Evolving Epidemiology of Pediatric Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Cases Around COVID-19 Pandemic: Impact and Clinical Insights, Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: The burden of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in high-risk pediatric patients remains unclear. Therefore, this study aims to characterize pediatric RSV cases from January 2019 to December 2022 and assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on RSV burden and RSV-related outcomes. In addition, examining factors influencing RSV-related hospitalization.

COVID-19 Infection Among Healthcare Workers at a Tertiary Healthcare Hospital.

Purpose: SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19 virus was the culprit of the global pandemic that began in 2019. With alarming mortality rates reaching sky-high worldwide, the virus prompted the masses to switch to online working. However, this was not feasible for healthcare workers (HCWs) exposed to a higher-than-normal risk of acquiring COVID-19 infection.

COVID-19 Contact Tracing Experience at a Tertiary Healthcare Center in Saudi Arabia.

Introduction As of May 2023, the end of the pandemic, the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases reached more than 841,000 cases. Healthcare workers (HCWs) especially have been at the frontline during this pandemic and are at a higher chance of contracting COVID-19. Approximately half of all high-risk exposures were to healthcare personnel with COVID-19.

Environmental tobacco smoke exposure and non-syndromic orofacial cleft: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is associated with several congenital anomalies, including non-syndromic orofacial clefts (NSOFCs). This systematic review aimed to update the literature on the association between ETS and NSOFCs.

Methods: Four databases were searched up to March 2022, and studies that evaluated the association between ETS and NSOFCs were selected.

Effect of gamma irradiation on filtering facepiece respirators and SARS-CoV-2 detection.

To cope with the shortage of filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, healthcare institutions were forced to reuse FFRs after applying different decontamination methods including gamma-irradiation (GIR). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of GIR on the filtration efficiency (FE) of FFRs and on SARS-CoV-2 detection. The FE of 2 FFRs types (KN95 and N95-3 M masks) was assessed at different particle sizes (0.

In-House Filtration Efficiency Assessment of Vapor Hydrogen Peroxide Decontaminated Filtering Facepiece Respirators (FFRs).

To cope with the shortage of filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), healthcare institutions have been forced to reuse FFRs using different decontamination methods, including vapor hydrogen peroxide (VHP). However, most healthcare institutions still struggle with evaluating the effect of VHP on filtration efficiency (FE) of the decontaminated FFRs. We developed a low-cost in-house FE assessment using a novel 3D-printed air duct.

The Clinical Burden of Rotavirus Gastroenteritis: A Prospective Study.

Background In Saudi Arabia, there is a lack of recently published, appropriately conducted epidemiological studies on rotavirus (RV) diarrhea, which emphasizes the need for up-to-date and comprehensive studies. Objective Our objective was to provide more recent data on the clinical and epidemiological characteristics as well as the economic burden of RV diarrhea among young children admitted to a tertiary care hospital in the city of Riyadh in the year prior to the initiation of the RV vaccine. Design We conducted a prospective observational study at a children's specialized hospital at King Fahad Medical City.