PREVALENCE OF CYTOMEGALOVIRUS IGG ANTIBODIES, POTENTIAL RISK FACTORS AND AWARENESS OF CONGENITAL CYTOMEGALOVIRUS AMONG FEMALE DOCTORS

Objective:  Female staff in children-Mother care hospitals may run an increased risk of cytomegalovirus (CMV) contact infection leading to a congenital CMV feto-pathy during pregnancy. Also, because of limited treatment options for congenital cytomegalovirus infection, preventive strategies are important so knowledge and awareness among doctors are essential for the success of preventive strategies. Thus this study was carried out to determine the positive rate of IgG among female doctors at age bearing who care for children and mothers in Sana'a hospitals. Also, to investigate the knowledge of congenital CMV among doctors involved in the study. Methods: This cross sectional study was carried out for one year (June 2017- June 2018); 178 Yemeni female doctors were included in this study. 23 (12.9%) of the total female doctors were pediatrics, 32(18%) gynecology and obstetrics, 9 (5.1%) Oto-rhinolaryngology and 114 (64%) were general practices. Blood samples were collected from all participants and tested for IgG antibodies of HCMV by ELISA. The individual's data were collected in a pre-designed questionnaire including; demographic data, risk factors. Also, a questionnaire on CMV infection was answered by doctors on the knowledge concerning epidemiology, transmission, symptoms and signs of CMV infection in adults and children; and treatment options. Results: 13.4% of female doctors were negative (HCMV IgG <9 SU), while the rest (86.6%) were positive (HCMV IgG ≥ 11 SU). There was escalate trend of positive HCMV IgG antibodies rate with increasing age, significance association between sero-positive HCMV IgG antibodies and parity (OR=3.1, p=0.01), 1-3 pregnancy rate (OR=2.2, p=0.05), and history of surgery (OR=3.8, p=0.01). Most of the doctors were aware that most healthy adults and pregnant women do not experience any symptoms of a CMV infection (66.8%); and only one-fifth of the respondents were aware that kissing, and changing diapers, are risk factors for the transmission of CMV. Also, only half of the total respondents were aware that microcephaly (59%), and hearing loss (56.7%) could be symptoms of congenital CMV. Conclusion: This study revealed that the HCMV is highly endemic in our population where the prevalence of IgG among the medical female doctors was 86.5%, thus HCMV should be considered as a possible cause of morbidity and mortality in fetus and might in mothers in Yemen. Increasing knowledge and awareness is expected to enhance the prevention of transmission, to improve recognition, and to stimulate diagnostic investigations and follow-up programs.                    Peer Review History: Received 8 October 2018;   Revised 22 October; Accepted 5 November, Available online 15 November 2018 Academic Editor:  Dr. Iman Muhammad Higazy, National Research Center, Egypt, [email protected] UJPR follows the most transparent and toughest ‘Advanced OPEN peer review’ system. The identity of the authors and, reviewers will be known to each other. This transparent process will help to eradicate any possible malicious/purposeful interference by any person (publishing staff, reviewer, editor, author, etc) during peer review. As a result of this unique system, all reviewers will get their due recognition and respect, once their names are published in the papers. We expect that, by publishing peer review reports with published papers, will be helpful to many authors for drafting their article according to the specifications. Auhors will remove any error of their article and they will improve their article(s) according to the previous reports displayed with published article(s). The main purpose of it is ‘to improve the quality of a candidate manuscript’. Our reviewers check the ‘strength and weakness of a manuscript honestly’. There will increase in the perfection, and transparency. Received file:        Reviewer's Comments: Average Peer review marks at initial stage: 5.0/10 Average Peer review marks at publication stage: 8.0/10 Reviewer(s) detail: Dr. Omonkhelin J Owolabi, University of Benin, Nigeria, [email protected]  Dr. Ali Abdullah A. Al-Mehdar, University of Basrah, Iraq, [email protected] Similar Articles: THE ASSOCIATION OF EPSTEIN-BARR VIRUS ANTIBODIES WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AMONG YEMENI PATIENTS IN SANA’A CITY PREVALENCE OF RUBELLA IGG ANTIBODIES AMONG PRODUCTIVE-AGE ‎WOMEN IN AL-MAHWEET GOVERNORATE, YEME

PREVALENCE AND POTENTIAL RISK FACTORS OF HEPATITIS B VIRUS IN A SAMPLE OF CHILDREN IN TWO SELECTED AREAS IN YEMEN

Objective: The global epidemic of hepatitis B is a significant public health problem. The endemicity of HBV infection used to be believed high in Yemen. Data for the prevalence of HBsAg among children in rural and urban areas in Yemen is scarce and incompetent. The study was made to determine prevalence of HB surface antigen among children in 2 selected areas in Yemen. Methods: Eight hundred forty and 212 children were randomly chosen from Sana'a city and Shabowah governorate, respectively. Sera were tested for HBs antigen by ELISA technique, and HB genome was tested for positive HB surface antigen specimens to confirm positivity using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based test. Each data collected in a pre-designed questionnaire including sex, age, and risk factors of HBV and prior vaccine of HBV. Results: The prevalence of HB surface antigen among children in Sana'a city was only 1.8%, and in Shabowah governorate was 3.8%. There was a significant association of non-vaccinated children, birth by cesarean, and with a history of parental exposure with contracting HBV infection.Conclusion: Evidence from these studies in Yemen suggests that there is a steady increase in exposure to HBV over a lifetime. Hospital-acquired HBV infection is common in Yemen, and high vaccination coverage rate should be achieved, particularly in rural areas, in parallel with health education.                      Peer Review History: Received 21 June 2019;   Revised 6 July; Accepted 10 July, Available online 15 July 2019 Academic Editor: Dr. Amany Mohamed Alboghdadly, Princess Nourah bint abdulrahman university, Riyadh, [email protected] UJPR follows the most transparent and toughest ‘Advanced OPEN peer review’ system. The identity of the authors and, reviewers will be known to each other. This transparent process will help to eradicate any possible malicious/purposeful interference by any person (publishing staff, reviewer, editor, author, etc) during peer review. As a result of this unique system, all reviewers will get their due recognition and respect, once their names are published in the papers. We expect that, by publishing peer review reports with published papers, will be helpful to many authors for drafting their article according to the specifications. Auhors will remove any error of their article and they will improve their article(s) according to the previous reports displayed with published article(s). The main of it is ‘to improve the quality of a candidate manuscript’. Our reviewers check the ‘strength and weakness of a manuscript honestly’. There will increase in the perfection, and transparency. Received file:                Reviewer's Comments: Average Peer review marks at initial stage: 6.5/10 Average Peer review marks at publication stage: 8.5/10 Reviewer(s) detail: Aya Mohammed Mohammed Essawy, MTI University- Mokattam, Egypt, [email protected] Dr. Dalia Kamal Zaffar Ali, Modern University for technology and information, Egypt, [email protected] Similar Articles: SERO-EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY OF HEPATITIS B, C, HIV AND TREPONEMA PALLIDUM AMONG BLOOD DONORS IN HODEIDA CITY- YEMEN EXPLOSION OF HEPATITIS B AND C VIRUSES AMONG HEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS AS A RESULT OF HEMODIALYSIS CRISIS IN YEME