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This study examines partnerships between schools and businesses that are intended to foster training and employment opportunities for secondary students with developmental and other disabilities in Saudi Arabia. A survey was developed to investigate employers' perspectives on students' skills, practical strategies for training, and their contribution. Fifty-two employers participated in the survey. The findings revealed the most valued skills on job sites, such as self- determination, social, and job skills, and believed that coordination, job matching, and joint supervision are successful practices that improve training. The employers concluded that some of their contributions to such partnerships include participation in curriculum development, training students in their workplaces under their supervision, and offering financial support.

Bloodstream infection (BSI) prevalence in hospitalized patients has increased owing to the spread of antibiotic-resistant pathogens; moreover, antimicrobial resistance in bacteria is a global problem. Here, BSIs are investigated in several patients at a hospital in Saudi Arabia, and the resistance of bacterial isolates to widely used drugs is determined. Throughout 2020, bacteria isolated from patients were identified and subjected to antibiotic susceptibility testing. In total, 1125 bacterial isolates were obtained from 1039 patients; among them, gram-positive bacteria were significantly more abundant than gram-negative bacteria. The most prevalent bacteria were Staphylococcus epidermidis and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Notably, gram-negative bacteria were mainly isolated from adult patients, and 20.63% of the gram-positive isolates were from pediatric patients, which was significantly higher than the corresponding percentages in elders and adults. The gram-positive isolates were mainly resistant to cephalothin, oxacillin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, and erythromycin and susceptible to penicillin, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, and vancomycin. Additionally, the gram-negative isolates were mainly resistant to ampicillin, cephalothin, and amoxicillin-clavulanate and susceptible to amikacin, ertapenem, aztreonam, colistin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Consequently, the high prevalence of infective multidrug-resistant bacteria may account as a significant health issue; it is considered a hazard in Riyadh hospitals and must be prevented at all costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methanol poisoning is a challenging issue due to its inducing acute multiple organ failures, and especially due to a lack of preparedness, available antidotes, and management protocols. The current study presents six cases of methanol poisoning that attended the emergency department of King Abdul Aziz Specialist Hospital, Taif, Saudi Arabia, between March and November 2022. All of the patients suffered from severe metabolic acidosis and visual impairment following the ingestion of homemade alcoholic beverages and colonia. Three patients were comatose, suffered from post-cardiac pulmonary arrest, and, finally, died, while the other three were non-comatose and discharged from the ICU after improvement. Management was based on clinical symptoms and other laboratory findings due to a shortage of methanol level measurement resources. The antidote, fomepizole, was not given to all of the cases due to its deficiency, and ethanol was given only to one patient due to difficulties in administering it without monitoring its concentration. Methanol poisoning and its outbreak provide insights into the dangers of hazardous homemade alcohol and other pharmaceutical preparations that might be adulterated with methanol, particularly to the shortage of suitable diagnostic testing and antidotes in addition to poor resources for management of intoxicated patients in some regions of Saudi Arabia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to assess the frequency and severity of adverse events following immunization (AEFI) in Indian children aged 5–17 years who received the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, as well as to investigate for predictors of AEFI. To examine AEFI following the first and second doses of Pfizer's vaccine, semi-structured questionnaires were distributed as Google forms at Indian schools in Saudi Arabia. The 385 responses included 48.1% male and 51.9% female children, with 136 responses of children aged 5–11 years (group A) and 249 responses from children aged 12–17 years (group B). Overall, 84.4% of children had two shots. The frequency of AEFI was reported to be higher after the first dose than after the second (OR = 2.12, 95% CI = 1.57–2.86). The reported AEFIs included myalgia, rhinitis, local reaction with fever, a temperature of 102 °F or higher, and mild to moderate injection site reactions. While group B frequently reported multiple AEFIs, group A typically reported just one. Local reaction with low grade fever was more frequently reported in group B after the first dose (24.1%) and second dose (15.4%), while local reaction without low grade fever was most frequently observed in group A after the first (36.8%) and second dose (30%). Only prior COVID-19 infection (OR = 2.98, 95% CI = 1.44–6.2) was associated with AEFI after the second dose in the study sample, whereas male gender (OR = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.13–2.6) and prior COVID-19 infection (OR = 2.95, 95% CI = 1.38–6.3) were predictors of AEFI after the first dose. Non-serious myocarditis was reported by only one child. According to the analysis conducted, the Pfizer's mRNA COVID-19 vaccination was found to be safe in Indian children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clostridium is a genus comprising Gram-positive, rod-shaped, spore-forming, anaerobic bacteria that cause a variety of diseases. However, there is a shortage of information regarding antibiotic resistance in the genus in Saudi Arabia. This comprehensive analysis of research results published up until December 2021 intends to highlight the incidence of antibiotic resistance in Clostridium species in Saudi Arabia. PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, SDL, and ScienceDirect databases were searched using specific keywords, and ten publications on antibiotic resistance in Clostridium species in Saudi Arabia were identified. We found that the rates of resistance of Clostridium difficile to antibiotics were as follows: 42% for ciprofloxacin, 83% for gentamicin, 28% for clindamycin, 25% for penicillin, 100% for levofloxacin, 24% for tetracycline, 77% for nalidixic acid, 50% for erythromycin, 72% for ampicillin, and 28% for moxifloxacin; whereas those of C. perfringens were: 21% for metronidazole, 83% for ceftiofur, 39% for clindamycin, 59% for penicillin, 62% for erythromycin, 47% for oxytetracycline, and 47% for lincomycin. The current findings suggest that ceftiofur, erythromycin, lincomycin, and oxytetracycline should not be used in C. perfringens infection treatments in humans or animals in Saudi Arabia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Bee venom acupuncture therapy (BVT) is an alternative therapy used worldwide by patients with different chronic diseases due to its therapeutic effects on conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Previous studies have illustrated the clinical effects of BVT on RA, but such a study has yet to be performed in Saudi Arabia (SA). It is important to evaluate BVT awareness among citizens of SA to measure the feasibility of conducting clinical trials of BVT in patients with RA in SA. This study aims to measure the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of BVT on RA and other chronic diseases in SA. This will help determine whether patients with RA have sufficient knowledge to be enrolled in clinical trials. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study of 180 patients with RA in SA was conducted using a KAP questionnaire on BVT. Individuals completed an online questionnaire using the Survey Monkey website. Data were obtained by self-completion of the online KAP questionnaire regarding BVT. Results: A total of 180 patients with RA and other chronic diseases, with a mean age of 45 years (18– 70 years), participated in the study. The results of the questionnaire showed that 55% of the participants demonstrated a good knowledge of BVT treatment; however, they also reported a poor attitude (55%) and practice (55%). Participants with RA demonstrated higher severity of disease (80%) than those with other chronic diseases. Participants with RA showed better KAP responses towards BVT than those with other chronic diseases. Participants with school education only and those who were beekeepers demonstrated significantly better KAP responses (P < 0.05) compared to participants who had received university education and those who were not beekeepers, respectively. Conclusion: Participants with strong RA knowledge may prove that patients from SA can be enrolled in BVT clinical trials. The participants' poor attitudes and practices may be due to BVT being expensive and unavailable in many cities in SA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Coronavirus infection is currently responsible for considerable morbidity and mortality in Saudi Arabia and across the globe. The aim of this study was to determine the level of compliance to infection control practices among healthcare practitioners in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 180 healthcare practitioners working in military, university, government and private hospitals in four (4) regions in Saudi Arabia, namely, Riyadh, Najran, Abha and Al Baha. Samples were selected using convenience sampling. The study utilized the following statistical formula: percentage distribution, mean, standard deviation and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: Most of the healthcare practitioners were young adults, male, licensed physicians, Saudi citizens, doctoral degree holders, have 1 to 5 years of hospital experience, work in university hospitals, and lastly were assigned to a medical ward. Healthcare practitioners in Saudi Arabia have high compliance with infection control (x=3.45, SD±0.28) and very high compliance with contact precaution practices (x=3.45, SD±0.82) during the time of coronavirus pandemic. There is no significant difference in compliance with infection control (F=0.3404, p=0.7963) and contact precaution practices (F=0.3404, p=0.7963) among healthcare practitioners working in the different regions of Saudi Arabia. Conclusion: Healthcare practitioners in Saudi Arabia usually comply to infection control practices and always comply with contact precaution. Also, health workers' infection control and contact precaution practices across Najran, Al Baha, Riyadh and Abha are the same and standardized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the high prevalence of hemoglobinopathies in Saudi Arabia, the prevalence data in some regions are lacking. Updating the epidemiological survey of hemoglobinopathies at regular intervals is necessary to develop effective prevention and control strategies. Therefore, the primary aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of selected hemoglobinopathies in Saudi adults attending premarital screening at the King Khaled General Hospital (KKGH), Al Majma'ah, Saudi Arabia. The current retrospective study was approved by the Central Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the Ministry of Health (with central IRB log #2019-0039E) and was carried out at the above hospital. The data of the premarital couples, who attended the premarital screening center at KKGH from 1 October 2016 to 30 September 2019, was included in this study. A cation exchange high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system was used for screening of the selected hemoglobinopathies. In total, 3755 cases including 1953 (52.01%) males and 1802 (47.99%) females, were screened for hemoglobinopathies. Abnormal hemoglobin (Hb) fractions were observed in 38 (1.01%) cases. The prevalence of β-thalassemia (β-thal) trait was 0.69% (26/3755) and that of sickle cell trait 0.32% (12/3755). Our results showed that the prevalence of β-thal trait is higher than that of sickle cell trait in the adult population of Al Majma'ah. Further comprehensive programs should be carried out to determine the prevalence of hemoglobinopathies in various provinces and cities of Saudi Arabia and other countries. This will help to maintain the updated records of the disease incidence for improving the control measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the economic impact of the oil prices, the domestic resource gaps, and the fiscal and external breakeven oil prices on the oil exporting countries (OECs). Specifically, this paper aims to examine the empirical behaviors of the oil prices, the domestic resource gaps, and the fiscal and external breakeven oil prices along with their influence on the economy of Saudi Arabia in order to determine the oil-economic gain/loss (OEG/L) and its influences on the Saudi Arabia economy over the period of 2008 to 2018. This study uses exploratory research design, with both linear and nonlinear regression models. This paper finds the oil prices, the domestic resources gaps, and the fiscal and external breakeven oil prices exert significant influences on the economic growth in Saudi Arabia. In addition, the fiscal breakeven oil price is considerably high in Saudi Arabia and has a marginal OEG/L of USD 2.3582 per barrel. Moreover, it is observed that the oil price has an irregular and unpredictable movement behavior and co-moved with the domestic resource gaps in Saudi Arabia. The findings implies that the economy diversification in Saudi Arabia could be achieved by setting policy on improving non-oil sectors and encouraging private sector involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The western region of Saudi Arabia is known as a multinational region with different ethnic groups of people. This study aims to evaluate the ABO and rhesus blood groups among study subjects in the Western area of Saudi Arabia and their comparison with other regions of the Kingdom. It is a retrospective study. 35,388 participants were included. ABO blood grouping was done using tube method. Agglutination in any tube or hemolysis was considered as positive. Blood grouping was done by a preliminary finger prick, and was repeated again and a serum sample was obtained at the time of donation. Statistical Package for Social Sciences software was used for the data analysis. Results showed that the most common blood group is O, (50.1%) followed by A (29.7%), B (16%) and less frequent is AB (4.1%). Rhesus positive were 91.3%, while rhesus negative were 8.63%. These results demonstrate that the most common blood group in the Western province is O. Blood group A was noticed to be less frequent. Understanding the frequencies of the blood groups and their phenotypes is crucial for blood banking and for setting transfusion service protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hearing loss is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous disorder. Mutations in the DFNB1 locus have been reported to be the most common cause of autosomal recessive non-syndromic hearing loss worldwide. Apart from DFNB1, many other loci and their underlying genes have also been identified and the basis of our study was to provide a comprehensive introduction to the delineation of the molecular basis of non-syndromic hearing loss in the Saudi Arabian population. This was performed by screening DFNB1 and to initiate prioritized linkage analysis or homozygosity mapping for a pilot number of families in which DFNB1 has been excluded. Methods: Individuals from 130 families of Saudi Arabian tribal origin diagnosed with an autosomal recessive nonsyndromic sensorineural hearing loss were screened for mutations at the DFNB1 locus by direct sequencing. If negative, genome wide linkage analysis or homozygosity mapping were performed using Affymetrix GeneChip® Human Mapping 250K/6.0 Arrays to identify regions containing any known-deafness causing genes that were subsequently sequenced. Results: Our results strongly indicate that DFNB1 only accounts for 3% of non-syndromic hearing loss in the Saudi Arabian population of ethnic ancestry. Prioritized linkage analysis or homozygosity mapping in five separate families established that their hearing loss was caused by five different known-deafness causing genes thus confirming the genetic heterogeneity of this disorder in the kingdom. Conclusion: The overall results of this study are highly suggestive that underlying molecular basis of autosomal recessive non-syndromic deafness in Saudi Arabia is very genetically heterogeneous. In addition, we report that the preliminary results indicate that there does not seem to be any common or more prevalent loci, genes or mutations in patients with autosomal recessive non-syndromic hearing loss in patients of Saudi Arabian tribal origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study that evaluated if there are any contributory roles of various environmental factors in the increasing incidence of type 1 diabetes in children in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia. A description of the study methodology is given. The study noted excessive weight gain in all subjects and no etiological influences of maternal age at birth, birth weight, birth order, infections and vaccines. It concluded that environmental factors do not play a role in the rising incidence of type 1 diabetes.

