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Muslimah N Alsulami,1 Khalil Mohamed,2 Majed H Wakid,3,4 Rewaida Abdel-Gaber,5 Ashraf G Timsah,6,7 Wafa Abdullah I Al-Megrin,8 Adil Khan,9 Walaa A Elkholy,10 Khaled AA Abdelaal,11 Hatem A Elshabrawy,12 Asmaa M El-Kady13 1Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Public Health and Health Informatics, Umm Al-Qura University, Mecca, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia; 4Special Infectious Agents Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 5Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 6Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Baha University, Al Baha, Saudi Arabia; 7Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Al-Azhar University, New Damietta City, Egypt; 8Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 9Department of Zoology, Bacha Khan University, Charsadda, Pakistan; 10Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt; 11EPCRS Excellence Center, Plant Pathology and Biotechnology Lab, Faculty of Agriculture, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafr El Sheikh, 33516, Egypt; 12Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Sam Houston State University, Conroe, TX, 77304, USA; 13Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, EgyptCorrespondence: Hatem A Elshabrawy; Khaled AA Abdelaal, Tel +201283557774, Fax +20473109524, Email hatem.elshabrawy@shsu.edu; khaled.elhaies@gmail.comIntroduction: World Health Organization (WHO) considers Fascioliasis as a neglected tropical disease that requires global efforts for disease control. Data from the genetic characterization of Fasciola population shed light on the spread of infections among animals which could help in the development of effective parasite control. The aim of the present work was to genetically characterize Fasciola adult worms isolated from sheep in Saudi Arabia by sequence analysis of ITS-1 region.Methods: A total of 12,653 slaughtered sheep in Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia were examined for the presence of Fasciola spp. adult worms. The ITS-1 region of all parasites was amplified and sequenced.Results: Overall, 12 variants DNA sequences were obtained. The variance of isolates ranged from 0.00771 to 0.34405. BLAST search showed that all obtained sequences were Fasciola hepatica and had > 99.3% similarity with F. hepatica isolates from Spain and USA (from different hosts other than sheep). Phylogenetic analysis showed that Fasciola isolates were closely related to isolates from different countries.Discussion: The current study showed that F. hepatica was the only spp. isolated from sheep in Jeddah. Further studies from different localities in Saudi Arabia are needed to help in the development of disease control.Keywords: genetic diversity, characterization, Fasciola hepatica, parasitic diseases, sheep

Muslimah N Alsulami,1 Majed H Wakid,2 Mohammed Al-matary,3 Rewaida Abdel-Gaber,4 Wafa Abdullah I Al-Megrin,5 Areej O Bakhraibah,1 Abdullah D Alanazi,6 Hatem A Elshabrawy,7 Asmaa M El-Kady8 1Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, 21493, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia; 5Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, 11671, Saudi Arabia; 6Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Humanities, Shaqra University, Ad-Dawadimi, 11911, Saudi Arabia; 7Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Sam Houston State University, Conroe, TX, 77304, USA; 8Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, 83523, EgyptCorrespondence: Asmaa M El-Kady; Hatem A Elshabrawy, Email Asmaa.elkady@med.svu.edu.eg; hatem.elshabrawy@shsu.eduBackground: In Saudi Arabia, more than US$ 0.2 million annual losses are caused by liver condemnations due to fascioliasis. Data obtained from the genetic characterization of Fasciola population sheds light on parasite transmission which could eventually help in development of effective parasite control measures. So, the aim of this study was to investigate the genetic diversity of Fasciola spp. isolated from cattle in Saudi Arabia by sequence analyses of COI gene.Materials and Methods: A total of 325 cows slaughtered at the central municipal abattoir in Jeddah city, Jeddah Province, Saudi Arabia were examined for fascioliasis in the period from 1st of June to 1st of July 2020. DNA was extracted from adult Fasciola worms and used for PCR and DNA sequence using a primer pair targeting COI gene. Analysis of the obtained sequences was done using BLAST search and phylogenetic analysis.Results: Bovine fascioliasis was diagnosed in 18 out of 325 cattle (5.5%). Forty-eight flukes were extracted from infected animals and DNA was successfully amplified from all flukes. Overall 12 different DNA sequences were obtained. BLAST search showed that all obtained sequences were F. hepatica and had > 97% similarity with F. hepatica isolates from Tanzania, Europe and Iran. Phylogenetic analysis of the obtained sequences showed that Fasciola isolates from the current study were clustered in one subclade closely related to isolates from North and South Africa and Italy.Conclusion: Reports on the molecular characterization of Fasciola spp. in Saudi Arabia are limited. In the current study, our findings showed that F. hepatica was the only Fasciola species parasitizing cattle in Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia. Further studies using a large number of samples from different localities in Saudi Arabia are needed to provide data that will help the development of control measures against fascioliasis.Keywords: fascioliasis, cattle, PCR, COI, Saudi Arabia

