Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) in Makkah, Saudi Arabia: A Population-Based Seroprevalence Study.

BACKGROUND: The Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a common cause of viral hepatitis worldwide. Little is known about the seroprevalence of HEV in the general population of Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional HEV seroprevalence study was conducted in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Anti-HEV IgG antibodies were detected in sera using an in-house ELISA. The frequency of HEV sageerology and its correlation with demographic, and environmental factors were evaluated. RESULTS: Enrollment consisted of 1329 individuals, ages ranged from 8 to 88 years, the mean age was 30.17 years, the median age was 28yrs, and the male: female ratio was 1.15. The overall seroprevalence was 23.8% (316/1329). Males had significantly higher seroprevalence than females (66.1 vs. 33.9%; p < 0.001). Seroprevalence had significant correlations with age, occupation, and lack of regular water supply and housing conditions. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first HEV community-based seroprevalence study from Saudi Arabia. Results show that the HEV is endemic in Makkah and affects all age groups and occupations. HEV affects more males than females and those living in crowded accommodations without a regular supply of water. Further studies are required across all regions of Saudi Arabia to determine the country's seroprevalence of active or past infection using tests for HEV IgG, HEV IgM antibodies and/or HEV RNA and underlying determinants of transmission.

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Binding and Neutralizing Antibodies in Healthcare Workers during the Epidemic Peak in Referral Hospitals and Quarantine Sites: Saudi Arabia.

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at high risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to the general population. Here, we aimed to evaluate and characterize the SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity rate in randomly collected samples among HCWs from the largest referral hospitals and quarantine sites during the peak of the COVID-19 epidemic in the city of Jeddah, the second largest city in Saudi Arabia, using a cross-sectional analytic study design. Out of 693 participants recruited from 29 June to 10 August 2020, 223 (32.2%, 95% CI: 28.8-35.8) were found to be confirmed seropositive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, and among those 197 (88.3%) had never been diagnosed with COVID-19. Seropositivity was not significantly associated with participants reporting COVID-19 compatible symptoms as most seropositive HCW participants 140 (62.8%) were asymptomatic. The large proportion of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 cases detected in our study demands periodic testing as a general hospital policy.

Burden of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection in Saudi Arabia.

MERS-coronavirus infection is currently responsible for considerable morbidity and mortality in Saudi Arabia. Understanding its burden, as an emerging infectious disease, is vital for devising appropriate control strategies. In this study, the burden of MERS-CoV was estimated over 31months period from June 6, 2012 to January 5, 2015. The total number of patients was 835; 528 (63.2%) patients were male, 771 (92.3%) patients were ≥25 years of age, and 210 (25.1%) patients were healthcare workers. A total of 751 (89.9%) patients required hospitalization. The median duration between onset of illness and hospitalization was 2 days (interquartile range, 0-5). The median length of hospital stay was 14 days (IQR, 6-27). The overall case fatality rate was 43.1%. Basic reproductive number was 0.9. Being Saudi, non-healthcare workers, and age ≥65 years were significantly associated with higher mortality. In conclusion, MERS-CoV infection caused a substantial health burden in Saudi Arabia.