Clinical and Epidemiological Characteristics of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia Associated Lower Respiratory Tract Infections in Qatar: A Retrospective Study.

Background  is a rapidly emerging nosocomial pathogen with intrinsic or acquired resistance mechanisms to several antibiotic classes. It can cause life-threatening opportunistic pneumonia, particularly among hospitalized patients. Incidence of infections by  has been reported as 0.

Molecular characteristics of Neisseria meningitidis in Qatar.

The aim of the current study is to review the molecular characteristics of Neisseria meningitidis (N. meningitidis) in Hamad Medical Corporation, which is the provider of secondary and tertiary care in the state of Qatar. A total of 39 isolates of N.

Molecular characterization of clinical carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales from Qatar.

One hundred forty-nine carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales from clinical samples obtained between April 2014 and November 2017 were subjected to whole genome sequencing and multi-locus sequence typing. Klebsiella pneumoniae (81, 54.4%) and Escherichia coli (38, 25.

Whole-body Vibration Exposure Experienced by Dumper Operators in Opencast Mining According to ISO 2631-1:1997 and ISO 2631-5:2004: A Case Study.

Unlabelled: The study characterizes whole-body vibration exposure (WBV) experienced by dumper operators in opencast mining in India.

Objective: Comparison of WBV risk of dumper operators as per ISO 2631-1 and ISO 2631-5 standard which are based on dominant axis RMS acceleration and estimated static compression dose (Sed), respectively.

Method: Field study was conducted for 26 dumper operators.

Sporadic Fusobacterium Bacteremia as an Atypical Cause of Acute Hepatitis in a Young Caucasian Woman.

Fusobacterium species are gram-negative anaerobic non-spore-forming bacteria, which colonize mucous membranes in humans. Over the recent decade, the significance of these organisms has been increasingly recognized. We describe a rare case of acute hepatitis, which was found to be likely due to Fusobacterium nucleatum, grown on blood culture.

Exposure profile of respirable crystalline silica in stone mines in India.

Silicosis is one of the major occupational lung diseases among stone miners; currently, it is a major concern in India given its 12-30% prevalence. The objective of this study was to determine the exposure profile of respirable dust and crystalline silica concentrations from sandstone, masonry stone, and granite stone mines in India. Personal respirable dust samples were collected from each type of mine and analyzed for dust and respirable crystalline silica concentrations.

Incidence Of Infection And Associated Risk Factors Among Hospitalized Children In Qatar.

Background: infection (CDI) is the single most common cause of nosocomial diarrhea in both adults and children. There is a deficiency in the literature regarding the incidence and associated risk factors in hospitalized children. This study aimed to determine the incidence of CDI and its associated risk factors.

Epidemiological and Clinical Features of Typhi Infection Among Adult Patients in Qatar: A Hospital-based Study.

Objectives: We sought to describe the epidemiological and clinical features of typhoid fever in Qatar.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of adult patients treated for typhoid fever at Hamad General Hospital and Alkhor Hospital between 2005 and 2012.

Results: The mean age of the 354 patients enrolled in the study was 28.

Discovery of -Mediated Colistin Resistance in a Highly Virulent Escherichia coli Lineage.

Resistance to last-line polymyxins mediated by the plasmid-borne mobile colistin resistance gene () represents a new threat to global human health. Here we present the complete genome sequence of an -positive multidrug-resistant strain (MS8345). We show that MS8345 belongs to serotype O2:K1:H4, has a large 241,164-bp IncHI2 plasmid that carries 15 other antibiotic resistance genes (including the extended-spectrum β-lactamase ) and 3 putative multidrug efflux systems, and contains 14 chromosomally encoded antibiotic resistance genes.

Molecular characterization of extended spectrum β -lactamases enterobacteriaceae causing lower urinary tract infection among pediatric population.

Background: The β-lactam antibiotics have traditionally been the main treatment of Enterobacteriaceae infections, nonetheless, the emergence of species producing β- Lactamases has rendered this class of antibiotics largely ineffective. There are no published data on etiology of urinary tract infections (UTI) and antimicrobial resistance profile of uropathogens among children in Qatar. The aim of this study is to determine the phenotypic and genotypic profiles of antimicrobial resistant Enterobacteriaceae among children with UTI in Qatar.

Polymeric micelles: Basic research to clinical practice.

Rapidly developing polymeric micelles as potential targeting carriers has intensified the need for better understanding of the underlying principles related to the selection of suitable delivery materials for designing, characterizing, drug loading, improving stability, targetability, biosafety and efficacy. The emergence of advanced analytical tools such as fluorescence resonance energy transfer and dissipative particle dynamics has identified new dimensions of these nanostructures and their behavior in much greater details. This review summarizes recent efforts in the development of polymeric micelles with respect to their architecture, formulation strategy and targeting possibilities along with their preclinical and clinical aspects.

Acute Bacterial Meningitis in Qatar: A Hospital-Based Study from 2009 to 2013.

Background And Objectives: Bacterial meningitis is a common medical condition in Qatar. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics of bacterial meningitis, the frequency of each pathogen, and its sensitivity to antibiotics and risk factors for death.

Patients And Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at Hamad General Hospital between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2013.

Nosocomial Meningitis: A Case Report and Literature Review.

