Seroprevalence of hepatitis A virus markers in Eastern Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE: To record and update the sero-epidemiological status of Hepatitis A virus in Eastern Saudi Arabia. To investigate the main viral etiology of clinical hepatitis in children and discuss the possibility of introducing a Hepatitis A virus vaccine in this Province. METHODS: Examining serum specimens by Enzyme Linkage Immuno-Sorbet Assay technique for these parameters: Immunoglobulin M anti-hepatitis A virus, total immunoglobulin anti-hepatitis A virus, and in selected cases we checked for hepatitis B surface antigen and anti-hepatitis C virus. The study was carried out in the Virology Diagnostic Labs, of Dammam Regional Laboratories & Blood Bank, Dammam. A total of 12,357 serum samples were collected from 5876 healthy children, 5798 healthy adults, and 683 from clinically diagnosed hepatitis in children. The period of study was 12 years from February 1987 to January 1999. RESULTS: Hepatitis A virus prevalence showed 3% for pre-school age, 80% in older children and 93% in adults, while total prevalence was 86%. Breaking down the prevalence among children showed 3% in the <6 years age group, 62% in the 6 - <8 years age group, 71% in the 8 - <10 years age group, 83% in the 10 - <12 years age group and 93% in the 12 - <18 years age group. While the grand total among children was 78%. The prevalence of hepatitis viruses causing clinical hepatitis in children showed: 65% for hepatis A virus, 21% for hepatitis B virus, 7% for hepatitis C virus, 2% for double infection of hepatitis B virus + hepatitis C virus and 5% for non A, non B, non C. CONCLUSION: Hepatitis A virus infection starts dramatically high in school-age children, and then rises gradually with an increase in age. This reflects that our region is of pattern I class. There is no difference in the prevalence due to seasons of year, climate or sex. Hepatitis A virus is the leading cause of clinical hepatitis in children, followed by hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus. There is a possibility of starting to introduce hepatitis A virus vaccine among pre-school age children, as well as among hepatitis A virus negative adults that live in a higher socioeconomic environment within the country, which can be considered as islands of pattern II among pattern I areas.

Xllth International AIDS conference, Geneva Switzerland. Bridging the Gap. The triple-cocktail euphoria has waned.

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Prevalence of coxsackieviruses among healthy populations and opthalmic disease patients in the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia.

Full text is available as a scanned copy of the original print version.

Seroepidemiological prevalence of Rubella IgG antibodies among different populations in Eastern Saudi Arabia.

Full text is available as a scanned copy of the original print version.

The prevalence of indices of hepatitis C and B infection, and elevated aminotransferase enzymes in patients with oral lichen planus (olp) in eastern saudi arabia.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the possibility of any association between HBV, HCV, elevated aminotransferase enzymes and Oral Lichen Planus (OLP)patients in Eastern Saudi Arabia. DESIGN: Sera were collected from OLP patients, to be tested for HbsAg, anti-HCV and ALT/AST levels. SETTINGS: All the patients who were diagnosed clinically in periodontal section, Dammam Central Hospital were from Eastern Saudi Arabia. The histopathological diagnosis was done in Histopathology Section, Dammam Regional Labs, the virological studies in the Virus Diagnosis Lab of Dammam Regional Labs and Blood Bank, and the aminotransferase tests done in the Dammam Central Hospital Labs. SUBJECTS: 34 serum specimens were collected from OLP patients, and 32 other samples from healthy populations of the same age and sex as the controls of the study. RESULTS: Incidence of HBsAg, anti-HCV, HBsAg+HCV, and elevated aminotransferase enzymes among OLP patients were 8.8%, 14.7%, 2.9%, and 47.05% respectively and the results from the control subjects were 6.25%, 3.12%, 0%, and 3.12% respectively. CONCLUSION: There is a significant association between OLP and HCV infection. No clear evidence of this relationship appeared with HBV. All the aminotransferase elevated samples were positive to HCV, giving a clear evidence of the association of chronic HCV infection with the OLP. Aminotransferase elevated results could be used as a clue to clinical signs of asymptomatic hepatopathies, and as a marker to check the OLP cases for the relevant Hepatic Viruses. Despite the limited number of OLP patients in this study, the results could highlight the problem in this geographical area of the world. We recommend a comprehensive study to be carried out using this current study as a preliminary one.

Hepatitis C infection among Egyptian blood donors in the eastern Saudi Arabia with / without past history of schistosomiasis.

PIP: During 1991-1992, phlebotomists at blood bank facilities in eastern Saudi Arabia collected blood sera from 8934 adult male volunteer blood donors from Saudi Arabia and other countries (Egyptians, other Mid- Easterners, Southeast Asians, and Southern Asians). Laboratory personnel screened the sera for hepatitis C virus and the sera of Egyptian donors for hepatitis B virus. They interviewed all the Egyptian donors to determine their past history of exposure to and/or treatment for Bilharziasis. The total incidence of hepatitis C virus antibodies stood at 1.66%. It was 1.16% for Saudis, 1.24% for Mid- Easterners (other than Egyptians), 1.44% for Southeast Asians, and 1.36% for Southern Asians. It was significantly higher among Egyptians (18.15%; p .05). Egyptians who has a past history of schistosomiasis were much more likely to have hepatitis C virus antibodies (22.42% vs. 9.4%; p .001). On the other hand, there was no significant difference in the incidence of hepatitis B virus markers between the 2 groups of Egyptians (7.28-8%.48% with positive history vs. 7.23-9.64% for negative history). These findings show a correlation between hepatitis C virus and Bilharziasis. Further studies are needed to evaluate the theory that the correlation of hepatitis C virus with the Egyptian liver is due to genetic susceptibility of the liver or to different hepatitis C virus subtype or special strains. Another theory is that the presence of autoantibodies and/or high level of gamma globulins in the sera interfere with hepatitis c tests, resulting in more false positive results.^ieng

Prosthetic valve endocarditis caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae in a patient with pemphigus vulgaris.

The clinical and bacteriological findings in a case of prosthetic aortic valve endocarditis caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae are presented. The patient died despite adequate medical therapy. This appears to be the first report of endocarditis caused by this species in a prosthetic aortic valve.

Neonatal meningitis caused by Achromobacter xylosoxidans.

The clinical and bacteriological findings in a case of neonatal meningitis caused by Achromobacter xylosoxidans are presented. This appears to be only the second report of meningitis caused by this species.