Effectiveness of nanosilver fluoride and silver diamine fluoride in arresting early childhood caries: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: One of the most prevalent health problems affecting children worldwide is untreated caries in primary teeth. Agents to arrest caries are used to manage untreated decay in children in disadvantaged communities. Nano Silver Fluoride (NSF) overcomes the staining problems of Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF). This study compared the clinical cariostatic effect of NSF to 38% SDF for arresting caries lesions. METHODS: The study included 360 children younger than 4 years, with at least one active lesion, ICDAS score ≥ 3, recruited from nurseries in a rural area in Alexandria, Egypt, in 2022. They were randomly assigned to receive a single application of NSF at baseline, or two applications of SDF at baseline and after 6 months. The arrest of active carious lesions was assessed after 6 and 12 months using ICDAS criteria, and parents' satisfaction with child appearance was also assessed. Chi-Square test was used to compare the groups and multi-level multiple logistic regression was used to assess the effect of the intervention on caries arrest at lesion level and binary logistic regression was used to assess the effect at patient level. RESULTS: 1853 active lesions were included in children whose mean (SD) age was 42.3 (8.2) months. The arrest rate was significantly higher in the NSF than the SDF group at lesion level (78.4% and 65.0% at 6 months and 71.3% and 56.3% at 12 months, p < 0.001). In regression analysis, NSF had significantly higher odds of caries arrest than SDF at lesion level (at 6 months, AOR = 2.57, 95% CI: 1.55, 4.26 and at 12 month, AOR = 3.27, 95% CI: 1.89, 5.67). Parents of children receiving NSF had significantly greater satisfaction with their children's dental appearance than those receiving SDF: (97.2% and 76.1%, respectively, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: NSF demonstrated greater effectiveness in arresting caries in preschool children without inducing black staining of teeth and with greater parental satisfaction than SDF. NSF can be an alternative to SDF in arresting caries especially in underprivileged communities. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered in the clinicaltrials.gov registry (#NCT05255913)-16/02/2022.

Effect of silver diamine fluoride and nano silver fluoride on oral health-related quality of life of children with early childhood caries: A randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: Untreated caries in primary teeth is one of the most prevalent health problems in children worldwide. Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) non-invasively arrests caries but causes staining unlike Nano Silver Fluoride (NSF) which causes no stains. This study compared the effect of NSF and 38 % SDF on the oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) of preschool children after 6 months. METHODS: Children were included if they were younger than 4 years, with at least one active lesion, ICDAS score ≥3, attending nurseries in a rural area in Alexandria, Egypt. They were randomly assigned to receive NSF once at baseline, or SDF at baseline and after 6 months. The Arabic version of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (A-ECOHIS) was used to assess the OHRQoL. The groups were compared using chi-square test and the effect of the intervention on OHRQoL was assessed using multiple linear regression. RESULTS: 360 children were included, mean (SD) age = 42.3 (8.2) months. After 6 months, NSF had significantly lower A-ECOHIS scores than SDF in bivariate analysis (p< 0.05) and in regression analysis (B= -5.02, p = 0.001) after adjusting for confounders. There were significant reductions in the A-ECOHIS total and domains' scores in both study groups, except for the social interaction domain in the SDF group. CONCLUSION: After 6-month, both agents significantly improved children's OHRQoL although NSF had a significantly better impact on OHRQoL than SDF. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Patient-reported outcomes support the inclusion of the two agents among the options for ECC management with better effect on quality of life after NSF. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered in the clinicaltrials.gov registry (#NCT05255913).

The effect of nano silver fluoride, self-assembling peptide and sodium fluoride varnish on salivary cariogenic bacteria: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the antibacterial effect of Nanosilver Fluoride varnish (NSF) varnish, P11-4 and Sodium Fluoride (NaF) varnish against salivary Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) and Lactobacilli. METHODS: 66 patients aged 10-24 years old were randomly assigned to receive single application of NSF, P11-4 or NaF varnish. Baseline unstimulated saliva samples were collected before the agents were applied and S.mutans and Lactobacilli colony forming units (CFU) were counted. After one, three and six months, microbiological samples were re-assessed. Groups were compared at each time point and changes across time were assessed. Multivariable linear regression compared the effect of P11-4 and NSF to NaF on salivary S. mutans and Lactobacilli log count at various follow up periods. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in salivary S. mutans log count after 1 month between P11-4 (B= -1.29, p = 0.049) and NaF but not at other time points nor between NSF and NaF at any time point. The significant reduction in bacterial counts lasted up to one month in all groups, to three months after using P11-4 and NaF and returned to baseline values after six months. CONCLUSION: In general, the antimicrobial effect of P11-4 and NSF on salivary S. mutans and Lactobacilli was not significantly different from NaF varnish. P11-4 induced greater reduction more quickly than the two other agents and NSF antibacterial effect was lost after one month. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: NSF varnish and P11-4 have antimicrobial activity that does not significantly differ from NaF by 3 months. P11-4 has the greatest antibacterial effect after one month with sustained effect till 3 months. The antibacterial effect of NSF lasts for one month. NaF remains effective till 3 months. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was prospectively registered on the clinicaltrials.gov registry with ID: NCT04929509 on 18/6/2021.

