HCV Infection among Saudi Population: High Prevalence of Genotype 4 and Increased Viral Clearance Rate

HCV is a major etiological agent of liver disease with a high rate of chronic evolution. The virus possesses 6 genotypes with many subtypes. The rate of spontaneous clearance among HCV infected individuals denotes a genetic determinant factor. The current study was designed in order to estimate the rate of HCV infection and ratio of virus clearance among a group of infected patients in Saudi Arabia from 2008 to 2011. It was additionally designed to determine the genotypes of the HCV in persistently infected patients. HCV seroprevalence was conducted on a total of 15,323 individuals. Seropositive individuals were tested by Cobas AmpliPrep/Cobas TaqMan HCV assay to determine the ratio of persistently infected patients to those who showed spontaneous viral clearance. HCV genotyping on random samples from persistently infected patients were conducted based on the differences in the 5′untranslated region (5′UTR). Anti-HCV antibodies were detected in 7.3% of the totally examined sera. A high percentage of the HCV infected individuals experienced virus clearance (48.4%). HCV genotyping revealed the presence of genotypes 1 and 4, the latter represented 97.6% of the tested strains. Evidences of the widespread of the HCV genotype 4 and a high rate of HCV virus clearance were found in Saudi Arabia

Pediatric Neurology Workforce in Saudi Arabia: A 5-Year Update

Background: The medical workforce plays a pivotal role in advancing human health, particularly within the healthcare system of Saudi Arabia. While government-employed healthcare providers form the central structure of the system and offer free healthcare services, the private healthcare sector is also witnessing significant growth. In parallel, the field of child neurology has experienced notable transformations in recent years, with continued expansion. This expansion brings forth a range of challenges for both current and future pediatric neurologists, necessitating careful consideration and proactive measures to address them. Aim of the study: To investigate and analyze the current characteristics of the workforce, with a specific focus on their employment status and related data. Methods: This is a cross-sectional analysis, using a survey to assess the distribution of pediatric neurologists in Saudi Arabia (SA). The final analytical sample included 82 subjects, working in 13 regions in SA. A descriptive analysis was used to address the study question. Results: The survey received responses from a total of 82 pediatric neurologists in Saudi Arabia (response rate 55%), with 38 (46%) being men and 44 (54%) being women. The mean age was 33 ± 1.225 years. The majority of participants practiced in major cities such as Riyadh and Jeddah. Nearly 50% of pediatric neurologists experienced some form of delay in obtaining their first job, ranging from 1 to 36 months. Conclusion: The landscape of the pediatric neurology workforce is currently witnessing noteworthy demographic shifts. With the majority of practitioners concentrated in major cities, there is an ongoing demand for qualified professionals in peripheral areas. This study describes the real-life challenges faced by pediatric neurologists, particularly the delay in securing employment after graduation, and underscores the critical importance of addressing these persistent issues along the journey of pediatric neurology

Seroprevalence of anti-HCV antibodies using chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay in males and females from May 2008 to May 2011.

<p>Non-significant variation was found between female and male seropositive percentages using <i>t</i> test, (P = 0.1806).</p

Deduced nucleotide sequence of different Saudi HCV strains based on 5′UTR sequences.

<p>Ten selected strains (TAIF.SA1-10) were included. The nucleotide sequence of (TAIF.SA1) was found identical in 75/81 of the examined strains.</p

Phylogenetic analysis of partial 5′UTR sequences of HCV samples.

<p>HCV prototype sequences from GenBank were included. The evolutionary history was inferred using the Neighbor-Joining (NJ) method. Phylogenetic analysis was conducted in MEGA 4.1.</p

Percentage of HCV clearance among HCV infected population and comparison between percentage of clearance between male and females infected patients.

<p>Fisher's Exact Test revealed non-significant variation (P = 0.4714).</p

Seroprevalence of anti-HCV antibodies using chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay.

<p>A: The total seroprevalence among the whole tested population. B. HCV seroprevalence in males in comparison to females. Results were analysed using the chi-square and the two-sided P value was 0.0034.</p