• We examine special educators' perspectives on school transition practices that prepare students with disabilities for work. • We investigated the perspectives of 73 special education teachers about these practices. • Based on a survey, results indicated that there are adequate practices that prepare students with disabilities for work. • Practices include partnerships with businesses in transition planning, assessment, and training. This study examines special educators' perspectives on the relationships between schools and businesses concerning the practices used to prepare students with disabilities for work. Based on a review of the literature, we developed a survey to investigate whether teachers believe that such partnerships prepare students with disabilities for working life after graduating. A total of 73 special educators participated in the survey, which assessed teachers' perspectives toward (a) transition planning; (b) transition assessment; (c) types of skills they provide for students with disabilities during school; (d) currently implemented transition practices; and (e) partnerships and collaboration between schools and employers. The findings revealed that special educators believe their schools have adequate practices that support partnerships with businesses, specifically because they implement the best transition practices in planning, assessment, and needed skills provisions and work together to facilitate the transition to employment for students with disabilities. Most stated that these partnerships allow their students to participate in volunteering, employment training, career exposure, and internships. Students also learn social, communication, and personal skills (e.g., self-advocacy, self-determination, and self-management) that help them become successful in their personal and professional lives. Given these findings, we discuss implications for practice and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We examined school-business partnerships to facilitate postsecondary transition. • We surveyed the perspectives of 92 family members about this partnership. • Results found connection and communication between schools and businesses. • Results showed no enough community involvement, training, and work opportunities for students. The purpose of this study is to examine family perspectives and the expectations of students with disabilities regarding the school-business partnership in order to prepare students with disabilities for post-school employment. Special education, especially providing transition services, in Saudi Arabia is still in its development stage. This study is a descriptive presentation of survey research regarding community-based partnerships in early employment. The researchers of this study have developed the survey used based on a review of the literature in order to investigate targeted skills by schools, current school and community practices, partnerships, and collaboration between schools, families, and community agencies. A total of 92 families with students with disabilities in middle and high schools participated. Based on the results, the majority of families believe that there is some level of communication between them the school staff and between schools and business owners. However, they did not think that the community provides enough opportunities for their children to have vocational training, work sampling, job shadowing, internships, and real work experiences. Additionally, most families had a negative perspective toward community involvement during the transition planning and process, and businesses assistance with curriculum development and modifications. Implications for practice and research were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Obesity among healthcare students (HCs)is a growing concern that needs to be addressed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, awareness, perceptions, practice, and preparedness of obesity, and associated factors among undergraduate HCs., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2023 to March 2024 using an online prevalidated questionnaire, to assess clinical aspects of obesity.Simple random sampling was applied for data collection from nursing, emergency medical services (EMS), and pharmacy students at Saudi University, Riyadh Saudi Arabia. All data were analyzed using statistical package for social science (SPSS)., Results: A total of 456 HCs participated in this study. Among those 68% believed eating high carbohydrates, fats, and sugars leads to obesity. At the same time, 52.2% and 57.2% were aware that smoking and stress can contribute to obesity. On the other hand, 41.9% live a healthy lifestyle and 38.65% engage in physical activity to control their obesity. The demographic variables such as age (p = 0.0001), gender (p = 0.0001), professional classification (p = 0.0001), presence of chronic diseases (p = 0.0001), history of weight loss treatment (p = 0.0001) and body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.0001) were significantly associated with knowledge of obesity(p = 0.001). Similarly, students' age (p = 0.001), presence of chronic diseases (p = 0.004) history of weight loss treatment (p = 0.0001), BMI (p = 0.001), and active status (p = 0.0001) were significantly associated with the perception of the obesity., Conclusion: Undergraduate HCs possess a good understanding of the clinical prospects of obesity. They know its causes, risks, and treatment options. Additionally, they are well-prepared to support individuals in managing their weight through lifestyle modifications and psychological counseling., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: Central nervous system tuberculosis (TB) (CNS-TB) can occur in several forms, including intracranial tuberculoma, tuberculous brain abscess, TB meningitis (TBM), and spinal TB. Early treatment can save lives and prevent severe neurological complications. This study aimed to describe the characteristics and post-treatment outcomes of patients with CNS-TB and identify factors associated with poor outcomes. To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest CNS-TB study till date published in Saudi Arabia., Methods: This retrospective cohort study included all patients diagnosed with CNS-TB in three tertiary centers in Saudi Arabia (King Abdulaziz Medical City in Jeddah, King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh, and Al-Noor Specialist Hospital in Makkah) between 2009 and 2019. Data of patients' demographics, co-morbidities, presenting symptoms, type of CNS-TB, medical and surgical treatments, and outcome after completion of treatment were obtained from medical records. Treatment outcomes were categorized using the modified Rankin Scale for neurological disability., Results: A total of 140 participants were included in this study from 2009 to 2019. Good outcomes were achieved in approximately 65% of cases, whereas 35% had poor outcomes based on the modified Rankin Scale. Glasgow Coma Scale score ≤10 at presentation and TBM/tuberculoma were significantly associated with poor outcomes. Moreover, the use of corticosteroids, more than three anti-TB medications, and surgical interventions were not significantly associated with good or poor outcomes., Discussion: CNS-TB is associated with a high burden of long-term neurological morbidity. Early detection and treatment are crucial to prevent serious complications and decrease morbidity and mortality.