Erosive tooth wear and salivary parameters among competitive swimmers and non-swimmers in Egypt: a cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Competitive swimmers spend considerable time practicing their sport. Prolonged exposure to chlorinated water can alter salivary parameters and might compromise oral health. This study aimed to determine erosive tooth wear status and its related risk factors among competitive swimmers as compared to non-swimmers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study consisting of 180 athletes (90 competitive swimmers versus 90 competitive rowers "non-swimmers") was conducted. Participants were interviewed on the common erosion risk factors. The Basic Erosive Wear Examination system was used to assess the status of erosive tooth wear. Stimulated saliva sample was collected before and after a training session and pool pH was evaluated using pH strips for 7 days. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariable analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of dental erosion was significantly higher among competitive swimmers (60%) with higher BEWE scores compared to non-swimmers (25.6%). The salivary flow rate was reduced significantly after training sessions in both groups while salivary pH increased among swimmers. Evaluation of pool water revealed a continuous reduction in the pH level, reaching a very acidic pH level of 3.24. CONCLUSION: Erosive tooth wear is more prevalent among competitive swimmers. Years of practice and regular consumption of acidic drinks increase the odds of developing erosive lesions. A high incidence of erosive lesions may be attributed to a reduction in swimming pool pH level. Salivary parameters showed variations between groups after training sessions.

Wheat milling across history altered sugar bioaccessibility assessed using TIM-1 in vitro digestion model.

The differences in wheat flour characteristics caused by ancient (pestle and mortar), old (stone hand mill), and modern (roller and cyclone) milling techniques and their effect on in vitro starch digestibility of wheat porridge using the simulated TIM Gastrointestinal Model (TIM-1) were investigated. Ancient flour (AF) was the coarsest flour (∼70 % is >1000 µm), followed by old wholemeal flour (OWF) and old refined flour (ORF) with similar particle size distribution showing one prominent peak (at ∼1000 µm for OWF and ∼800 µm for ORF). Modern refined flour (MRF) had a monomodal distribution centered at a particle size of ∼100 µm, while modern wholemeal flour (MWF) particle size was distributed between 40 and 600 µm. MRF and MWF porridges had higher cumulative sugar bioaccessibility than OWF and AF porridges, with ORF porridge having an intermediate cumulative sugar bioaccessibility. Characterizing the cumulative sugar bioaccessibility profile with a shifted logistic model allows identifying that the maximum sugar bioaccessibility and rate of sugar release were significantly higher (p < 0.05) for MRF and MWF compared to OWF and AF porridges, while the induction times were shorter, demonstrating the importance of processing on modulating starch digestibility.

Characteristics and Mitigation Measures of Candida auris Infection: Descriptive Analysis from a Quaternary Care Hospital in Saudi Arabia, 2021-2022.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the characteristics of C. auris cases, and to describe the interventions applied for improving the diagnosis and controlling the transmission. METHOD: Medical records of C. auris cases reported between January 2021 until June 2022 at King Saud Medical City (KSMC), Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have been reviewed. We analyzed the demographic and clinical characteristics of the cases to illustrate the possible contributing factors with C. auris infection. A multidisciplinary committee has been formulated to investigate the potential source of the outbreak among clusters of cases in the intensive care units (ICU). A bundle of mitigation measures has been applied which was successful to contain the outbreak. RESULTS: During the study period, a total of 129 cases of C. auris were identified, their mean age is 47 ± 22.3 SD, and 72.1% are males. 57% of cases were colonized, all of them were identified through active screening. A number of comorbidities were present including 27.9% were having hypertension, 27.1% with diabetes, 22.5% with COVID-19 and 20.2% with respiratory diseases. The average length of stay before reported positive was 36.23 days. 78.3% of those patients were in the critical care unit, 73.6% with vascular catheter, 88% with urinary catheters and 66.7% with mechanical ventilation. The vast majority of patients were using multiple antibiotics (86%). As per the univariate logistic model, risk factors significantly associated with mortality were (Age, Trauma RTA, ICU, Vascular Access, Foley Catheters, Mechanical Ventilation, Tracheostomy and Endotracheal Tubes) with p values (0.0038, 0.0159, 0.0108, 0.0122, 0.0071, <.0001, 0.0148 and 0.0107), respectively. Multivariate logistic regression showed that having a Foley Catheter was the only statistically significant factor associated with mortality. CONCLUSION: This retrospective analysis  highlights the main characteristics associated with C. auris-infected patients. In addition, it highlights the effectiveness of the bundle of mitigation strategies applied to limit the spread of C. auris in healthcare facilities.

