Changes in seasonal respiratory viral infections among pediatric population around the COVID-19 pandemic; 2019-2023.

PURPOSE: This study aims to describe the prevalence and the fluctuations of respiratory viral infections among the pediatric population in a tertiary care center during 2019-2023, parallel with the COVID-19 pandemic, and the specific preventative measures applied in the region during this time. METHODS: In this observational study, we extracted all respiratory virus PCR tests collected from pediatric patients (< 15 years old) between January 2019 and March 2023. Data on the positivity rate and prevalence of 18 respiratory viruses were presented over the study period. RESULTS: The lowest rate for the studied respiratory viruses was observed in 2020/2021 (during the COVID-19 pandemic), followed by a gradual increase in positive cases in the 2021/2022 season. Timing (seasonality) was altered during 2022/2023 with an early circulation of respiratory viruses in May-June followed by an early start of the usual respiratory viruses' season in September, leading to prolonged respiratory virus activity. Most respiratory viruses were circulating at unprecedented levels during the 2022/2023 season, with rhinovirus/enterovirus being the most commonly detected virus in all seasons. Other viruses that had atypical activity after the COVID-19 pandemic were influenza A(H3) virus, adenovirus, and parainfluenza 3 virus. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates the extended influence of the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated community restriction measures on the timing and distribution of other respiratory viruses. Continuous monitoring of changes in the circulation of respiratory viruses is crucial for the success of related public health measures such as vaccination distributions and epidemic preparedness.

Epidemiology, clinical profiles, and antimicrobial susceptibility of Elizabethkingia meningoseptica infections: Insights from a tertiary care hospital in Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the incidence rate, clinical characteristics across different age groups, antimicrobial susceptibility, and outcomes of Elizabethkingia meningoseptica (E. meningoseptica) infections. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was carried out to include 66 cases with confirmed E. meningoseptica cultures from sterile samples between January 2014 and June 2022 at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. RESULTS: A total of 66 cases were identified, with an incidence rate of 0.3 per 1000 admissions. Most cases were hospital-acquired (80.3%), primarily in critical care areas. All patients had underlying diseases, with respiratory (40.9%) and cardiovascular (39.4%) diseases being the most common. Minocycline showed the highest susceptibility (96.0%), followed by trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (77.0%), whereas tobramycin and colistin were fully resistant. The in-hospital mortality rate was 34.8%, whereas the 28-day mortality rate was 22.7%. Clinical characteristics across age groups showed a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease in pediatrics than in adults, whereas exposure to mechanical ventilation, immunosuppressive therapy, previous infection, anemia, and in-hospital mortality were reported more frequently in adults (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Our study provides valuable insights into E. meningoseptica infection in Saudi Arabia, emphasizing the importance of robust infection control measures. Incidence and mortality rates align with global trends. Variations in clinical characteristics across age groups highlight the importance of tailored treatments based on patient demographics and underlying comorbidities.

Environmental tobacco smoke exposure and non-syndromic orofacial cleft: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is associated with several congenital anomalies, including non-syndromic orofacial clefts (NSOFCs). This systematic review aimed to update the literature on the association between ETS and NSOFCs. METHODS: Four databases were searched up to March 2022, and studies that evaluated the association between ETS and NSOFCs were selected. Two authors selected the studies, extracted the data, and evaluated the risk of bias. Comparing the association of maternal exposure to ETS and active parental smoking with NSOFCs allowed for the creation of pooled effect estimates for the included studies. RESULTS: Twenty-six studies were deemed eligible for this review, of which 14 were reported in a previous systematic review. Twenty five were case-control studies, and one was a cohort study. In total, these studies included 2142 NSOFC cases compared to 118129 controls. All meta-analyses showed an association between ETS and the risk of having a child with NSOFC, based on the cleft phenotype, risk of bias, and year of publication, with a pooled increased odds ratio of 1.80 (95% CI: 1.51-2.15). These studies had a marked heterogeneity, which decreased upon subgrouping based on the recent year of publication and the risk of bias. CONCLUSIONS: ETS exposure was associated with more than a 1.5-fold increase in the risk of having a child with NSOFC, showing a higher odds ratio than paternal and maternal active smoking. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study is registered on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews database # CRD42021272909.

The Clinical Burden of Rotavirus Gastroenteritis: A Prospective Study.

Background In Saudi Arabia, there is a lack of recently published, appropriately conducted epidemiological studies on rotavirus (RV) diarrhea, which emphasizes the need for up-to-date and comprehensive studies. Objective Our objective was to provide more recent data on the clinical and epidemiological characteristics as well as the economic burden of RV diarrhea among young children admitted to a tertiary care hospital in the city of Riyadh in the year prior to the initiation of the RV vaccine. Design We conducted a prospective observational study at a children's specialized hospital at King Fahad Medical City. We included children under five years of age who were hospitalized for gastroenteritis over a 12-month period from January 2012 to December 2012. Stool samples were collected on admission and tested for the presence of RV using an enzyme immunoassay. Results Of the 204 children included over the study period (mean age, 9.8 months ± 10.2; 124 males), 102 (50%) were RV-positive. Two-thirds (69.6%) were under one year old, and 38.2% were under six months of age. RV infections occurred throughout the year, with the highest proportion occurring during the spring and summer. RV-positive diarrhea was more severe than the RV-negative diarrhea as indicated by a significantly lower bicarbonate level (68.6% versus 31.3%, P-value < 0.0001), a higher frequency of severe dehydration (11.7% versus 3%, P-value = 0.015), and longer hospital stay (mean duration, 8.78 versus 6.56 days, P-value = 0.027). In addition, the financial burden of the RV-positive cases was greater than the RV-negative cases (median 1692 USD versus 1287 USD, P-value = 0.001). Conclusion Our study shows a high prevalence of RV infections among young children admitted to the hospital for acute gastroenteritis. Furthermore, RV infections are associated with severe diarrhea and significant financial burden.