Background: Following transient ischemic attack (TIA) and minor stroke, the risk of recurrent stroke can be significantly reduced with short-duration dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). We wish to investigate whether 10 days of DAPT is as effective as 21 days' treatment., Study Design: This is an open-label, randomized, parallel-group study comparing whether 10 days of DAPT treatment (ASA + clopidogrel) is non-inferior to 21 days of DAPT in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) or high-risk TIA. In both groups, DAPT is started within 24 hours of symptom onset. This study is being conducted in approximately 15 study sites in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The planned sample size is 1932., Outcomes: Non-inferiority of 10 days compared to 21 days of DAPT in the prevention of the composite endpoint of stroke and death at 90 days in AIS/TIA patients. The primary safety outcome is major intra-cranial and systemic hemorrhage., Study Period: Enrolment started in the second quarter of 2023, and the completion of the study is expected in the fourth quarter of 2025., Discussion: The trial is expected to show that 10 days of DAPT is non-inferior for the prevention of early recurrence of vascular events in patients with high-risk TIAs and minor strokes., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Proper management of asthma is crucial for maintaining control over the disease and has a significant impact on the patient's overall condition. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of self-management and the level of Asthma control in the patients from the Aseer region of Saudi Arabia, as well as to investigate determinants of illness control. A study was conducted using quantitative cross-sectional methods. Researchers utilised a web-based, self-administered structured questionnaire to gather data. The questionnaire included three sections: a socio-demographic section, an Asthma Self-Management Questionnaire (ASMQ), and Asthma Control Test (ACT). An analysis using the chi-square test was conducted to determine if there was a notable connection between the socio-demographic characteristics of the participants and the level of asthma control. A total of 305 responses were collected. The average score for the Asthma Self-Management Questionnaire was 5.72, which corresponds to 40.9%. Based on the scores from the Asthma Control Test, it was found that 60 patients (20.0%) had asthma that was not under control, 94 (30.0%) had asthma that was partially controlled, and 151 (50.0%) had asthma that was well controlled. Factors such as gender, non-smoking status, and having asthma for over 10 years (p ˂0.05) were found to be strongly correlated with improved disease control. Significant gaps were found in patients' awareness of the most important and critical aspects concerning the condition, medications, and preventative actions that limit asthma aggravation. To address the current situation, hospitals and clinics must make substantial efforts., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

BACKGROUND Chat Generative Pre-Trained (ChatGPT) Transformer was created by OpenAI and has a powerful tool used in research. This study aimed to assess the awareness and perceptions of ChatGPT among researchers and academicians at King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. MATERIAL AND METHODS A self-administered cross-sectional study was conducted among academicians and researchers from November 2023 to March 2024 using electronic questionnaires prepared in Google Forms. The data were collected using the Tawasul platform, which sent the electronic questionnaires to the targeted population. To determine the association between variables, the chi-square or Fisher exact test was applied at a significance level of <0.05. To find predictors of use of ChatGPT, multiple linear regression analysis was applied. RESULTS A response rate of 66.5% was obtained. Among those, 60.2% (n=121) had expertise in computer skills and 63.7% were familiar with ChatGPT. The respondents' gender, age, and specialization had a significant association with familiarity with ChatGPT (p<0.001). The results of the multiple linear regression analysis revealed that there was a significant association between the use of ChatGPT, age (B=0.048; SE=0.022; t=2.207; p=.028; CI=0.005-0.092) gender (B=0.330; SE=0.067; t=4.906; p=.001; CI=197-.462) and nationality, (B=0.194; SE=0.065; t=2.982; p=.003, CI=.066-.322). CONCLUSIONS The growing use of ChatGPT in scholarly research offers a chance to promote the ethical and responsible use of artificial intelligence. Future studies ought to concentrate on assessing ChatGPT's clinical results and comparing its effectiveness to those of other ChatGPT and other AI tools.

Objectives: To ascertain the prevalence of transfusion transmissible infections (TTIs) across diverse donor groups in the Najran province. Additionally, to establish a potential association between the development of TTI and the donors' blood group, as determined by the ABO/Rh blood grouping system., Methods: Blood donation data of 4120 donors, spanning from January to December 2020, were retrospectively reviewed. The blood were screened for TTI markers, including hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), anti-hepatitis B core (anti-HBc), anti-hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV), anti-human immunodeficiency viruses 1 and 2 (anti-HIV1&2), anti-human T-lymphotropic virus types 1 and 2 (anti-HTLV-1&2), and syphilis antigen., Results: Positive TTI markers were detected in 10.9% of the donors. The most detected TTI marker was anti-HBc (8.9%), followed by HBsAg (0.7%). Other markers were individually detected in <1% of the donors. Anti-HBc-positive was significantly elevated among non-Saudi blood donors. There was an association between age groups and anti-HCV ( p =0.002), anti-HTLV ( p =0.004) and syphilis antigen ( p =0.02) markers positivity. The AB positive blood group exhibited the most positivity for TTI markers, followed by O positive blood group. Similarly, association was found between ABO group and HBsAg ( p =0.01), anti-HBc ( p =0.001), and anti-HCV ( p <0.001) markers positivity., Conclusion: Emphasis on implementing robust screening measures for donated blood is underscored by this study. There is the need for future study to extensively evaluate TTI status to enhance our understanding of the trend in TTI., (Copyright: © Saudi Medical Journal.)

Background: Meropenem is a widely used carbapenem for treating severe pediatric infections. However, few studies have assessed its pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) in pediatric patients. This study aimed to evaluate the proportion of Saudi pediatric patients achieving the PK/PD target of meropenem., Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted at King Saud University Medical City from July to September 2022. Pediatric patients receiving meropenem for suspected or proven infections were included in the study. The primary outcome was the percentage of patients achieving the recommended PK/PD target for critically ill or non-critically ill pediatric patients., Results: The study included 30 patients (nine neonates and 21 older pediatric patients). All neonates were critically ill. Among them, 55 % achieved the PK/PD target of 100 % free time above the MIC. In older ICU pediatric patients, only 11 % attained this target, whereas 58 % of older pediatrics in the general wards achieved the PK/PD target of 50 % free time above the MIC. Augmented renal clearance (ARC) was identified in 57 % of our pediatric patient population, none of whom achieved the recommended PK/PD targets. The median trough concentrations in patients with and without ARC were 0.75 and 1.3 μg/mL, respectively (P < 0.05)., Conclusions: The majority of patients in our cohort did not achieve the PK/PD target for meropenem. ARC emerged as a major risk factor for target attainment failure in both critically ill and non-critically ill pediatric patients., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflicts of interest relevant to this article., (Copyright © 2024 Taiwan Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Blood donation is vital for healthcare; however, transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs) pose a serious risk. This study investigated the seroprevalence of TTIs among Saudi blood donors., Methodology: This retrospective study included male blood donors aged ≥ 18 years who donated blood at Al-Noor Specialist Hospital in Makkah from January 2017 to December 2022. The blood units were screened for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and core antibodies (HBc-IgG), hepatitis C antibodies (HCV-Abs), syphilis, HIV-1 antigen/antibody (HIV-1 Ag/Ab), human T-lymphotropic virus 1, 2 (HTLV-1/2), and malaria., Results: There were 40,287 donors with an average age of 44.33 ± 18.12 years, and 62.3% (n = 25103) were Saudis. The overall rate of TTIs seropositivity was 7.4% (n = 2953); HBc-IgG (6.1%; n = 2473) was the most common, followed by HCV-Abs (0.4%; n = 177), and syphilis (0.34%; n = 136). All cases were negative for malaria, whilst HIV and HTLV positive donors were 0.06% (n = 24) and 0.13% (n = 52), respectively. Syphilis was more prevalent among non-Saudis (0.24%; n = 83) than among Saudis (0.1%; n = 53), whereas anti-HBc antibodies seropositivity was significantly higher among Saudi (3.4%; n = 1373) than non-Saudi donors (2.7%; n = 1100)., Conclusions: Hepatitis B virus was the most frequently detected bloodborne pathogen, followed by hepatitis C virus and syphilis. Hepatitis B virus was also more prevalent among Saudi donors, whilst expatriates had higher rates of syphilis. Additional prospective multicenter studies are needed to accurately determine the prevalence of TTIs in Saudi Arabia., Competing Interests: No Conflict of Interest is declared, (Copyright (c) 2024 Faisal Minshawi, Asim A Abdulshakoor, Emran M Alwakil, Ghaiyda T Basfar, Saeed Kabrah, Akhmed Aslam, Hibah Almasmoum, Abdulrahman Mujalli, Rabab H Moaminah, Ghadeer A Almoalad, Mohammed A Alwadani, Mohammad G Alzahrani, Kholoud A Alsehemi, Bassem Refaat.)

