Cerebral phaeohyphomycosis at a tertiary healthcare center in Saudi Arabia.

Objectives: To report cases of cerebral phaeohyphomycosis at a tertiary hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Phaeohyphomycetes are a widely distributed group of fungi whose cell walls contain 1,8 dihydroxynaphthalene-melanin. Cerebral infections caused by these fungi are uncommon and primarily associated with neurotrophic phaeohyphomycetes.

Survival Outcome of Empirical Antifungal Therapy and the Value of Early Initiation: A Review of the Last Decade.

Aim: This rapid systematic review aimed to collect the evidence published over the last decade on the effect of empirical antifungal therapy and its early initiation on survival rates.

Methods: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Cochrane, Medline, Scopus, and Embase, in addition to a hand search and experts' suggestions.

Results: Fourteen cohort studies and two randomized clinical trials reporting the survival outcome of empirical antifungal therapy were included in this review.

Antimicrobial resistance trends of non-fermenter Gram negative bacteria in Saudi Arabia: A six-year national study.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of non-fermenting Gram-negative bacteria (NFGNB) is increasingly recognized as urgent healthcare threat. Trend data on AMR of NFGNB in Saudi Arabia are either old or limited. The objective was to estimate the prevalence and resistance trends of isolated NFGNB in Saudi Arabia.

International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) report, data summary of 45 countries for 2013-2018, Adult and Pediatric Units, Device-associated Module.

Background: We report the results of INICC surveillance study from 2013 to 2018, in 664 intensive care units (ICUs) in 133 cities, of 45 countries, from Latin-America, Europe, Africa, Eastern-Mediterranean, Southeast-Asia, and Western-Pacific.

Methods: Prospective data from patients hospitalized in ICUs were collected through INICC Surveillance Online System. CDC-NHSN definitions for device-associated healthcare-associated infection (DA-HAI) were applied.

Portable RT-PCR System: a Rapid and Scalable Diagnostic Tool for COVID-19 Testing.

Combating the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic demands accurate, rapid, and point-of-care testing with fast results to triage cases for isolation and treatment. The current testing relies on reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR), which is routinely performed in well-equipped laboratories by trained professionals at specific locations. However, during busy periods, high numbers of samples queued for testing can delay the test results, impacting efforts to reduce the infection risk.

Middle East respiratory coronavirus (MERS-CoV) spike (S) protein vesicular stomatitis virus pseudoparticle neutralization assays offer a reliable alternative to the conventional neutralization assay in human seroepidemiological studies.

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a novel zoonotic coronavirus that was identified in 2012. MERS-CoV infection in humans can result in an acute, severe respiratory disease and in some cases multi-organ failure; the global mortality rate is approximately 35 %. The MERS-CoV spike (S) protein is a major target for neutralizing antibodies in infected patients.

Challenge infection model for MERS-CoV based on naturally infected camels.

Background: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is an emerging virus that infects humans and camels with no approved antiviral therapy or vaccine. Some vaccines are in development for camels as a one-health intervention where vaccinating camels is proposed to reduce human viral exposure. This intervention will require an understanding of the prior exposure of camels to the virus and appropriate vaccine efficacy studies in camels.

Six-year multicenter study on short-term peripheral venous catheters-related bloodstream infection rates in 246 intensive units of 83 hospitals in 52 cities of 14 countries of Middle East: Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan, Palestine, Sudan, Tunisia, Turkey, and United Arab Emirates-International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) findings.

Background: Short-term peripheral venous catheters-related bloodstream infections (PVCR-BSIs) rates have not been systematically studied, and data on their incidence by number of device-days is not available.

Methods: Prospective, surveillance study on PVCR-BSI conducted from September 1st, 2013 to 31st Mays, 2019 in 246 intensive care units (ICUs), members of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC), from 83 hospitals in 52 cities of 14 countries in the Middle East (Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan, Palestine, Sudan, Tunisia, Turkey, and United Arab Emirates). We applied U.

Six-year multicenter study on short-term peripheral venous catheters-related bloodstream infection rates in 727 intensive care units of 268 hospitals in 141 cities of 42 countries of Africa, the Americas, Eastern Mediterranean, Europe, South East Asia, and Western Pacific Regions: International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) findings.

Background: Short-term peripheral venous catheter-related bloodstream infection (PVCR-BSI) rates have not been systematically studied in resource-limited countries, and data on their incidence by number of device days are not available.

Methods: Prospective, surveillance study on PVCR-BSI conducted from September 1, 2013, to May 31, 2019, in 727 intensive care units (ICUs), by members of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC), from 268 hospitals in 141 cities of 42 countries of Africa, the Americas, Eastern Mediterranean, Europe, South East Asia, and Western Pacific regions. For this research, we applied definition and criteria of the CDC NHSN, methodology of the INICC, and software named INICC Surveillance Online System.

International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) report, data summary of 45 countries for 2012-2017: Device-associated module.

Background: We report the results of International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) surveillance study from January 2012 to December 2017 in 523 intensive care units (ICUs) in 45 countries from Latin America, Europe, Eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and Western Pacific.

Methods: During the 6-year study period, prospective data from 532,483 ICU patients hospitalized in 242 hospitals, for an aggregate of 2,197,304 patient days, were collected through the INICC Surveillance Online System (ISOS). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-National Healthcare Safety Network (CDC-NHSN) definitions for device-associated health care-associated infection (DA-HAI) were applied.

The emerging pathogen Candida auris: A focus on the Middle-Eastern countries.

Recent emergence of Candida auris as a multidrug resistant fungal pathogen, associated with difficult-to-control nosocomial transmission and high mortality, raises serious concerns for public health. Since it was first reported from Japan in 2009, C. auris infections have been diagnosed in several countries from all over the world.

