Follow-up of Saudi children vaccinated with Haemophilus influenzae type B vaccine.

Background: Saudi children vaccinated with a primary series of Hib vaccine (HbOC) at six weeks, three and five months have shown higher antibody titers compared to recent data from the U.S. The aim of this study was to evaluate the persistence of antibodies and to measure the immunogenicity of a booster dose of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine in Saudi children.

Smoking patterns among primary health care attendees, Al-Qassim region, Saudi Arabia.

Prevalence, sociodemographic patterns and medical co-morbidity of smoking among a cross-section of primary health care (PHC) clients in Saudi Arabia were examined. We used a 44-item semistructured questionnaire to collect data from 1752 patients at 25 randomly selected PHC centres. Percentage of smoking was 52.

Making psychiatric sense of sand: a case of delusional disorder in Saudi Arabia.

Somatic delusional disorder is an uncommon psychiatric disorder that has been typically reported in elderly women. This article reviews the literature and describes a Saudi female patient who presented with novel somatic delusion of turabosis--the conviction that she was continually being covered by sand from sandstorms. Although the systematized delusional convictions remained unshakable, her anxiety and mood symptoms responded to a regimen of tricyclic antidepressants and her delusional beliefs resolved within eight weeks of treatment with risperidone.

Measles immunization in Saudi Arabia: the need for change.

This paper describes the measles immunization programme in Saudi Arabia and the change from the single-dose schedule with the Schwartz vaccine to the double-dose schedule with the Edmonston-Zagreb vaccine. The recent measles-mumps-rubella school campaign is also described.

Pervasive developmental disorders. Etiological, diagnostic and treatment conundrum.

Pervasive developmental disorders are severe childhood psychiatric disorders that afflict millions of children worldwide. Despite availability of tremendous data on these disorders, there is a paucity of information among clinicians including mental health professionals. Pervasive developmental disorders, caused by multiple neurobiological and environmental etiologies, are characterized mainly by impaired social interactions, impaired communication and language, and abnormal repetitive interests and behaviors.