Prevalence and Risk Factors for Brucellosis in Jazan Province, Saudi Arabia

Purpose: Brucellosis is responsible for considerable public health issues involving economic losses due to abortion, loss of milk production and infertility in adult males. The purpose of this study was to determine the sero-prevalence of brucellosis in Jazan Province, Saudi Arabia and assess the possible risk factors.Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted in three geographical areas of Jazan Province, Saudi Arabia. The study sample included 400 participants from randomly selected primary health care centres. A standardised questionnaire was used to collect information on demographics and risk factors for brucellosis. A 5 ml blood sample was collected from each study participant. The SPSS statistical program was utilised for data analysis.Results: The overall sero-prevalence of brucellosis in Jazan Province was 13.4 % and was higher among participants ≥ 40 years old (20 %) than those < 40 years (12 %). Prevalence was significantly higher among rural (39.3 %; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 29.8 – 49.7) than urban populations (4.6 %; 95 % CI, 2.7 – 7.9), in Saudis (14.5 %; 95 % CI, 11.1 – 18.8) than non-Saudis (3.0 %; 95 % CI, 7.0 – 15.3) and in males (16.4 %; 95 % CI, 12.2 – 21.6) than females (7.1 %; 95 % CI, 3.7 – 13.4).Conclusion: These results indicate the need for a vaccination program in Jazan Province and for public awareness campaign activities to combat and eradicate the disease.Keywords: Sero-prevalence, Brucellosis, Milk, Vaccination, Public awareness campaig

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Hepatitis B Virus among Pregnant Women in Jazan Region- Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Background: Hepatitis B virus is one of the major etiological agents for parenterally acquired hepatitis. Viral hepatitis during pregnancy is associated with high risk of maternal complications. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of HBV infection in pregnant women, and to find out its associated risk factors in Jazan region south KSA. Patients & Methods: A random sample of 537 pregnant females who attended Jazan general hospital and randomly selected primary health care centers in Jazan region - before 38 weeks of gestation - constituted the target population of the present study. All women were screened for HBsAgd by using HBsAg Rapid Test Device (ACON). Results: The overall prevalence of HBV virus among the women was found to be 4.1% (95% CI: 2.7 - 6.1). The prevalence of HBV according to age showed that women less than 20 years are free of HBV, whereas for other age groups HBV prevalence is found to increase with increase in age. Regarding the associated risk factors, women  with  history of hospitalization, and  jaundices showed a significant association with anti- HBV seropositive. Dental histories, blood transfusion and history of surgery did not prove significant association with  HBV. Conclusion: Prevalence of Hepatitis B virus infection in pregnant ladies was 4.1%. Past history of hospitalization and jaundices are important risk factors for transmission of infection. The study suggests expansion of the Hepatitis B vaccination program to reduce the risk of HBV among pregnant women. Key words: Hepatitis B virus, Pregnancy, Prevalence, Risk factors

Prevalence and risk factors of Hepatitis B Virus among Pregnant Women in Jazan Region- Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Background: Hepatitis B virus is one of the major etiological agents for parenterally acquired hepatitis. Viral hepatitis during pregnancy is associated with high risk of maternal complications. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of HBV infection in pregnant women, and to find out its associated risk factors in Jazan region south KSA.Patients & Methods: A random sample of 537 pregnant females who attended Jazan general hospital and randomly selected primary health care centers in Jazan region - before 38 weeks of gestation - constituted the target population of the present study. All women were screened for HBsAgd by using HBsAg Rapid Test Device (ACON).Results: The overall prevalence of HBV virus among the women was found to be 4.1% (95% CI: 2.7 - 6.1). The prevalence of HBV according to age showed that women less than 20 years are free of HBV, whereas for other age groups HBV prevalence is found to increase with increase in age. Regarding the associated risk factors, women  with  history of hospitalization, and  jaundices showed a significant association with anti- HBV seropositive. Dental histories, blood transfusion and history of surgery did not prove significant association with  HBV.Conclusion: Prevalence of Hepatitis B virus infection in pregnant ladies was 4.1%. Past history of hospitalization and jaundices are important risk factors for transmission of infection. The study suggests expansion of the Hepatitis B vaccination program to reduce the risk of HBV among pregnant women. Key words: Hepatitis B virus, Pregnancy, Prevalence, Risk factors

Common Eye Diseases in Children in Saudi Arabia (Jazan)

Background The rise in childhood eye diseases has become a matter of concern in Saudi Arabia, and hence a study has been conducted on the residents of Jazan. The aim of the research was to find out the root cause of such issues and provide a solution to prevent such circumstances for it may affect the vision of children. In this study, therefore, we aimed to determine the types of childhood eye diseases in Jazan and to discuss the best ways to prevent them or prevent their effect on the vision of our children. Our institutions are working toward the longevity and welfare of the residents, and healthcare is one of the important aspects in such a field. Methods This is a retrospective review of all patients less than 18 years of age who presented to the pediatric ophthalmology clinic of Prince Mohammed Bin Nasser Hospital, Jazan, between October 2014 and October 2015. The data, collected on 385 cases, included the age at first presentation, sex, clinical diagnosis, refractive error (RE) if present, and whether the child had amblyopia. If the child did not undergo complete ophthalmic examination with cycloplegic refraction, he/she was excluded. All data were collected and analyzed using the software SPSS. A P -value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results We reviewed the files of 385 children, with a male/female ratio of 1.1:1.0. The group aged 0–6 years made up the largest group ( P = 0.01), and the ratio is an expression to define the credibility of the study using a chi-squared test. Strabismus (36.9%), RE (26.5%), ocular trauma (7.5%), infection of cornea and conjunctiva (7.3%), and keratoconus (6.2%) were the most common conditions. There was no significant difference in presentation by age group and sex among children with REs and squint. Trauma was seen more commonly among males and in the group aged 12–18 years. Conclusion In this retrospective study, the focus was on the common childhood eye diseases that were considerably high. Hypermetropia was the predominant RE, which is in contrast to other studies where myopia was more common. However, it is important to promote public education on the significance of early detection of strabismus, REs, and amblyopia and have periodic screening in schools. The discussion of the various issues is aimed at increasing the awareness and building a support for the cause by creating the knowledge base to treat things on time and acknowledging the severity of the issues