Knowledge and practice toward seasonal influenza vaccine and its barriers at the community level in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: The important role of vaccination and preventive health care has been shown in several studies conducted worldwide. Despite the annual high infection rate of influenza, there are still many people who opt not to get vaccinated and be protected. We conducted this study to explore the knowledge, practices, and barriers of a Saudi Arabian population toward influenza vaccination. METHODS: We conducted a community-based cross-sectional study using a questionnaire that was distributed online through social media to adult males and females aged 18 years old and above in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. RESULTS: A total of 778 individuals responded to the survey, 193 (24.8%) males and 585 (75.2%) females. Male respondents tended to have a better knowledge of influenza and flu vaccine than females. However, there were more females who have been vaccinated. More males believed that they do not belong to the high-risk group compared to females (P < 0.001). The younger age group of respondents significantly had a better knowledge of flu vaccine and influenza (P < 0.05). On the other hand, the older age group of respondents (age 45-60 and age >60 years old) have more reasons and barriers to have the vaccine. CONCLUSION: Knowledge of influenza and flu vaccine is relatively high, but the translation of this knowledge into practice is poor. The paradigm shift should be focused not only on knowledge of vaccines and vaccination but to attitudes and practices that will address barriers to getting the vaccine.

Mixed connective tissue disease in young Saudi patient with recurrent dental abscess: A case report.

Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) or overlap syndrome is a rare disease. It has overlapping features of more than one autoimmune disease with high titer of anti-ribonucleoprotein antibodies against U1. We present a 12-year-old Saudi male patient who was presented to the dental clinic complaining from non-healing oral ulcers and multiple periapical abscesses that not responsive to extractions and the use of oral antibiotics, these symptoms were accompanied with persistent fever, headache, muscle weakness, general malaise, and painful bilateral cervical lymphadenopathy. After a thorough investigation, he was diagnosed with (MCTD) and was managed dentally and medically accordingly.