The Spectrum of Bacille Calmette-Guérin Diseases in Children-A Decade of Data from Neonatal Vaccination Settings.

In this paper, we present a multicentre record-based descriptive study used to estimate the incidence and characterize the spectrum of confirmed bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine-related disease among children in Oman. This study included all children (age ≤ 14 years) who had culture and/or polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-confirmed BCG disease from January 2006 to December 2018, as identified from Central Public Health Laboratory data and International Classification of Diseases coding of an electronic patient information system. In total, 88 children confirmed to have BCG disease were included in the study, making an average incidence of 9.2 cases per 100,000 vaccinated neonates. The males comprised 65.9%, Omanis 93.2%, and the median age of presentation was 4 months in children with BCG disease. The most common type of disease was BCG abscesses (72.4%). Children with immunodeficiency and those presenting within 6 months were found to have a more severe and disseminated disease. In total, 28 children had immunodeficiency. The age of presentation and type of BCG disease was significantly associated with immunodeficiency status. The majority of cases required therapy (both medical and surgical) and recovered well. The incidence of laboratory-confirmed BCG vaccine-related disease was low in Oman supporting continuing the use of the BCG vaccination practice at birth.

Bloodstream Bacterial Pathogens and their Antibiotic Resistance Pattern in Dhahira Region, Oman.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the epidemiological, clinical, microbiological characteristics and antimicrobial resistance pattern of Bloodstream infections in Dhahira region, Oman. METHODS: Clinical data was collected from all patients with positive blood cultures for two years period. Standard laboratory methods were used for blood culture. Antibiotic sensitivity was tested using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. RESULTS: Of the 360 bacterial pathogens isolated from 348 patients, 57.8% were gram-positive and 42.2% were gram-negative. The common isolates were: Streptococcus species 76 (21.1%), coagulase-negative Staphylococci 75 (20.8%), Escherichia coli 43 (11.9%), Staphylococcus aureus 41 (11.4%). Overall, mortality was 21.3% (74/348). Staphylococcus species (Staphylococcus aureus and CoNS) were more commonly resistant to Trimethoprim/ Sulphamethoxazole (35.3%) and Penicillin (25.9%). Streptococcus species were resistant to Trimethoprim/Sulphamethoxazole (39.1%) and Erythromycin (19.6%). CONCLUSION: Bloodstream infections are important causes of morbidity and mortality in our patients, especially among chronically ill elderly adult males. Prescription of proven resistant antibiotics to suspected bacteremic patients needs attention in Dhahira region.