Prevalence of blood borne viruses in the dialysis unit, mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital, Kuwait

Transmission of hepatitis B virus [HBV] hepatitis C virus [HCV] and human immune deficiency virus [HIV] does take place in dialysis units worldwide at different rates. The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence rates of HBV, HCV and HIV in the dialysis unit, Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital [MAKH], Kuwait. Design: Retrospective study Dialysis Unit and Virology Unit, MAKH, Kuwait Subjects: In 2012, a total of 1369 samples from adult patients on dialysis at MAKH were screened. HBV, HCV and HIV were screened for HBV surface antigen [HBsAg] [ARCHITECT HBsAg Qualitative II 2011, Abbott], HCV antibodies [Anti-HCV] [ARCHITECT Reagent Kit 2011, Abbott] and HIV antigen and antibody [HIV Ag/Ab] [ARCHITECT HIV Ag/Ab Combo Reagent Kit 2011, Abbott], respectively Prevalence rates of HBV, HCV and HIV in the dialysis unit, MAKH, Kuwait HBV, HCV and HIV prevalence among dialyzed patients in the MAKH dialysis unit was 1.2%, 6.3% and 0.1% respectively. This study, to our knowledge, is the only study providing recent data on blood borne viruses [BBVs] among patients in a dialysis unit in Kuwait. A multicenter study is recommended to determine the national prevalence of BBVs in all the dialysis unit of Kuwait

prevalence of human Bocavirus, human Coronavirus-NL63, human Metapneumovirus, human Polyomavirus KI and WU in respiratory tract infections in Kuwait

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of human coronavirus [HCoV]-NL63, human metapneumovirus [hMPV], human bocavirus [Boca], human polyomavirus KI [KIV] and human polyomavirus WU [WUV] in respiratory tract infections [RTI] in Kuwait

Materials and Methods: Respiratory samples from 735 hospitalized patients with RTI from September 2010 to April 2013 were evaluated for the presence of HCoV-NL63, hMPV, Boca, KIV and WUV using molecular assays, polymerase chain reaction [PCR] and reverse-transcription PCR

Results: Of the 735 patients, 285 [38.8%] were diagnosed with viral RTI. The distribution of respiratory viruses was hMPV: 15 [5.3%], Boca: 14 [4.9%], WUV: 10 [3.5%] and KIV: 4 [1.4%]. HCoV-NL63 was not detected in any of the samples

Conclusions: These newly discovered viruses were associated with the development of RTI in Kuwait. The rapid identification of these viral infections could aid in the control of nosocomial transmission, reduce the use of antibiotics and improve treatment and management strategies

Who collaborating centre for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome for the eastern mediterranean regional office, faculty of medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait

In the early 1980s, the World Health Organization [WHO] designated the Virology Unit of the Faculty of Medicine, Health Sciences Centre, Kuwait University, Kuwait, a collaborating centre for AIDS for the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office [EMRO], recognizing it to be in compliance with WHO guidelines. In this centre, research integral to the efforts of WHO to combat AIDS is conducted. In addition to annual workshops and symposia, the centre is constantly updating and renewing its facilities and capabilities in keeping with current and latest advances in virology. As an example of the activities of the centre, the HIV-1 RNA viral load in plasma samples of HIV-1 patients is determined by real-time PCR using the AmpliPrep TaqMan HIV-1 test v2.0. HIV-1 drug resistance is determined by sequencing the reverse transcriptase and protease regions on the HIV-1 pol gene, using the TRUGENE HIV-1 Genotyping Assay on the Open-Gene® DNA Sequencing System. HIV-1 subtypes are determined by sequencing the reverse transcriptase and protease regions on the HIV-1 pol gene using the genotyping assays described above. A fundamental program of Kuwait's WHO AIDS collaboration centre is the national project on the surveillance of drug resistance in human deficiency virus in Kuwait, which illustrates how the centre and its activities in Kuwait can serve the EMRO region of WHO

Prevalence of hepatitis c virus antibodies in blood samples received at the virology laboratory of Mubarak Al Kabeer hospital, Kuwait

There is little information about the prevalence of exposure to Hepatitis C virus [HCV] in Kuwait in recent years. The aim of this study was to identify recent HCV antibody prevalence rates among Kuwaitis and non Kuwaitis. Retrospective study. Serum bank of Virology Unit, Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital [MAKH], Kuwait. A total of 2483 samples were collected from the serum bank at the MAKH, Virology Unit. Samples from patients with documented liver impairment were excluded. They were collected over a three-year period. Samples were screened for HCV antibodies by HCV version 3.0 [Abbott Laboratories, Germany] or ARCHITECT Anti-HCV [Abbott Laboratories, Germany] for the detection of antibodies against HCV structural and nonstructural proteins. Prevalence rate of HCV antibody in Kuwait Results showed that the overall HCV antibody prevalence rate was 11% with non-Kuwaitis having a higher prevalence rate [13.5%] as compared to Kuwaitis [1.2%]. This significantly higher HCV antibody prevalence rate among non-Kuwaitis is thought to be mostly due to the relatively high male Egyptian expatriate population in our study group