Acquisition of respiratory and gastrointestinal pathogens among health care workers during the 2015 Hajj season.

Background: Data on the risk of transmission of infection to health care workers (HCWs) serving ill pilgrims during the Hajj is scarce.

Methods: Two cohorts of HCWs, the first serving Hajj pilgrims in Mecca and the second serving patients in Al-Ahsa, were investigated for respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms and pathogen carriage using multiplex polymerase chain reaction before and after the 2015 Hajj.

Results: A total of 211 HCWs were enrolled of whom 92 were exposed to pilgrims (Mecca cohort), whereas 119 were not exposed (Al-Ahsa cohort).

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Infection Dynamics and Antibody Responses among Clinically Diverse Patients, Saudi Arabia.

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) shedding and antibody responses are not fully understood, particularly in relation to underlying medical conditions, clinical manifestations, and mortality. We enrolled MERS-CoV-positive patients at a hospital in Saudi Arabia and periodically collected specimens from multiple sites for real-time reverse transcription PCR and serologic testing. We conducted interviews and chart abstractions to collect clinical, epidemiologic, and laboratory information.

Scope and extent of healthcare-associated Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus transmission during two contemporaneous outbreaks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 2017.

Objective: To investigate a Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) outbreak event involving multiple healthcare facilities in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; to characterize transmission; and to explore infection control implications.

Design: Outbreak investigation.

Setting: Cases presented in 4 healthcare facilities in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: a tertiary-care hospital, a specialty pulmonary hospital, an outpatient clinic, and an outpatient dialysis unit.

Antimicrobial resistance: A round table discussion on the "One Health" concept from the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries. Part Two: A focus on Human Health.

The Gulf Cooperation Council Center for Infection Control (GCC-IC) has moved forward over the past several years on the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) agenda. Many of the GCC countries have now developed a national plan to combat AMR and have engaged the leadership of the involved sectors in the discussion on how to mitigate this threat. During the first meeting for the GCC-IC center on AMR, which took place early 2015, the roadmap for combating AMR was developed [1] and since then much more has been done.

Infectious MERS-CoV Isolated From a Mildly Ill Patient, Saudi Arabia.

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is associated with a wide range of clinical presentations, from asymptomatic or mildly ill to severe respiratory illness including death. We describe isolation of infectious MERS-CoV from the upper respiratory tract of a mildly ill 27-year-old female in Saudi Arabia 15 days after illness onset.

Point prevalence survey of antibiotic use in 26 Saudi hospitals in 2016.

Objective: To evaluate the antibiotic prescribing trends, qualitatively and quantitatively, among Saudi Ministry of Health (MOH) hospitals.

Method And Materials: In May 2016, information about the hospitals and patients was collected for all inpatients from 26 MOH hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Additional information about antibiotic treatment and infections was gathered.

Impact of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC)'s multidimensional approach on rates of ventilator-associated pneumonia in intensive care units in 22 hospitals of 14 cities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Background: To analyze the impact of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) Multidimensional Approach (IMA) and use of INICC Surveillance Online System (ISOS) on ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) rates in Saudi Arabia from September 2013 to February 2017.

Methods: A multicenter, prospective, before-after surveillance study on 14,961 patients in 37 intensive care units (ICUs) of 22 hospitals. During baseline, we performed outcome surveillance of VAP applying the definitions of the CDC/NHSN.

Prospective multicentre study in intensive care units in five cities from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Impact of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) multidimensional approach on rates of central line-associated bloodstream infection.

Objective: To analyse the impact of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) Multidimensional Approach (IMA) and INICC Surveillance Online System (ISOS) on central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rates in five intensive care units (ICUs) from October 2013 to September 2015.

Design: Prospective, before-after surveillance study of 3769 patients hospitalised in four adult ICUs and one paediatric ICU in five hospitals in five cities. During baseline, we performed outcome and process surveillance of CLABSI applying CDC/NHSN definitions.

International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium report, data summary of 50 countries for 2010-2015: Device-associated module.

Background: We report the results of International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) surveillance study from January 2010-December 2015 in 703 intensive care units (ICUs) in Latin America, Europe, Eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and Western Pacific.

Methods: During the 6-year study period, using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Healthcare Safety Network (CDC-NHSN) definitions for device-associated health care-associated infection (DA-HAI), we collected prospective data from 861,284 patients hospitalized in INICC hospital ICUs for an aggregate of 3,506,562 days.

Results: Although device use in INICC ICUs was similar to that reported from CDC-NHSN ICUs, DA-HAI rates were higher in the INICC ICUs: in the INICC medical-surgical ICUs, the pooled rate of central line-associated bloodstream infection, 4.

Increase in Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus Cases in Saudi Arabia Linked to Hospital Outbreak With Continued Circulation of Recombinant Virus, July 1-August 31, 2015.

During July-August 2015, the number of cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) reported from Saudi Arabia increased dramatically. We reviewed the 143 confirmed cases from this period and classified each based upon likely transmission source. We found that the surge in cases resulted predominantly (90%) from secondary transmission largely attributable to an outbreak at a single healthcare facility in Riyadh.

Zika. An emerging teratogenic virus.

[No Abstract Available].

Description of a Hospital Outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome in a Large Tertiary Care Hospital in Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND Since the first isolation of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Saudi Arabia in 2012, sporadic cases, clusters, and sometimes large outbreaks have been reported. OBJECTIVE To describe the recent (2015) MERS-CoV outbreak at a large tertiary care hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. METHODS We conducted an epidemiologic outbreak investigation, including case finding and contact tracing and screening.