Estimating the burden of influenza-associated hospitalization and deaths in Oman (2012-2015).

Background: Influenza is a serious vaccine-preventable disease with high incidence, hospitalization, and mortality in high-risk groups. The epidemiology, seasonality, and risk factors for influenza are well defined in most of the temperate countries, but estimating influenza burden in the World Health Organization (WHO) Region for the Eastern Mediterranean is scarce. In Oman, despite the advancements in influenza surveillance, the clinical burden and seasonality of influenza remain not fully understood.

Calculating Exclusive Breastfeeding Rates: Comparing Dietary "24-Hour Recall" with Recall "Since Birth" Methods.

Background: Calculating exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) rates based on the previous-day recall has been recommended by the World Health Organization to avoid the recall bias but it also may not accurately reflect the feeding pattern since birth and leads to overestimate of the proportion of exclusively breastfed infants. The objective of this study was to compare the (EBF) rates calculated by the 24-hour recall and since birth recall and their association with different sociodemographic and maternal data.

Subjects And Methods: Prospective descriptive study in Mansoura District including 1,102 mother-infant dyad attending primary healthcare centers for vaccination.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding travel health among Muscat International Airport travelers in Oman: Identifying the gaps and addressing the challenges.

Although the majority of travel-associated communicable diseases can be prevented, the public health burden of these diseases remains significant. Relatively little is known about how travelers know and perceive the health risks associated with travel and how they utilize preventive measures before and while traveling abroad. This study was conducted to determine the level of the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of Muscat International Airport travelers about travel health in order to assess the knowledge gap and the need for travel health services in Oman.

Epidemiology of travel-associated infections in Oman 1999-2013: A retrospective analysis.

Background: The number of travelers in Oman has increased significantly in the last 2 decades with an increase in the expatriate population workforce leading to the emergence of infections related to travel. This paper aims to highlight the burden of travel-related infections in Oman.

Method: Our study is a descriptive record-based review and analysis of travel-associated diseases over a 14 year time period from 1999 to 2013.

Newborn first feed and prelacteal feeds in Mansoura, Egypt.

Background: Prelacteal feed (feeding any other substance before first breastfeeding) appears to be common despite its harmful effects. By definition a child provided with prelacteal feed (PLF) is not exclusively breastfed and PLF has many implications for the success and early initiation of breastfeeding. Objectives.