of whom were infected with Schistosoma mansoni and 97 of whom were also infected with S. haematobium--54 were treated with Praziquantel (2 x 20 mg kg-1) and 57 with Oltipraz (2 x 15 mg kg-1). There was no apparent difference between the efficacy of the two drugs.

Human schistosomiasis: deficiency of large granular lymphocytes and indomethacin-sensitive suppression of natural killing.

Twenty-eight children infected with Schistosoma haematobium and S. mansoni were tested for natural killer (NK) cell activity in vitro using the myeloid/erythroid cell line K562 as target. In addition, the frequency of large granular lymphocytes (LGL) and the number of HNK-1+ lymphocytes were examined in peripheral blood.

Relationship between intensity of infection and immunomodulation in human schistosomiasis. II. NK cell activity and in vitro lymphocyte proliferation.

Natural killer (NK) cell activity against K-562 targets and lymphoproliferative responses to Con A, interleukin-2 (IL-2) and Con A + IL-2 were examined in a group of 41 Sudanese children suffering from schistosomiasis mansoni and haematobium. The results were correlated to the intensity of infection as determined by enumeration of parasite ova in urine and stool. NK cell activity measured at three effector to target cell ratios was significantly depressed in the patient group as compared to a German control group.

Relationship between intensity of infection and immunomodulation in human schistosomiasis. I. Lymphocyte subpopulations and specific antibody responses.

Cellular and humoral immune responsiveness in 44 Sudanese children with schistosomiasis was studied and related to the intensity of infection. The parasite load was quantitated by accurate assessment of the excretion of ova of S. mansoni and S.

Snails and aquatic vegetation in Gezira irrigation canals.

All 38 minor canals in a limited area of the Gezira Irrigated Area were surveyed four times over a 2-year period to determine the aquatic and semi-aquatic vegetation types found and their distribution. A more detailed 2-year study of the correlation between snail density and aquatic vegetation was carried out in 18 of these canals. A total of 22 different species of weed were recorded, with floating and submerged weeds being more widespread and dense in the clear, slow-moving water at the end of the irrigation season in March/April, than in the turbid flood waters in October.

Transmission of Schistosoma haematobium in North Gezira, Sudan.

During this 14-month study, 128 765 Bulinus truncatus snails were collected from canals located near four villages in the northern part of the Gezira Irrigated Area, and were examined for patent trematode infections, by exposure to light. In all, 903 shedded cercariae, of which 424 were identified as S. haematobium, and one village, Bashagra, was the source of 80% of these S.

Focality and seasonality of Schistosoma mansoni transmission in the Gezira Irrigated Area, Sudan.

In the Gezira Irrigated Area of Central Sudan, transmission of Schistosoma mansoni was shown to be geographically focal, being concentrated near villages and small settlements. In a study during 1981 and 1982 of the entire area around a typical Gezira village almost 90% of the Biomphalaria pfeifferi snails carrying schistosome infections were found in one minor canal near the village. Sites near smaller settlements some distance from the minor canals yielded few infected snails.

The lungfish Protopterus annectans (Owen) as a biocontrol agent against schistosome vector snails.

Laboratory and small-scale field experiments have been carried out to study the malacophagous capabilities of the lungfish Protopterus annectans. When individual fish were offered a range of aquatic fauna in aquaria in the laboratory only snails and dragonfly larvae were consumed. When offered a choice, the fish appeared to prefer snails, with larger individuals (up to 300 mm) capable of consuming up to 200 snails per day.