We report a case of meningitis in a 26-year-old Nepalese man who was admitted to Hamad General Hospital with epidermoid cyst for drainage. Ommaya reservoir was placed into the cyst for drainage and externalventricular drainage (EVD) was performed. After four days, the patient was transferred to the ward in stable condition.

Helminth infections among long-term-residents and settled immigrants in Qatar in the decade from 2005 to 2014: temporal trends and varying prevalence among subjects from different regional origins.

Background: Travel and migration from developing regions, where tropical diseases are common, to more developed industrialised nations can contribute to the introduction and subsequent spread of infections. With its rapidly expanding economy, Qatar has attracted vast numbers of immigrant workers in the last two decades, often from countries with poor socio-economic levels. Many used to arrive with patent intestinal parasitic infections.

Antimicrobial susceptibility and molecular epidemiology of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae from intensive care units at Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar.

Background: The emergence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing isolates has important clinical and therapeutic implications. High prevalence of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae has been reported in the literature for clinical samples from a variety of infection sites. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the prevalence of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae, and to perform molecular characterization and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of clinical isolates from patients admitted to the intensive care units at Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar, from November 2012 to October 2013.

In vitro antimicrobial susceptibility testing of human Brucella melitensis isolates from Qatar between 2014 - 2015.

Background: Brucellosis is one of the most common zoonotic disease affecting humans and animals and is endemic in many parts of the world including the Gulf Cooperation Council region (GCC). The aim of this study was to identify the species and determine the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Brucella strains isolated from clinical specimens, from Qatar.

Results: We evaluated 231 Brucella isolates.

Analysis of resistance to antimicrobials and presence of virulence/stress response genes in Campylobacter isolates from patients with severe diarrhoea.

Campylobacter infections are a major cause of diarrhoea world-wide and two of the antimicrobials used for their control (erythromycin and ciprofloxacin) have been losing efficacy in recent years. In a sample of 174 genotyped isolates from the stools of patients with severe diarrhoea in Qatar, collected between 2005 and 2012, 63.2% showed resistance to ciprofloxacin, 8.

Adult Klebsiella pneumoniae meningitis in Qatar: clinical pattern of ten cases.

Objective: To describe the clinical presentation, underlying diseases, antimicrobial susceptibility, treatment and outcome of Klebsiella pneumoniae meningitis patients.

Methods: This retrospective study involved all patients with 15 years of age or older who admitted to Hamad General Hospital with culture proven Klebsiella pneumoniae meningitis from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2012.

Results: A total of ten cases were identified (nine males and one female).

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and torsade de pointes: new concepts and new directions derived from a systematic review of case reports.

Objective: In the light of the recent United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning to clinicians on using previously approved doses of citalopram because of the purported higher risk of torsade de pointes (TdP), we pursued the broader question: are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant agents as a group unsafe because they might induce QTc interval prolongation and TdP?

Method: We reviewed the literature and found only 15 case reports (6 of fluoxetine, 1 of sertraline and 8 of citalopram) of SSRI-associated QTc interval prolongation linking to TdP.

Results: A total of 13 cases contained sufficient information for analysis. In the setting of TdP, QTc interval prolongation does not clearly relate to SSRI dose.

Quetiapine, QTc interval prolongation, and torsade de pointes: a review of case reports.

Recently, both the manufacturer of quetiapine and the US Food and Drug Administration warned healthcare providers and patients about quetiapine-induced QTc interval prolongation and torsade de pointes (TdP) when using this drug within the approved labeling.  We reviewed the case-report literature and found 12 case reports of QTc interval prolongation in the setting of quetiapine administration. There were no cases of quetiapine-induced TdP or sudden cardiac death (SCD) among patients using quetiapine appropriately and free of additional risk factors for QTc interval prolongation and TdP.

Hydrolyzed polyacrylamide grafted maize starch based microbeads: application in pH responsive drug delivery.

The present study details the synthesis, characterization and pharmaceutical application of hydrolysed polyacrylamide grafted maize starch (HPam-g-MS) as promising polymeric material for the development of pH responsive microbeads. Different grades of graft copolymer were synthesized by changing the net microwave irradiation time, while keeping all other factors constant. Acute oral toxicity study performed in rodents ensured the bio-safety of graft copolymer for clinical application.

Uncommon opportunistic yeast bloodstream infections from Qatar.

Eleven uncommon yeast species that are associated with high mortality rates irrespective of antifungal therapy were isolated from 17/187 (201 episodes) pediatric and elderly patients with fungemia from Qatar. The samples were taken over a 6-year period (January 2004-December 2010). Isolated species included Kluyveromyces marxianus, Lodderomyces elongisporus, Lindnera fabianii, Candida dubliniensis, Meyerozyma guilliermondii, Candida intermedia, Pichia kudriavzevii, Yarrowia lipolytica, Clavispora lusitaniae, Candida pararugosa, and Wickerhamomyces anomalus.

Hydrolyzed polyacrylamide grafted carboxymethylxyloglucan based microbeads for pH responsive drug delivery.

The present study investigates the pharmaceutical application of hydrolyzed polyacrylamide grafted carboxymethylxyloglucan (HPam-g-CMXG), as promising polymeric material for the development of pH responsive microbeads. The graft copolymer was synthesized by conventional free radical polymerization method and saponified to enhance its functionality and characterized. An acute oral toxicity study ensured the bio-safety of developed copolymer for clinical application.