Effectiveness of silver diamine fluoride versus sodium fluoride varnish combined with mother's motivational interviewing for arresting early childhood caries: a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) has gained attention as one of the minimally invasive modalities to manage ECC although it causes black staining of treated carious lesions. A possible affordable alternative may be Sodium Fluoride (NaF) varnish combined with good oral hygiene promoted by parental Motivational Interviewing (MI). The study compared the effectiveness of 38% SDF solution and 5% NaF varnish supported by parental MI in arresting ECC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Children aged ≤ 4 years old with at least one active carious lesion (ICDAS score ≥ 3) were randomly assigned to treatment by a single application of 38% SDF solution or a single application of 5% NaF varnish supported by two MI sessions for mothers at baseline and after three months. Chi-Squared test was used to compare groups and multilevel logistic regression analysis was used to assess the effect of the interventions on ECC arrest adjusting for confounders. The interaction between the type of intervention and baseline lesion severity, moderate (ICDAS 3/4) or advanced (ICDAS 5/6), was also assessed. RESULTS: The study included 165 children with 949 active lesions. After 6 months, there were no significant differences between SDF and NaF/MI groups in overall caries arrest (63.7% and 58.1%, p = 0.08), and in moderate lesions (72.9% and 69.6%, p = 0.52). However, in advanced lesions, the arrest rate was significantly higher in the SDF than the NaF/ MI group (60.3% and 50.0%, P = 0.01). Multilevel multiple logistic regression showed no significant differences between the interventions (AOR = 1.56, P = 0.27) with significant interaction between the intervention and baseline lesion severity (p < 0.001). Moderate lesions treated with SDF (AOR = 3.69, P = 0.008) or NaF/MI (AOR = 3.32, P < 0.001) had significantly higher odds of arrest than advanced lesions treated with NaF/ MI with no difference between advanced lesions treated with SDF or NaF/ MI (AOR = 1.85, P = 0.155) in arrest rate. CONCLUSION: NaF/ MI can be an alternative to SDF in arresting advanced and moderate ECC lesions without staining with stronger effect on moderate lesions (ICDAS 3/4). TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was retrospectively registered at clinicaltrial.gov registry (#NCT05761041) on 9/3/2023.

Self-assembling peptide and nano-silver fluoride in remineralizing early enamel carious lesions: randomized controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Nanoparticles and regenerative biomineralization are new caries prevention technologies. This study assessed the remineralizing effect of self-assembling peptide (P11-4), Nanosilver Fluoride (NSF) and sodium fluoride (NaF) on white spot lesions (WSLs) in permanent teeth. METHODS: Sixty six young adults with WSLs on buccal surfaces in permanent teeth and ICDAS code 1 or 2, were randomly assigned to one of three groups; P11-4, NSF or NaF. Assessment of ICDAS scores, lesion activity (Nyvad scores) and diagnodent readings of lesions were done at baseline and after 1, 3, 6 and 12 months of agents' application. Comparisons between groups were made using chi squared test and comparison within groups were made using McNemar test. Multilevel binary logistic regression was used to assess the effect of agents on change of ICDAS scores after 3, 6 and 12 months (reduction versus no reduction). RESULTS: There were 147 teeth in 66 patients; mean ± SD age = 13.46 ± 4.31 years. There were significant differences in the change of ICDAS scores among the three groups after 3 and 6 months (p = 0.005). The reduction in ICDAS score increased steadily in all groups across time with the greatest increase in the P11-4 group: 54.5% after 12 months. Lesion activity (Nyvad scores) showed significant differences among the three groups with the greatest percentage of inactive cases in the P11-4 group. Multilevel binary logistic regression showed non-significant reduction of ICDAS in P11-4 and NSF varnishes compared to NaF varnish (AOR = 2.56, 95% CI: 0.58, 8.77 and AOR = 2.12, 95% CI: 0.59, 7.64 respectively). CONCLUSION: P11-4 and NSF varnish reduced the ICDAS scores, caries activity and diagnodent readings of WSLs in permanent teeth. However, the change in ICDAS scores was not significantly different from NaF. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was prospectively registered on the clinicaltrials.gov registry with ID: NCT04929509 on 18/6/2021.

The digestive fate of beef versus plant-based burgers from bolus to stool.

