The Outcome of Antibiotic Overuse before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Oman.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a serious global public health challenge, may have accelerated development during the COVID-19 pandemic because antibiotics were prescribed for COVID-19. This study aimed to assess antibiotics use before and during the pandemic and correlate the results with the rate of resistant microorganisms detected in hospitalized patients during the study period. This single-center study looked retrospectively at four years of data (2018-2021) from Royal Hospital, Muscat, which is the biggest hospital in Oman with approximately 60,000 hospital admissions yearly.

Low Rate of Bacterial Coinfections and Antibiotic Overprescribing During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Retrospective Study from Oman.

Objectives: The recommended treatment for COVID-19 includes antiviral drugs, corticosteroids, immunomodulatory drugs, low molecular weight heparin, as well as antibiotics. Although COVID-19 is a viral disease, many studies indicate that antibiotics are prescribed frequently, mainly to treat suspected bacterial coinfection. At the same time, the prevalence of bacterial coinfections during COVID-19 is rather low indicating the significant antibiotic overuse in these patients.

Related Acute Appendicitis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

While the debate on the association between () and acute appendicitis has not been settled, a few case reports of this very rare encounter are beginning to come to light. is one of the most common parasitic infections around the world, and acute appendicitis, on the other hand, is also a commonly encountered condition in general surgery. However, the association between these two conditions remains controversial.

Prospective analysis of febrile neutropenia patients with bacteraemia: the results of an international ID-IRI study.

Objectives: Bacteraemia during the course of neutropenia is often fatal. We aimed to identify factors predicting mortality to have an insight into better clinical management.

Methods: The study has a prospective, observational design using pooled data from febrile neutropenia patients with bacteraemia in 41 centres in 16 countries.

Physicians' attitudes, knowledge, and practices regarding antibiotic prescriptions.

Objectives: Inappropriate and overuse of antimicrobials, incorrect dosing, and extended duration are some of the leading causes of antibiotic-resistance that have led to the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). We aimed to evaluate knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding rational antibiotic prescribing among physicians in a teaching hospital in Oman, with the goal of identifying knowledge gaps and interventions that could lead to judicious use of antimicrobials and reduce the emergence of resistant organisms METHODS: A cross-sectional study assessing physicians' knowledge of and attitudes towards prescribing antibiotics was conducted at the Royal Hospital from 15 January to 31 March 2020. Likert scales were used to evaluate physicians' awareness and perception of personal performance regarding the care of patients with infections and rational use of antibiotics.

Varicella Zoster Virus Vasculopathy; An HIV adult presenting with multiple strokes.

VZV vasculopathy has been associated with granulomatous vasculitis where there is vessel wall damage and transmural inflammation. VZV vasculopathy has been previously called granulomatous angiitis, VZV vasculitis or post-varicella arteriopathy. Intracerebral VZV vasculopathy can occur in children and adults, either after primary infection or after viral reactivation.

The Findings of Pulmonary Nocardiosis on Chest High Resolution Computed Tomography: Single centre experience and review of literature.

Objectives: Pulmonary nocardiosis is a rare opportunistic infection that is often encountered in immunocompromised patients, in particular those with the HIV infection and in solid organ transplant recipients. As the number of immunocompromised patients increase, the number of patients with pulmonary nocardiosis is also expected to increase. This study aimed to analyse both the chest high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) findings of patients with confirmed pulmonary nocardiosis and review the imaging features of pulmonary nocardiosis in the literature.

Self-reported antibiotic stewardship and infection control measures from 57 intensive care units: An international ID-IRI survey.

We explored the self-reported antibiotic stewardship (AS), and infection prevention and control (IPC) activities in intensive care units (ICUs) of different income settings. A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire to collect data about IPC and AS measures in participating ICUs. The study participants were Infectious Diseases-International Research Initiative (IDI-IR) members, committed as per their institutional agreement form.

Amoebic Liver Abscess: A disease native to Oman?

Objectives: Amoebic liver abscess (ALA) is endemic to many areas of the world. This study sought to investigate the epidemiology, presentation, laboratory tests and imaging characteristics of ALA in Oman and ultimately determine whether it is native to Oman or originated abroad.

Methods: This case series study was conducted at the Royal Hospital, Muscat, Oman, from January 2013 to December 2017 with patients older than 13 years and having a discharge diagnosis of ALA.

Characteristics of Pyogenic Liver Abscess: Experience of a single centre in Oman.

Objectives: This study aimed to analyse the epidemiological, aetiological and clinical characteristics of pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) occurring in Oman. The intention was to obtain the information needed for the adequate liver abscess (LA) empirical treatment. LA can develop as a complication of hepatobiliary disease or other intraabdominal infections, but more recently, it is associated with primary and secondary liver malignancies and their treatment.

West nile virus infection: One-Year postkidney transplant.