In Saudi Arabia, water pollution and drinking water scarcity pose a major challenge and jeopardise the achievement of sustainable development goals. The urgent need for rapid and accurate monitoring and assessment of water quality requires sophisticated, data-driven solutions for better decision-making in water management. This study aims to develop optimised data-driven models for comprehensive water quality assessment to enable informed decisions that are critical for sustainable water resources management. We used an entropy-weighted arithmetic technique to calculate the Water Quality Index (WQI), which integrates the World Health Organization (WHO) standards for various water quality parameters. Our methodology incorporated advanced machine learning (ML) models, including decision trees, random forests (RF) and correlation analyses to select features essential for identifying critical water quality parameters. We developed and optimised data-driven models such as gradient boosting machines (GBM), deep neural networks (DNN) and RF within the H2O API framework to ensure efficient data processing and handling. Interpretation of these models was achieved through a three-pronged explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) approach: model diagnosis with residual analysis, model parts with permutation-based feature importance and model profiling with partial dependence plots (PDP), accumulated local effects (ALE) plots and individual conditional expectation (ICE) plots. The quantitative results revealed insightful findings: fluoride and residual chlorine had the highest and lowest entropy weights, respectively, indicating their differential effects on water quality. Over 35% of the water samples were categorised as 'unsuitable' for consumption, highlighting the urgency of taking action to improve water quality. Amongst the optimised models, the Random Forest (model 79) and the Deep Neural Network (model 81) proved to be the most effective and showed robust predictive abilities with R 2 values of 0.96 and 0.97 respectively for testing dataset. Model profiling as XAI highlighted the significant influence of key parameters such as nitrate, total hardness and pH on WQI predictions. These findings enable targeted water quality improvement measures that are in line with sustainable water management goals. Therefore, our study demonstrates the potential of advanced, data-driven methods to revolutionise water quality assessment in Saudi Arabia. By providing a more nuanced understanding of water quality dynamics and enabling effective decision-making, these models contribute significantly to the sustainable management of valuable water resources., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Prostate cancer, a significant contributor to male cancer mortality globally, demands improved diagnostic strategies. In Saudi Arabia, where the incidence is expected to double, this study assessed the compliance of multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) practices with Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System version 2 (PI-RADS v2) guidelines across diverse healthcare institutions., Methods: A survey was distributed to the radiology departments of all tertiary referral hospitals in Saudi Arabia (n=60) to assess their compliance with the technical specifications outlined in PI-RADS v2. Statistical analysis included chi-square, Fisher exact, ANOVA, and Student t-tests to examine the collected data., Results: The study revealed an overall commendable compliance rate of 95.23%. However, significant variations were observed in technical parameters, particularly between 1.5 Tesla and 3 Tesla scanners and tertiary versus non-tertiary hospitals. Notable adherence in certain sequences contrasted with discrepancies in T2-weighted and diffusion-weighted imaging parameters., Conclusion: These findings underscore the need for nuanced approaches to optimize prostate imaging protocols, considering field strength and institutional differences. The study contributes to the ongoing refinement of standardized mpMRI practices, aiming to enhance diagnostic accuracy and improve clinical outcomes in prostate cancer.

In the mountainous region of Asir region of Saudi Arabia, road construction activities are closely associated with frequent landslides, posing significant risks to both human life and infrastructural development. This highlights an urgent need for a highly accurate landslide susceptibility map to guide future development and risk mitigation strategies. Therefore, this study aims to (1) develop robust well-optimised deep learning (DL) models for predicting landslide susceptibility and (2) conduct a comprehensive sensitivity analysis to quantify the impact of each parameter influencing landslides. To achieve these aims, three advanced DL models-Deep Neural Networks (DNN), Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), and Bayesian-optimised CNN with an attention mechanism-were rigorously trained and validated. Model validation included eight matrices, calibration curves, and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) and Precision-Recall curves. Multicollinearity was examined using Variance Inflation Factor (VIF) to ensure variable independence. Additionally, sensitivity analysis was used to interpret the models and explore the influence of parameters on landslide. Results showed that road networks significantly influenced the areas identified as high-risk zones. Specifically, in the 1-km buffer around roadways, CNN&#95;AM identified 10.42% of the area as 'Very High' susceptibility-more than double the 4.04% indicated by DNN. In the extended 2-km buffer zone around roadways, Bayesian CNN&#95;AM continued to flag a larger area as Very High risk (7.46%), in contrast to DNN's 3.07%. In performance metrics, CNN&#95;AM outshined DNN and regular CNN models, achieving near-perfect scores in Area Under the Curve (AUC), precision-recall, and overall accuracy. Sensitivity analysis highlighted 'Soil Texture', 'Geology', 'Distance to Road', and 'Slope' as crucial for landslide prediction. This research offers a robust, high-accuracy model that emphasises the role of road networks in landslide susceptibility, thereby providing valuable insights for planners and policymakers to proactively mitigate landslide risks in vulnerable zones near existing and future road infrastructure., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Management of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and cardiac arrhythmias in prehospital settings is largely determined by providers of emergency medical services (EMS) who can proficiently interpret the electrocardiography (ECG). The aim of this study was to assess the ECG competency of EMS providers in Saudi Arabia., Methods: Between Aug and Sep 2022, we invited all EMS providers working for the Saudi Red Crescent Authority in Makkah, Riyadh, and Sharqiyah regions to complete a cross-sectional survey. The survey was used to assess the ability of EMS providers to interpret 12 ECG strips. Characteristics and ECG competency were summarized using descriptive statistics. Differences in ECG competency across paramedics with lower and higher qualifications were assessed., Results: During the study period, 231 participants completed the survey, and all were included. The overall mean age was 33.4, and most participants were male (94.8%). Nearly half of the participants were paramedics with an associate degree and 46.4% were paramedics with higher degrees. The average rate of correct answers to the 12 ECG strips was 43.3% (95% CI: 35.4%, 51.3%). Atrial flutter, ventricular fibrillation, atrial fibrillation, 3rd degree heart block, and ventricular tachycardia were identified by 52.8%, 60.2%, 42.0%, 40.7%, and 49.4% of the participants, respectively. The strip with an AMI was identified by 41.1%, while a pathological Q wave and ventricular extrasystole were identified by 19.1% and 24.7%, respectively. Paramedics with higher qualifications were as 28.0%-61.0% more likely to correctly interpret the 12 ECG strips compared to those with an associate degree (p-value across all variables was ≤ 0.001)., Conclusion: While the majority of participants in our region were unable to correctly answer the 12 ECG questionnaire, paramedics with higher qualifications were. Our study indicates that there is a need for evidenced-based ECG curricula targeting different levels of EMS professionals., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Alalwan et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the association between nine social media platforms use and health-related behavior, including fruit and vegetable intake, physical activity, tobacco use, and risk factors including depression and obesity., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using secondary data from the Sharik Health Indicators Surveillance System (SHISS). Participants 18 years and older were recruited via phone-interviews. The nine social media platform use [Twitter-(X), Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, Snapchat, TikTok, Telegram, and YouTube] were assessed using self-reported use. Health-related variables include behavioral factors including diet, physical activity, and tobacco use including (cigarettes, waterpipes, and e-cigarettes), risk of depression and obesity. Logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the association between social media use and health-related variables., Results: The study indicated that daily Snapchat users had a lower healthy diet (fruit and vegetable intake), whereas daily LinkedIn and WhatsApp users were positively associated with a healthier diet, relative to those with infrequent social media use. Furthermore, daily interaction with Instagram, TikTok, Telegram, and YouTube was significantly associated with increased depression risk. Conversely, Snapchat and WhatsApp usage was significantly linked to a decreased depression risk. Tobacco-smoking behaviors were associated with specific social media platforms: cigarette smoking was associated with Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube; e-cigarette with Facebook, LinkedIn, Snapchat, and TikTok; and waterpipe smoking with Facebook and TikTok. Interestingly, some platforms, such as Instagram, were associated with reduced cigarette smoking. The relationship between social media activity and health-related outcomes remained significant after adjusting for age and gender., Conclusion: This study highlights the potential negative impact of particular daily social media use on health-related variables, including dietary habits, tobacco use, and depression. Nevertheless, particular daily social media use of some platforms was associated with a potential positive impact on the health-related variables. Social media platforms are tools that can be used to achieve both a positive and negative effect. By knowing which demographic segments have a greater presence on one platform, we are creating opportunities to understand the social phenomena and at the same time use it to reach those segments and communicate with them, because each social media platform has its unique way and framework of user communication., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 BinDhim, Althumiri, Al-Duraihem, Alasmary, Alkhamaali and Alhabeeb.)

