Acceptance rate of COVID-19 vaccination and its predictors in Egypt: An online survey.

INTRODUCTION: Public acceptance, understanding, and trust are some significant challenges facing COVID-19 vaccine coverage. Our study objective was to assess the acceptance rate of COVID-19 vaccination and its predictors among the Egyptian adult population. METHODS: An online survey was conducted on 1,053 participants from six randomly selected governorates in Egypt between March and April 2021 using an Arabic self-administrated questionnaire, developed using the Google Form App. RESULTS: Out of the 1,053 participants surveyed, 321 (31.5%) reported that they would accept taking the vaccine when it is available. The main reasons for refusing COVID-19 vaccination were doubt in vaccine effectiveness (80%), lack of trust due to rapid vaccine production (70%), deficiency of information about the vaccine (66%), and fear of vaccine side effects (55%). Regression analysis concluded that previous history of influenza vaccination (p = 0.01), perceived vaccine effectiveness (0.00), vaccine price (p = 0.02), and doctors' recommendation to take the vaccine (p = 0.03) were the only significant predictors of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. CONCLUSIONS: Low level of COVID-19 vaccination acceptance has been shown among the Egyptian population. To expand vaccination acceptance and coverage, the government should promote vaccine confidence by increasing the availability of clear, precise, and up-to-date information addressing public concerns. It should also provide free vaccinations and should reach out to doctors for promoting the vaccine.

Effect of occupational exposure on hematological and biochemical parameters in workers at oil and gas companies

Petroleum refineries are largest chemical industries that are responsible for emission of several pollutants into the atmosphere. Benzene and its metabolites are regarded as the most hazardous compounds that are emitted by petroleum refineries. These contribute to toxic oxidants, which cause many serious health risks to petroleum refineries workers. This study was aimed to analyze the effects of chemical exposure on hematological and biochemical parameters among workers at Zawia oil refinery and Mellituh oil and gas refinery companies. A total of 200 workers participated in this study which consisting of two equal groups (each group: n = 100). The first group consists of petroleum refineries workers and the second group consists of non-oil work civil servants serving were recruited as exposed and control subjects, respectively. The results of blood picture, liver enzymes and kidney functions were compared between the groups. Mean white blood cells counts, platelet counts, and hematocrit count were significantly higher, while the mean red blood cells count was insignificantly changed in petroleum refineries workers. While the mean hemoglobin and corpuscular hemoglobin concentration levels were significantly lower, whereas the mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular hemoglobin levels were insignificantly changed in petrol refineries workers. Liver enzymes and renal functions were significantly higher in petrol refineries workers. The present findings indicate that occupational exposure to benzene causes significant alterations in hematological and biochemical parameters and workers are at high risk of developing blood, hepatic or renal related disorders. Protection and frequent medical attention should be given to petroleum refineries workers.

Effect of telephone counselling on the knowledge, attitude and practices of contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Egypt.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an emerging respiratory illness. The World Health Organization declared it a public health emergency of international concern on 30 January 2020 and called for collaborative efforts, such as contact tracing and promoting the public awareness about COVID-19, and recommended prevention and control measures. AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of telephone counselling on the knowledge, attitude and practices (KAPs) of contacts of COVID-19 confirmed cases towards COVID-19 epidemiology and infection prevention and control measures. SETTING: Ten areas in Sharkia Governorate, Egypt divided into six rural and four urban areas. METHODS: A non-randomised controlled trial was conducted in Sharkia Governorate, Egypt, from 26 March 2020 to 12 April 2020 on 208 contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases, divided equally into two groups: an experiment group that was exposed to telephone counselling by the researchers and a control group that was exposed to routine surveillance by local health authority. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to assess the KAP of both groups towards COVID-19 before and after intervention. RESULTS: After intervention the percent of contacts who achieved good knowledge, positive attitudes and better practice scores in the experimental group was 91.3%, 57.8% and 71.2%, respectively, compared with 13.5%, 7.8% and 16.3%, respectively, in the control group. Male gender and working group were significantly associated with bad practice score. Furthermore, there was a statistically significant positive correlation between differences in knowledge, attitudes and practices of the experimental group before and after the intervention. CONCLUSION: This study proved the effectiveness of telephone counselling in improving COVID-19-related KAP scores of contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Mutations in CTC1, encoding conserved telomere maintenance component 1, cause Coats plus.

Coats plus is a highly pleiotropic disorder particularly affecting the eye, brain, bone and gastrointestinal tract. Here, we show that Coats plus results from mutations in CTC1, encoding conserved telomere maintenance component 1, a member of the mammalian homolog of the yeast heterotrimeric CST telomeric capping complex. Consistent with the observation of shortened telomeres in an Arabidopsis CTC1 mutant and the phenotypic overlap of Coats plus with the telomeric maintenance disorders comprising dyskeratosis congenita, we observed shortened telomeres in three individuals with Coats plus and an increase in spontaneous γH2AX-positive cells in cell lines derived from two affected individuals. CTC1 is also a subunit of the α-accessory factor (AAF) complex, stimulating the activity of DNA polymerase-α primase, the only enzyme known to initiate DNA replication in eukaryotic cells. Thus, CTC1 may have a function in DNA metabolism that is necessary for but not specific to telomeric integrity.