West Nile virus (WNV) infections are a mosquito-borne virus of the Flaviviridae family. The clinical feature of the virus varies between individuals from being asymptomatic in most of the cases to severe central nervous system disease manifested as meningitis, encephalitis, and paralysis. Diabetic nephropathy patient with microvascular and macrovascular complications, who received a kidney transplant a year ago on immunosuppressive therapy, presented with a three-day history of upper respiratory tract infection and fever.

Vector-borne and zoonotic infections and their relationships with regional and socioeconomic statuses: An ID-IRI survey in 24 countries of Europe, Africa and Asia.

Background: In this cross-sectional, international study, we aimed to analyze vector-borne and zoonotic infections (VBZI), which are significant global threats.

Method: VBZIs' data between May 20-28, 2018 was collected. The 24 Participatingcountries were classified as lower-middle, upper-middle, and high-income.

International Multicentre Study of Infections.

has emerged globally as a multi-drug resistant yeast and is commonly associated with nosocomial outbreaks in ICUs. We conducted a retrospective observational multicentre study to determine the epidemiology of infections, its management strategies, patient outcomes, and infection prevention and control practices across 10 centres from five countries. Significant risk factors for infection include the age group of 61-70 years (39%), recent history of ICU admission (63%), diabetes (63%), renal failure (52%), presence of CVC (91%) and previous history of antibiotic treatment (96%).

Convalescent Plasma Therapy in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients: An Open Label Trial.

Objectives: The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pandemic continues to spread globally without an effective treatment. In search of the cure, convalescent plasma (CP) containing protective antibodies from survivors of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection has shown potential benefit in a non-intensive care unit setting. We sought to evaluate the effectiveness of CP therapy for patients with COVID-19 on mechanical ventilation (MV) and/or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Immunological predictors of disease severity in patients with COVID-19.

Background: Identifying the immune cells involved in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease progression and the predictors of poor outcomes is important to manage patients adequately.

Methods: This prospective observational cohort study enrolled 48 patients with COVID-19 hospitalized in a tertiary hospital in Oman and 53 non-hospitalized patients with confirmed mild COVID-19.

Results: Hospitalized patients were older (58 years vs 36 years, P < 0.

Prevalence and predictors of in-hospital mortality of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 infection.

Background: The severity and mortality from COVID-19 infection vary among populations. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and predictors of mortality among patients hospitalized with COVID-19 infection in a tertiary care hospital in Oman.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study using database that included: demographic, clinical characteristics, laboratory parameters, medications and clinical outcomes of all patients hospitalized in Royal Hospital, Muscat, Oman, between March 12, 2020 and December 1st 2020.

Randomized controlled open label trial on the use of favipiravir combined with inhaled interferon beta-1b in hospitalized patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 pneumonia.

Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness of favipiravir combined with inhaled interferon beta-1b in adult patients hospitalized with moderate to severe COVID-19 pneumonia.

Methods: A randomized, open-label controlled trial of oral favipiravir in adults hospitalized with moderate to severe COVID-19 pneumonia from June 22nd 2020 to August 13th 2020 was conducted. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either a combination of favipiravir with interferon beta-1b by inhalation aerosol or hydroxychloroquine (HCQ).

Therapeutic plasma exchange in adults with severe COVID-19 infection.

Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic use of plasma exchange in COVID-19 patients compared to controls.

Methods: A case series of critically ill adult men and non-pregnant women, ≥18 years of age, with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, was studied at the Royal Hospital, Oman, from April 17 to May 11, 2020. Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) was performed on patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with confirmed or imminent acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) or severe pneumonia.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of the first 63 adult patients hospitalized with COVID-19: An experience from Oman.

Introduction: To identify the clinical characteristics and outcomes of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Oman.

Methods: A case series of hospitalized COVID-19 laboratory-confirmed patients between February 24th through April 24th, 2020, from two hospitals in Oman. Analyses were performed using univariate statistics.

Emerging and neglected zoonoses in transplant population.

Zoonoses represent a problem of rising importance in the transplant population. A close relationship and changes between human, animal and environmental health ("One Health" concept) significantly influence the transmission and distribution of zoonotic diseases. The aim of this manuscript is to perform a narrative review of the published literature on emerging and neglected zoonoses in the transplant population.

Prediction of unfavorable outcomes in West Nile virus neuroinvasive infection - Result of a multinational ID-IRI study.

Background: WNV causes 1.4% of all central nervous system infections and is the most common cause of epidemic neuro-invasive disease in humans.

Objectives: Our main objective was to investigate retrospectively West Nile virus neuroinvasive disease (WNND) cases hospitalized during 2010-2017 and identified factors that can influence prognosis.

Scrub Typhus Complicated by ARDS, Myocarditis, and Encephalitis Imported to Oman from Nepal.

Scrub typhus is a potentially fatal rickettsial infection caused by . It is an obligate intracellular Gram-negative bacterium transmitted by the bite of infected chigger larva. The disease is distributed from Asia to the Pacific islands, and this region is known as the Tsutsugamushi Triangle.