Purpose: To identify the public level of knowledge about the common ophthalmological conditions in Saudi Arabia., Methods: We searched Medline, Embase, and CENTRAL for relevant literature. We included questionnaire-based cross-sectional studies performed in Saudi Arabia assessing the public awareness and attitude about general knowledge, causes/risk factors, signs/symptoms, disabilities/consequences, and relieving/management measures of the common ophthalmological conditions including glaucoma, cataract, and diabetic retinopathy (DR). The meta-analysis was performed on outcomes reported in ≥ 2 studies utilizing the random-effects model. Quality assessment was done using the Appraisal tool for Cross-Sectional Studies (AXIS) tool., Results: Twenty-eight studies were deemed eligible for inclusion in this review. A total of 72 questions were reported in ≥ 2 studies and were included in the meta-analysis. The total number of participants was 14,408. The meta-analysis estimated that 57.63% (95% confidence interval (CI) 56.87-60.07%), 69.90% (95% CI 67.02-76.07%), and 68.65% (95% CI 65.94-71.23%) of the Saudi public have you ever heard or read about glaucoma, cataract, and DR, respectively. Of the public surveyed in the included studies, 43.68% (95% CI 41.54-45.85%), 55.43% (95% CI 54.03-56.82%), and 63% (95% CI 60.8-65.1%) believed that glaucoma, cataract, and DR could be treated., Conclusion: This systematic review showed that the level of knowledge among the Saudi population about the common ophthalmological conditions was the highest with respect to cataract, followed by DR and glaucoma. The areas of unsatisfactory level of awareness about the common ophthalmological conditions included risk factors, signs/symptoms, complications, and management options. These areas need to be addressed appropriately by future educational interventions., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Ethnicity is known to have an impact on drug responses. This is particularly important for drugs that have a narrow therapeutic window, nonlinearity in pharmacokinetics and are metabolized by enzymes that demonstrate genetic polymorphisms. However, most clinical trials are conducted among Caucasians, which might limit the usefulness of the findings of such studies for other ethnicities. The representation of participants from Saudi Arabia in global clinical trials is low. Therefore, there is a paucity of evidence to assess the impact of ethnic variability in the Saudi population on drug response. In this article, the authors assess the projected impact of genetic polymorphisms in drug-metabolizing enzymes and drug targets on drug response in the Saudi population.

Background: There is a concerning lack of representative data on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) awareness in Saudi Arabia, and a significant proportion of the population is vulnerable to developing a smoking habit, which is a major risk factor for the disease., Methods: Population-Based Survey of 15,000 people was conducted to assess the public knowledge and awareness of COPD across Saudi Arabia from October 2022 to March 2023., Results: A total of 15002 responders completed the survey, with a completion rate of 82%. The majority 10314 (69%) were 18-30 year and 6112 (41%) had high school education. The most common comorbidities among the responders were depression (7.67%); hypertension (6%); diabetes (5.77%) and Chronic Lung Disease (4.12%). The most common symptoms were dyspnea (17.80%); chest tightness (14.09%) and sputum (11.19%). Among those who complains of any symptoms, only 16.44% had consulted their doctor. Around 14.16% were diagnosed with a respiratory disease and only 15.56% had performed pulmonary function test (PFT). The prevalence of smoking history was 15.16%, in which current smokers were 9.09%. About 48% of smokers used cigarette, 25% used waterpipe and around 27% were E-cigarette users. About 77% of the total sample have never heard about COPD. Majority of current smokers (73.5%; 1002), ex-smokers (68%; 619), and non-smokers (77.9%; 9911) are unaware of COPD, p value <0.001. Seventy five percent (1028) of the current smokers and 70% (633) of the ex-smokers have never performed PFT, p value <0.001. Male, younger age (18-30 years), higher education, family history of respiratory diseases, previous diagnosis of respiratory disease, previous PFT, and being an ex-smokers increases the odds of COPD awareness, p-value <0.05., Conclusion: There is a significantly low awareness about COPD in Saudi Arabia, especially among smokers. A nationwide approach must include targeted public awareness campaigns, continued healthcare professional education, community-based activities encouraging diagnosis and early detection, advice on smoking cessation and lifestyle changes, as well as coordinated national COPD screening programs., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Alqahtani et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Mental health disorders, such as major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), represent a significant public health concern in Saudi Arabia. This study aims to provide a recent mental health screening prevalence, including anxiety and depression screening in the general public and to explore the associated risk factors., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted, employing a phone interview survey with 6,015 participants, using a quota sampling strategy to ensure equal representation of both sexes and administrative regions. The study assessed the prevalence of MDD and GAD risk and examined demographic, socioeconomic, and lifestyle factors associated with these mental health disorders., Results: The national prevalence of people at risk of MDD and GAD were found to be 12.7 and 12.4%, respectively. Low diagnosis and treatment rates were observed, with only 1.5 and 0.5% of participants currently diagnosed and treated for depression and anxiety, respectively. Risk factors for MDD and GAD included female sex, lower education and income levels, smoking, and waterpipe use. Protective factors included physical activity, participation in volunteering activities and the practice of daily hobbies in the last 30 days., Conclusion: The relatively high prevalence of MDD and GAD risk and low diagnosis and treatment rates in Saudi Arabia emphasize the need for increased mental health promotion, early detection, and treatment accessibility. The study highlights the importance of addressing modifiable risk factors and fostering protective factors through targeted interventions. Future research should focus on longitudinal associations, potential mediators and moderators, and the development of culturally appropriate and evidence-based interventions to enhance mental health outcomes in the region., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Alhabeeb, Al-Duraihem, Alasmary, Alkhamaali, Althumiri and BinDhim.)

