Journal of infection and public health
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J Infect Public Health · Sep 2021
Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among high-risk healthcare workers in a MERS-CoV endemic area.
Healthcare workers (HCWs) in Saudi Arabia are a unique population who have had exposures to the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). It follows that HCWs from this country could have pre-existingMERS-CoV antibodies that may either protect from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection or cause false SARS-CoV-2 seropositive results. In this article, we report the seroprevalence of MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 among high-risk healthcare workers in Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. ⋯ Our SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence results were higher than reported regional seroprevalence studies. This finding was expected and similar to other international findings that targeted high-risk HCWs. Our results provide evidence that the SARS-CoV-2- seropositivity in Saudi Arabia similar to other countries was due to exposure to SARS-CoV-2 rather than MERS-CoV antibody.
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J Infect Public Health · Aug 2021
Randomized Controlled TrialIntravenous methylprednisolone with or without tocilizumab in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia requiring oxygen support: A prospective comparison.
Cytokine storm is a marker of severity and severe mortality in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. Immunomodulatory treatments may reduce morbidity and mortality. ⋯ In patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia on oxygen support, administration of MP daily for 7 days had reduced mortality at 45 days and was associated with significantly lower ICU admission and ventilation rates compared with usual. Adding tocilizumab to MP did not improve any of the studied outcomes significantly.
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J Infect Public Health · Aug 2021
Observational StudyClinical characteristics and predictors of mortality among COVID-19 patients in Saudi Arabia.
The new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has caused more than 1.8 million deaths, with a fatality rate of 2.5% in more than 200 countries as of January 4, 2021. Analysis of COVID-19 clinical features can help predict disease severity and risk of mortality, early identification of high-risk patients, and provide knowledge to inform clinical interventions. ⋯ In this cohort, COVID-19 patients within the older age group (≥65 years) admitted to the ICU with increased C-reactive protein levels in particular, were associated with increased odds of mortality. Further clinical observations are warranted to support these findings and enhance the mapping and control of this pandemic.
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Estimated seroprevalence of Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a critical evidence for a better evaluation of the virus spread and monitoring the progress of COVID-19 pandemic in a population. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence has been reported in specific regions, but an extensive nationwide study has not been reported. Here, we report a nationwide study to determine the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in the population of KSA during the pandemic, using serum samples from healthy blood donors, non-COVID patients and healthcare workers (HCWs) in six different regions of the kingdom, with addition samples from COVID-19 patients. ⋯ Our study estimates the overall national serological prevalence of COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia to be 11%, with an apparent disparity between regions. This indicates the prevalence of asymptomatic or mild unreported COVID-19 cases.
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J Infect Public Health · Jun 2021
Prevalence and predictors of in-hospital mortality of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 infection.
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. ⋯ In this cohort, mortality in hospitalized COVID-19 patients was high and was associated with advanced age, heart diseases, liver disease, high ferritin, ARDS, sepsis and ICU admission. These high-risk groups should be prioritized for COVID-19 vaccinations.