Asmaa M El-Kady,1 Fahad M Aldakheel,2 Khaled S Allemailem,3 Ahmad Almatroudi,3 Reem Dbas Alharbi,3 Hamad Al Hamed,4 Muslimah Alsulami,5 Wafa A Alshehri,5 Saeed El-Ashram,6 Eugene Kreys,7 Khalil Mohamed,8 Wafa Abdullah I Al-Megrin,9 Hatem A Elshabrawy10 1Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, 83523, Egypt; 2Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11433, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah, 51452, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Laboratory and Blood Bank, King Fahd Specialist Hospital, Buraydah, 52211, Saudi Arabia; 5Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, 21959, Saudi Arabia; 6Faculty of Science, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafr El-Sheikh, 33516, Egypt; 7Department of Clinical & Administrative Sciences, College of Pharmacy, California Northstate University, Elk Grove, CA, 95757, USA; 8Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Public Health and Health Informatics, Umm Al-Qura University, Mecca, Saudi Arabia; 9Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Riyadh, 11671, Saudi Arabia; 10Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Sam Houston State University, Conroe, TX, 77304, USACorrespondence: Asmaa M El-Kady; Hatem A Elshabrawy, Email Asmaa.elkady@med.svu.edu.eg; hatem.elshabrawy@shsu.eduBackground: A good understanding of the possible risk factors for coronavirus disease 19 (COVID‐19) severity could help clinicians in identifying patients who need prioritized treatment to prevent disease progression and adverse outcome. In the present study, we aimed to correlate clinical and laboratory characteristics of hospitalized COVID-19 patients to disease outcome in Saudi Arabia.Materials and Methods: The present study included 199 COVID-19 patients admitted to King Fahd Specialist Hospital, Buraydah, Qassim, Saudi Arabia, from April to December 2020. Patients were followed-up until discharge either for recovery or death. Demographic data, clinical data and laboratory results were retrieved from electronic patient records.Results: Critical COVID-19 cases showed higher mean of age and higher prevalence of co-morbid conditions. Fifty-five patients died during the observation period. Risk factors for in hospital death for COVID 19 patients were leukocytosis (OR 1.89, 95% CI 1.008– 3.548, p = 0.081), lymphocytopenia (OR 2.152, 95% CI 1.079– 4.295, p = 0.020), neutrophilia (OR 1.839, 95% CI 0.951– 3.55, p = 0.047), thrombocytopenia (OR 2.152, 95% CI 0.852– 5.430, p = 0.085), liver injury (OR 2.689, 95% CI 1.373– 4.944, p = 0.003), acute kidney injury (OR 1.248, 95% CI 0.631– 2.467 p = 0.319), pancreatic injury (OR 1.973, 95% CI 0.939– 4.144, p = 0.056) and high D dimer (OR 2.635, 95% CI 0.747– 9.287, p = 0.091).Conclusion: Clinical and laboratory data of COVID-19 patients may help understanding the pathogenesis of the disease and subsequently improve of the outcome of patients by determination of the associated risk factors and recognition of high risk group who are more liable for complications and in hospital death. The present study put an eye on some parameters (laboratory and clinical) that should be alarming signs that the patient is at high risk bad prognosis.Keywords: clinical, outcomes, prognosis, COVID-19, Saudi Arabia

Asmaa M El-Kady,1 Heba A Osman,2 Mohamed Farouk Alemam,3 Dina Marghani,4 Mohammed A Shanawaz,5 Majed H Wakid,6,7 Wafa Abdullah I Al-Megrin,8 Hatem A Elshabrawy,9 Osama H Abdella,1 Khaled S Allemailem,10 Ahmad Almatroudi,10 Mostafa I EL-Amir11 1Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt; 2Department of Gastroenterology and Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt; 3Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt; 4Clinical Laboratory Science Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Science, Taibah University, Medina, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 5Department of Public Health, Applied Medical Sciences College, Albaha University, Albaha, Saudi Arabia; 6Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia; 7Special Infectious Agent Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 8Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, 11671, Saudi Arabia; 9Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Sam Houston State University, Conroe, TX, 77304, USA; 10Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah, 51452, Saudi Arabia; 11Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, EgyptCorrespondence: Asmaa M El-Kady; Hatem A Elshabrawy, Email asmaa.elkady@med.svu.edu.eg; hatem.elshabrawy@shsu.eduIntroduction: In recent decades, the rate of infection with dengue virus (DENV) has risen significantly, now affecting nearly 400 million individuals annually. Dengue fever among humans is caused via specific mosquito vectors bites. Sporadic cases have been reported in Egypt. The goal of this study was to identify the serotype of the DENV outbreak in both human and mosquito vector along the coast of the Red Sea, Upper Egypt, in 2017. Identification of the serotype of the virus may help identify its source and assist in applying epidemiological and control measures.Materials and Methods: The current study was carried out in El Quseir City, Red Sea Governorate, Upper Egypt, on 144 patients complaining of symptoms indicative of dengue fever at the time of the 2017 Egypt outbreak. Human blood samples and the mosquito reservoirs were identified as having dengue virus infection serologically and molecularly.Results: Overall, 97 (67.4%) patients were positive for dengue virus IgM antibodies. Molecular examination of the human samples and pools of mosquitoes revealed that DENV-2 virus was the serotype responsible for the outbreak. Only one pool of female mosquitoes containing Aedes aegypti was infected with dengue fever virus (DENV-2).Conclusion: This was the first serotyping of the DENV responsible for dengue virus outbreak in Egypt in 2017. Determining the serotype of dengue virus can help to avoid and monitor outbreaks. The serotype identified in this study was DENV-2, while DENV-1 was the serotype found in the previous outbreak in 2015 in the province of Assiut. This study thus raises concerns that a new dengue serotype could have been introduced into Egypt. It is necessary for a comprehensive risk assessment to be carried out in the country, including an entomological survey, to assess the presence and potential geographical expansion of mosquito vectors there.Keywords: dengue fever, Upper Egypt, serotyping, human, mosquito, multiplex PCR

El-Kady AM, Osman HA, Alemam MF, et al. Infect Drug Resist. 2022;15:2713-2721. The authors have advised that the acknowledgment statement on page 2719 is incorrect. The text “This research was supported by Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University Project number (PNURSP2022R39), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia” should read “This research was supported by Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University Researchers Supporting Project number (PNURSP2022R39), Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia”. The authors apologize for this error. Read the original article