Background: Chikungunya is an arboviral infection caused by the Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) transmitted to humans by mosquitoes of Aedes spp. CHIKV has been confined to African countries and South-East Asia up to 2004, but since then, the pathogen has become more global, and its high morbidity rate has become more visible. Saudi Arabia is not an endemic region of CHIKV, and the virus's origin is not yet fully understood. This study aimed to characterize the genome of CHIKV from samples detected in Jeddah in 2018., Method: Twenty-two sets of primers were designed to amplify near-full length genome of CHIKV. RT-PCR was conducted from clinical samples. Two samples were used for studying near complete genome sequence while the remaining samples were used to study the E1 gene. Different bioinformatics tools were utilized., Results: Phylogenetic analysis showed that the CHIKV strains clustered with strains isolated from Kenya during 2017-2018 and belonged to ECSA genotype. E1: L136F, K211E and I317V mutations were identified in our strains. Also, E2: M74I, A76T, and V264A mutations were documented. Additionally, the capsid N79S substitution was also detected., Conclusion: The genome of CHIKV was analyzed for the first time in Saudi Arabia to better understand the origin of the CHIKV and its genetic diversity, which showed high similarity with IE-a subclade of CHIKV strains detected in Mombasa (Kenya) indicating its possible origin., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Device-associated infections (DAIs) are important components of healthcare associated infection and are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. This study describes DAIs across different intensive care units (ICUs) in a hospital in Saudi Arabia., Methods: The study was conducted between 2017 and 2020 and followed the definitions of National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) for DAIs. The calculated the rates of ventilator-associated events (VAE), catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) and central line-associated blood stream infections (CLABSI) followed NHSN definitions., Results: During the study period, there were 82 DAIs in adult ICUs and of these 16 (19.5%) were CLABSI, 26 (31.7%) were CAUTI and 40 (48.7%) were VAE. The overall rates for adult ICUs were 1.6, 1.9, 3.8 per 1000 device-days for CAUTI, CLABSI and VAE, respectively. The device-utilization ratio was 0.5, 0.6, and 0.48 for urinary catheters, central lines, and ventilators, respectively. VAE rates for medical and surgical ICU were about 2.8 times the rate in the coronary care unit and the rates were high in 2020 corresponding with the COVID-19 pandemic. Of the adult ICUS, medical ICU had a CLABSI rate of 2.13/1000 device-days and was about double the rate in surgical and cardiac ICU. For CAUTI, the rates per 1000 device-days were 2.19, 1.73, and 1.65 for medical, surgical, and coronary ICUs, respectively. The rate of CLABSI per 1000 device-days for pediatric and neonatal ICUs were 3.38 and 2.28, respectively., Conclusions: CAUTI was the most common infections among adult ICUs and medical ICU had higher rates than other adult ICUs. VAE rate was higher in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating increased device-use, change in patients characteristics as well as possible change in practices across the ICUs., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest All authors have no competing interest to declare., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background and Objectives : Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is involuntary urine leakage upon effort or physical exertion, sneezing, or coughing, and it is the most prevalent type of urinary incontinence (UI) in women. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of SUI and its risk factors among Saudi females. Materials and Methods : A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between March 2022 and July 2022, with a total of 842 respondents. We included Saudi females over the age of 20 years. Data were collected through an online questionnaire distributed to the target group and analyzed using SPSS software. Results : The prevalence of SUI was found to be 3.3% among Saudi women. Moreover, only 41.8% of the participants had at least one pregnancy; the majority had five or more pregnancies (29%). According to our findings, the majority of the participants diagnosed with SUI had the following risk factors: increased age, widowhood, a family history of SUI, and a history of pregnancy. The results revealed that the odds of SUI increased among Saudi females with a family history of SUI by 19.68-fold compared with those who had no family history of SUI, and this was statistically significant ( p < 0.001). Conclusion : The prevalence of SUI among Saudi females was found to be relatively low. The above-listed associated factors should be considered in future research and interventions.

Ixodid ticks are hematophagous obligatory ectoparasites that occur worldwide and transmit pathogens to humans and other vertebrates, causing economic livestock losses. The Arabian camel (Camelus dromedarius Linnaeus, 1758) is an important livestock animal in Saudi Arabia that is vulnerable to parasitism by ticks. The diversity and intensity of ticks on Arabian camels in certain localities in the Medina and Qassim regions of Saudi Arabia were determined. One hundred forty camels were examined for ticks, and 106 were infested (98 females, 8 males). A total of 452 ixodid ticks (267 males, 185 females) were collected from the infested Arabian camels. The tick infestation prevalence was 83.1% and 36.4% in female and male camels, respectively (female camels harbored significantly more ticks than did male camels). The recorded tick species were Hyalomma dromedarii Koch, 1844 (84.5%); Hyalomma truncatum Koch, 1844 (11.1%); Hyalomma impeltatum Schulze and Schlottke, 1929 (4.2%); and Hyalomma scupense Schulze, 1919 (0.22%). Hyalomma dromedarii was the predominant tick species in most regions, with a mean intensity of 2.15 ± 0.29 ticks/camel (2.5 ± 0.53 male ticks/camel, 1.8 ± 0.21 female ticks/camel). The proportion of male ticks was higher than that of female ticks (59.1 vs. 40.9%). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first survey of ixodid ticks on Arabian camels in Medina and Qassim, Saudi Arabia.

Urbanisation can cause a variety of environmental and health issues, which has prompted experts to evaluate degraded areas and develop management strategies aimed at promoting urban sustainability and reducing carbon emissions. In low-carbon cities, sustainable urban areas have low carbon emission and prioritised carbon reduction by implementing sustainable transportation, green infrastructure, and energy-efficient buildings. On the other hand, unsustainable urban areas tend to lack these priorities and rely heavily on non-renewable energy sources and have high carbon emission. Therefore, this study aims to identify the most sustainable and unsustainable regions in the Abha-Khamis Mushayet Twin City region of Saudi Arabia in respect to urbanisation and carbon emission during the period between 1990 and 2020. To do so, we used Landsat datasets to create land use land cover (LULC) maps and then calculated carbon storage, emission, and absorption using InVest software. Additionally, the study examined micro-climatic conditions by calculating the urban heat island (UHI) effect, which allowed determining sustainable and unsustainable regions by comparing the UHI model and carbon similarity and mismatch model using coupling coordination degree model (CCDM). The study found that during the last three decades, the LULC pattern of the region underwent significant alterations, resulting in a substantial decline in carbon storage from 710,425 Mg C/hm 2 in 1990 to approximately 527,012.9 Mg C/hm 2 in 2020. Conversely, carbon emissions were observed to be very high in areas with high built-up density, with emission levels exceeding 20 tons per annum. Whilst the areas of excess carbon have decreased significantly, the areas of excess carbon emission have increased over time, resulting in the UHI effect due to high greenhouse gases. By comparing the UHI and carbon similarity and mismatch model, the researchers found that over 280 km 2 of the study area is unsustainable and has increased since 1990. In contrast, only about 410 km 2 of the study area is currently sustainable. To promote sustainability, the study recommends several strategies such as carbon capture, utilisation, and storage; green infrastructure; and the use of renewable energy to manage carbon emissions., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: The clinical learning environment is a fundamental component of healthcare education. In this setting, students can develop the skills and knowledge necessary to become competent and efficient healthcare practitioners. Due to the importance of clinically based education, it is crucial to have a valid and reliable tool to enable its evaluation., Objective: The aim of this study was to use the Clinical Learning Environment Inventory (CLEI) to examine the perceptions of Saudi undergraduate healthcare students regarding their actual and preferred clinical learning environment and explore the differences between the two viewpoints., Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was utilised with a cohort of Saudi undergraduate healthcare students. Data regarding perceptions of the 'actual' and 'preferred' clinical learning environments were gathered with the Clinical Learning Environment Inventory tool., Results: A total of 194 students participated and nine healthcare disciplines were represented. The highest mean score for both 'actual' and 'preferred' clinical learning environment was for the subscale Task Orientation. Significant differences between 'actual' and 'preferred' environments were demonstrated for Innovation and Individualization, with both subscales scoring higher for the 'preferred' environment. All five subscales-Individualization, Innovation, Involvement, Personalization, and Task Orientation-appear to be important aspects contributing to student satisfaction with their clinical learning environment., Conclusion: Saudi healthcare students demonstrate a preference for a clinical learning environment with the utilization of new and interesting experiences, as well as recognition and accommodation of student individuality. Additionally, student satisfaction appears to be multifactorial in origin. Therefore, there may be many avenues available to enhance the clinical experiences of healthcare students, which is vitally important for the optimization of clinical learning opportunities., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflict of interest to declare., (© 2023 Talal AlShammari, Saeed Alqahtani, Mohammed Al Jumaan, Rana Alameri, Cameron Gosling, Bronwyn Beovich, Brett Williams, Samer Al Haliq, Mohamed Kandil.)

Background: COVID-19 causes moderate to severe illness and is spreading globally. During a pandemic, vitamins and minerals are vital to health. Therefore, the prevalence and epidemiology of supplement use in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic must be known., Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Saudi Arabia using an online survey. The study was conducted from June to March 2022 on both adults and children. The link to the survey was shared on social media platforms. The survey included questions on participants' demographics, vaccination status, supplements they used, and side effects of supplements. Participation in this study was optional, and there was no obligation to participate. There was a declaration about the aim of the study and different objectives before starting the survey., Results: The present study reported that most of the participants reported that they used vitamin C (64.6 %), zinc (51.9 %), multivitamins (46.1 %), black seeds (26.7 %), garlic (Allium sativum) (15.4 %), omega-3 (22.1 %), vitamin D (22.2 %), echinacea (10.1 %), manuka honey (26.0 %), curcumin (13.6 %), ginger (22.5 %), royal jelly (12.9 %), and propolis (7.5 %) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic period. These supplements were used more frequently by subjects during the pandemic than before., Discussion and Conclusion: The respondents' risk of these supplements' use may partially reflect the public's behavioral response during a pandemic. Future studies can document the health beliefs and motivations of nutritional supplement users., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background and Objectives: The prevalence of disordered eating behaviors (DEBs) in type 1 diabetes (T1D) has been studied globally; however, data from Saudi Arabia and Arab-speaking countries are scarce. This study aimed to measure the prevalence of DEBs and associated clinical characteristics in adolescents and young adults with T1D, and the impact of DEBs on glycemic parameters. Materials and Methods: A total of 265 adolescents and young adults with T1D (aged 12-25 years) were recruited randomly from the registry at the Jazan Endocrinology and Diabetes Center, Saudi Arabia. Participants completed the Diabetes Eating Problem Survey-Revised (DEPS-R) questionnaire. Other measures included hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in addition to sociodemographic, anthropometric, and clinical data. Results: The prevalence of DEBs among T1D was 27.2%. Females (32.5%) had a higher proportion of DEBs than males (18.6%) ( p = 0.01). About 27% of the participants reported insulin restriction. A history of hospital admission in the previous 6 months due to DKA and frequent hypoglycemia was more frequently reported in T1D participants with DEBs compared to those without ( p = 0.03). Participants with DEBs had higher HbA1c and higher BMI compared to those without DEBs. Conclusions: Adolescents and young adults with T1D with disordered eating and insulin restriction have higher glycated hemoglobin, and are at higher risk of DKA. Routine screening for DEBs should be an essential element in diabetes care, especially among highly vulnerable groups.

Saudi Arabia is a country with high prevalence of diabetes, uncontrolled diabetes, and diabetes-related complications. Poor glycemic control is multifactorial and could be explained in part by physician and patient reluctance toward insulin or insulin inertia. This study aimed to address physician barriers toward insulin therapy in primary care settings. It included 288 physicians from 168 primary healthcare centers (PHC) in the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia. Participants responded to questionnaire investigating physicians' attitude and barriers to insulin initiation and intensification in PHCs. In physician opinion, the most common barriers among their patients were fear of injection, lack of patient education, fear of hypoglycemia, and difficult administration. Physicians were reluctant to initiate insulin for T2D patients mostly due to patient non-adherence to blood sugar measurement, non-adherence to appointment or treatment, elderly patients, or due to patient refusal. Physicians' fear of hypoglycemia, lack of staff for patient education, and lack of updated knowledge were the primary clinician-related barriers. Exaggerated fears of insulin side effects, patient non-adherence, limited staff for patient's education, patient refusal, and inadequate consultation time were the main barriers to insulin acceptance and prescription.

Aim: To explore factors associated with frequency of performing pressure injury prevention measures among a sample of intensive care units' nurses., Background: Pressure injuries may be unavoidable in specific circumstances; however, most pressure injuries may be considered preventable. Nursing actions at the point of care play a significant role in shaping pressure injury prevention., Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive correlational design was used. Using convenience sampling method, 162 intensive care units' nurses were recruited from three hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The participants completed a survey that included Nurses' Practice of Pressure Ulcer Prevention Questionnaire, Pressure Ulcer Knowledge Assessment Tool, Attitude toward Pressure Ulcer Prevention, Pressure Ulcer Prevention Barriers instrument, and Intention to Use Pressure Injury Preventive Measures instrument. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics., Results: Nurses lack of knowledge about pressure injury preventions. However, they possessed positive attitudes toward pressure injury preventions. Nurses faced some barriers to prevent pressure injuries. Most nurses agreed that there was social pressure to prevent pressure injury. They had an intention to use preventive measures to prevent pressure injury. Nurses performed pressure injury prevention frequently. The bivariate and multivariate analyses showed only barriers to prevent pressure injury were negatively associated with frequency of performing pressure injury prevention., Conclusions: Several factors that may influence ICU nurses' behavior to perform PIPs have been identified. The participants reflected positive attitude, positive social pressure, and intention to perform PIPs. Nevertheless, they need to improve their knowledge of PIPs and reduce the barriers prevented them from performing PIPs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Immunization has been one of the most successful public health measures ever undertaken. However, a degree of hesitancy about vaccine use still exists. Healthcare professionals are in a unique position to provide advice and education to the public and may influence the decision to undergo immunization., Objective: The aim of this study was to explore perceptions and beliefs regarding immunizations and immunization-preventable diseases., Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was undertaken at the Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University, located in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a survey of 564 Saudi undergraduate healthcare students was conducted. 77.8% of participants replied (439). Information was collected regarding perceptions of; severity of immunization-preventable diseases, contracting these diseases, immunization safety, and immunization beliefs. The statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (IBM SPSS v25). Non-parametric analyses were utilized. Descriptive data were generated as appropriate, including frequencies, median, and inter-quartile range. Statistical relationships of demographic variables were explored using Kruskal Wallis H-Test and Spearman's Rank-Order Correlation. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant., Results: Meningitis was perceived as the most severe disease and COVID-19 as having the highest likelihood of infection. Concern regarding vaccine side effects was most evident for the COVID-19 vaccine. Student year level and profession resulted in statistically significant differences for all three assessed perceptions. Substantial differences were also identified regarding views on immunization belief statements., Conclusion: This study identified considerable heterogeneity in Saudi healthcare students' perceptions and beliefs regarding immunization-preventable diseases and vaccination. Further education is required to produce well-informed and confident healthcare professionals around these issues., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflict of interest to declare., (© 2022 Talal Alshammari, Saeed Alqahtani, Mohammed Al Jumaan, Rana Alameri, Abdulaziz Al Ghaseb, Bronwyn Beovich, Samer Al Haliq, Brett Williams.)

This study aimed to determine the pattern of alcohol consumption and its poisoning among the Saudi population in the city of Hail, KSA. Data from a retrospective cohort were collected qualitatively at King Khalid Hospital (KKH) and Hail General Hospital (HGH), covering 550 participants from 2015 to 2022. Two groups were formed comprising patients admitted to the emergency room (ER) and community members; their ages ranged from 19 to 75 years. Group 1 contained 400 participants, of which 250 were patients (244 males, six females) who came to the (ER) with a suspected alcohol overdose or poisoning, and 150 were patients (128 males and 22 females) who were discharged from the (ER) with minimal complaints because of their drinking. Group 2 comprised 150 participants (128 males, 22 females) who were community members, who were surveyed using a questionnaire or interview. In Group 1, 30% of patients reported an altered state of consciousness as a major complaint, 28.8% of patients exhibited abnormal liver function tests (LFTs), 27% had abnormal renal function tests (RFT) with decreased glomerular filtration rates (GFR) and elevated levels of urea and creatinine or low levels of electrolytes or calcium, and 35.6% patients showed elevated levels of pancreatic enzymes. One death was reported due to high alcohol consumption. In Group 2, the community participants reported that they started drinking alcohol due to the influence of other people (29%), stress (11%), depression (10.8%), curiosity (4.4%), and boredom (4%). In addition, 77% of participants were frequent alcohol drinkers and 20% consumed it daily. Further, 68.7% claimed to drink alcohol for more than one hour at a time, while 83.3% experienced blackouts and 70% had problems related to their liver. Moreover, 72.7% of the participants ended up in the hospital and 34.6% suffered from multiple chronic diseases. It is concluded that social influences and stress contributed to the initiation of alcohol use. Despite data gaps, the findings of this study provide a practical understanding of alcohol consumption among the Saudi population and guidance for policymakers.

Introduction: In Saudi Arabia, the epidemiology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is not well studied and is marked by inconsistencies in clinical diagnosis. Therefore, in this study, we explored the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and diagnostic validity of a prediction score based upon disease markers in orthropedic clinics' patients in the Madinah region of Saudi Arabia., Method: The clinical data for this retrospective cross-sectional study were retrieved from the database registry of orthopedic clinics in selected hospitals of the Medinah province of Saudi Arabia. Sociodemographic features, disease markers and the clinical characteristics were collected for a period of 6 months, from December 1, 2020, to May 31, 2021. The prediction score was generated from the sum of disease markers, coded as dichotomous variables., Results: The total sample size of our study was 401. The prevalence of RA in the study subjects ( n = 401) was 14.46% ( n = 58). Among RA patients, the majority were females (60.3%). Painful joints (69%) and swollen joints (51.7%) were the most common clinical complaints among RA patients. RA patients suffered from arthritis (51.7%) and experienced fatigue (46.6%), weight loss (44.8%), and loss of appetite (41.4%). Diabetes (55.2%) was the most common comorbidity in the RA patients. The sensitivity and specificity of the prediction score at the criterion score of 2.5 were 67.3% and 63.0%, respectively. The area under the curve was 0.69 (95% CI [0.62-0.76])., Conclusion: There was a moderately high prevalence of RA in patients visiting the orthropedic clinics of the selected hospitals of Madinah region of Saudi Arabia. The diagnostic validity of the prediction score, though promising, was slightly lower than the acceptable range., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2022 Mir et al.)

Background: Real-world evidence on factor Xa inhibitor (rivaroxaban) prescribing patterns, safety, and efficacy in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) and venous thromboembolism (VTE) is rare. Herein, we sought to examine the above outcomes in the largest academic center in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)., Methods: This is a retrospective observational study designed to examine the prescribing pattern, safety and real-world effectiveness of the factor Xa inhibitor rivaroxaban in patients with NVAF and VTE. Data on rivaroxaban prescriptions were collected and analyzed. Bleeding outcomes were defined as per the International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis (ISTH) definition., Results: A total of 2,316 patients taking rivaroxaban recruited through several departments of King Saud University Medical City (KSUMC). The mean age was 61 years (±17.8) with 55% above the age of 60 and 58% were females. Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism (VTE) was the most prevalent reason for prescribing rivaroxaban, followed by NVAF. A total daily dosage of 15 mg was given to 23% of the patients. The incidence rate of recurrent thrombosis and recurrent stroke was 0.2%. Furthermore, rivaroxaban had a 0.04 percent incidence rate of myocardial infarction. Half of the patients with recurrent thrombosis and stroke were taking 15 mg per day. The incidence rate of major bleeding was 1.1%. More over half of the patients who experienced significant bleeding were taking rivaroxaban at a dosage of 20 mg per day. According to the HAS-BLED Score (>2 score), 48 percent of patients who experienced significant bleeding had a high risk of bleeding. Non-major bleeding occurred in 0.6% of cases. Similarly, 40% of patients with non-major bleeding were taking rivaroxaban at a dosage of 20 mg per day. According to the HAS-BLED Score, just 6.6% of these individuals had a high risk of bleeding. 93.4% of the patients, on the other hand, were at intermediate risk., Conclusion: The prescription of rivaroxaban in this real-life cohort study differs from the prescribing label and the outcomes of a phase 3 randomised clinical trial. However, for individuals with VTE and NVAF, the 20 mg dose looked to be more efficacious than the pivotal trial outcomes. Furthermore, among patients with VTE and NVAF, rivaroxaban was linked to a decreased incidence of safety events such as recurrent thrombosis, recurrent stroke, MI, major bleeding, and non-major haemorrhage in a real-world environment., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2022 Alosaimi et al.)

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the biggest threats to global public health. Selection of resistant bacteria is driven by inappropriate use of antibiotics, amongst other factors. COVID-19 may have exacerbated AMR due to unnecessary antibiotic prescribing. Country-level knowledge is needed to understand options for action., Objectives: To review AMR in Saudi Arabia and initiatives addressing it. Identifying areas where more information is required will provide a call to action to minimize a further rise in AMR within Saudi Arabia and improve patient outcomes., Methods: National AMR initiatives, antibiotic use and prescribing, and availability of susceptibility data, particularly for the key community-acquired respiratory tract infection (CA-RTI) pathogens Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae, were identified. National and international antibiotic prescribing guidelines commonly used locally for specific CA-RTIs (community-acquired pneumonia, acute otitis media and acute bacterial rhinosinusitis) were also reviewed, plus local antibiotic availability. Insights from a clinician in Saudi Arabia were sought to contextualize this information., Conclusions: Various initiatives are underway in Saudi Arabia, including a National Action Plan for AMR, which was published in 2017. However, AMR is rising and knowledge about appropriate antibiotic use seems to be lacking among physicians and the general public. Various international guidelines are utilized by clinicians in Saudi Arabia, but a more standardized inclusive approach in developing local guidelines, using up-to-date surveillance data of isolates from community-acquired infections in Saudi Arabia could make management guideline use more locally relevant for clinicians. This would pave the way for a higher level of appropriate antibiotic prescribing and improved adherence. This would, in turn, potentially limit AMR development and improve patient outcomes., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.)

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disorder which mainly affects small joints, occurs most commonly in middle-aged adults, and can be fatal in severe cases. The exact etiology of RA remains unknown. However, uncontrolled expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines can contribute to the pathogenesis of RA., Aim: In the current study, we assessed the potential of serum concentrations of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, IL-8, and C-C motif chemokine ligand (CCL)5 as early predictive markers for RA., Methods: In addition to clinical examination, blood samples were collected from 100 Saudi patients recently diagnosed with early RA for basic and serological tests, including rheumatoid factor (RF), C-reactive protein (CRP), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Sera of 32 healthy individuals were used as controls. Specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to quantify the serum IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-8, and CCL5 levels in the samples., Results: Our results indicated that RF, CRP, and ESR levels were higher in RA patients compared to controls. Furthermore, serum levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and CCL5, but not TNF-α, significantly increased in RA patients compared to controls., Conclusion: Overall, the findings suggested that IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and CCL5 can be used as biomarkers in the early diagnosis of RA., (© 2022 Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

In this applied research work, the risk of rock instability in the Aqabat Al-Sulbat road section located in the north-west area of Aseer Province in Saudi Arabia was evaluated, and the primary natural trigger factors of rock slope instability on further environmental components (rock slope stability, road network, and urban areas) were estimated using satellite images (Landsat8), digital terrain models, and geoprocessing in geographical information systems software (classification, overlapping algorithms and production thematic mapping in Arctoolbox). Additionally, field geotechnical investigations testing and over-coring drilling sampling allowed the characterization of the section of road in terms of geological structure and environmental components (geology, morphology, road network, lineaments, and hydrology). As a result, rock slope instability vulnerability mapping was simulated using satellite imagery and geographical information systems (GIS) and ranking natural trigger factors using the combined fuzzy Delphi analytical hierarchic process with the technique for order performance by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) as multiple-criteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques. Additionally, many rock layer discontinuity stations were implemented to evaluate rock slope instabilities, and these were visualized using the Dips program and combined with modeling using 3DEC software to predict rock slope failure based on the distinct element method (DEM) at a small scale. Thereafter, safety factors were computed depending on these previous geospatial data. Finally, vulnerability index mapping was combined with rock instability risk mapping for the Aqabat Al-Sulbat road. Within the framework of sustainable development, these results can be used to inform the urban planning of the municipality of Aseer Province., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is crucial in keeping nurses aware of the current knowledge and improving clinical decision-making. The integration of nurses’ EBP competencies and organizational support has been suggested to create an effective arena in implementing EBP. The purpose of the study was to examine organizational factors influencing nurses’ EBP knowledge, attitudes, and implementation and identify staff nurses’ perceptions of EBP nursing leadership and hospital supports in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected from a convenience sample of staff nurses (N = 227) working in four hospitals using a cross-sectional, correlational descriptive design. Level of education (p < 0.05), EBP training (p < 0.05), unit type (ICU (p < 0.001) and ER (p < 0.01)), perceived nursing leadership (p < 0.001), and work environment (p < 0.05) supports were found significantly associated with nurses’ knowledge. Magnet recognition (p < 0.01) and knowledge (p < 0.001) had significant influence on nurses’ attitudes. Unit type (ER) (p < 0.05), knowledge (p < 0.001), and attitudes (p < 0.001) were associated with implementation. Encouragement to attend EBP trainings from nursing leadership was perceived by most nurses (51.1%). Nurses reported their hospitals support EBP through training (68.2%). Findings support the need for healthcare systems to create a culture that facilitates EBP implementation to enhance nurses’ EBP competencies and improve patients’ outcomes. Nursing managers may consider preparing nurses through education.

This study was aimed at determining the prevalence estimate and association of transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs) with ABO and Rh blood groups among blood donors at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSH & RC) in the western region of Saudi Arabia. A retrospective study was conducted at the blood bank center of KFSH and RC from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2019. Data on ABO and Rh blood group testing, serological testing, molecular investigations, serological assays, nucleic acid testing (NATs), and socio-demographic information were gathered. During the study period, there were 959,431 blood donors at the KFSH and RC. The overall 7-year cumulative prevalence estimate of blood transfusion-transmitted infections among blood donors was low at 7.93%, with an average prevalence estimate of 0.66%. Donors with the O blood group, the O RhD +ve blood group, in particular, were more at risk of developing TTIs, whereas donors with the AB blood group, the AB RhD -ve blood group, in particular, were at the lowest risk of developing TTIs. In total, 96.9% of the blood donors were males ( n = 916,567). Almost half of the blood donors belong to the O blood group (49.4%). A total of 861,279 (91.0%) donors were found to be RhD positive. The percentages of TTIs were found to be higher in RhD +ve donors compared with RhD -ve donors. The prevalence estimate of the hemoglobin C (HbC) infection was the most common TTI among the blood donors being 3.97%, followed by malaria being 2.21%. The least prevalence estimate of TTI in the present study was for NAT HIV being 0.02%. Significant associations were observed between RhD +ve and RhD -ve among the malaria-infected donors (A: χ 2 = 26.618, p = 0.001; AB: χ 2 = 23.540, p = 0.001; B: χ 2 = 5.419, p = 0.020; O: χ 2 = 68.701, p = 0.001). The current 7-year retrospective study showed a low level of TTIs among blood donors. However, we urge that more research encompassing the entire country be conducted in order to obtain more representative results in terms of the prevalence estimate and association of transfusion-transmitted infections with ABO and Rh blood groups in communities.