Ultra-processed, plant-based burgers (PB) and traditional comminuted-beef burgers (BB) share similar organoleptic characteristics, yet a knowledge gap exists in understanding how consumption of these divergent physical structures alters the lipemic response and gut microbiota. PB, comprised of highly refined ingredients, is formulated with no intact whole food structure, while BB entraps lipids throughout the myofibrillar protein network. PB presented significantly higher free fatty acid (FFA) bioaccessibility (28.2 ± 4.80 %) compared to BB (8.73 ± 0.52 %), as obtained from their FFA release profiles over digestion time after characterizing them with a modified logistic model (SLM), using the simulated TIM Gastro-Intestinal Model (TIM-1). Additionally, the rate of lipolysis, k, obtained from the SLM for PB (90% CI [0.0175, 0.0277] min-1) was higher than for BB (90% CI [0.0113, 0.0171] min-1). Using the Simulated Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME®), the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio (F/B ratio) was significantly higher for PB than BB; and linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) showed Clostridium and Citrobacter were more highly represented in the microbial community for the PB feed, whereas BB feed differentially enriched Megasphaera, Bacteroides, Alistipes, and Blautia at the genus level. Additionally, short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production was altered (p < 0.05) site-specifically in each colon vessel, which could be attributed to the available substrates and changes in microbial composition. Total SCFAs were significantly higher for PB in the ascending colon (AC) and descending colon (DC) but higher for BB only in the transverse colon (TC). This research illustrates the crucial role of meat analog physical structure in modulating nutritional aspects beyond food composition alone.

Modulation of Immunity, Antioxidant Status, Performance, Blood Hematology, and Intestinal Histomorphometry in Response to Dietary Inclusion of Origanum majorana in Domestic Pigeons' Diet.

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of adding Origanum majorana (OM) powder to domestic pigeon diets on growth performance, feeding and drinking behaviour, blood hematology, blood biochemical parameters, blood inflammatory and oxidative markers, carcass characteristics, the weights of lymphoid organs, and and intestinal cecal, and bursa of Fabricius histology. A random distribution of fifty-four unsexed pigeon squabs (30 days old, average body weight; 321 g ± 7.5) into three groups was done. The first group was fed the grower basal diet without adding OM powder, while OM powder was added at levels of 0.5 and 1% to the basal diets of the second and third groups, respectively. The changes in growth performance parameters and feeding and drinking behavior under OM powder's effect were insignificant. However, the lymphoid organs (spleen and thymus) significantly increased in weight (p < 0.05) in the OM-fed groups. Moreover, blood examination showed positive responses to OM powder in terms of blood cell counts (RBCs andWBCs), and the values of hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, lymphocyte numbers, levels of globulin, and glutathione peroxidase enzyme were significantly increased. The numbers of heterophils, the ratio of heterophil to lymphocyte, malondialdehyde levels were reduced (p < 0.05). Histomorphometry examination revealed increases in intestinal villi height, cecal thickness, and bursal follicle area and number. These results indicated that adding OM powder to the pigeon diet may improve their immunity, increase their antioxidant status, and correct some hematological disorders.

Asymptomatic screening for severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) as an infection prevention measure in healthcare facilities: Challenges and considerations.

Testing of asymptomatic patients for severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (ie, "asymptomatic screening) to attempt to reduce the risk of nosocomial transmission has been extensive and resource intensive, and such testing is of unclear benefit when added to other layers of infection prevention mitigation controls. In addition, the logistic challenges and costs related to screening program implementation, data noting the lack of substantial aerosol generation with elective controlled intubation, extubation, and other procedures, and the adverse patient and facility consequences of asymptomatic screening call into question the utility of this infection prevention intervention. Consequently, the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) recommends against routine universal use of asymptomatic screening for SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare facilities. Specifically, preprocedure asymptomatic screening is unlikely to provide incremental benefit in preventing SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the procedural and perioperative environment when other infection prevention strategies are in place, and it should not be considered a requirement for all patients. Admission screening may be beneficial during times of increased virus transmission in some settings where other layers of controls are limited (eg, behavioral health, congregate care, or shared patient rooms), but widespread routine use of admission asymptomatic screening is not recommended over strengthening other infection prevention controls. In this commentary, we outline the challenges surrounding the use of asymptomatic screening, including logistics and costs of implementing a screening program, and adverse patient and facility consequences. We review data pertaining to the lack of substantial aerosol generation during elective controlled intubation, extubation, and other procedures, and we provide guidance for when asymptomatic screening for SARS-CoV-2 may be considered in a limited scope.

Effect of Dietary Microalgae (Spirulina platensis) on Growth Performance, Ingestive Behavior, Hemato-Biochemical Parameters, and Economic Efficiency of Fayoumi Broilers.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation with Spirulina platensis (SP) on the productive performance, carcass characteristics, behavior, blood serum metabolites, hematological indices, and economic efficiency of Fayoumi broiler chickens for a 56-day. In total, 120 one-day-old broiler chicks were randomly distributed among four dietary treatments with three replicates (n = 10/group) for 8 weeks. The dietary treatments were a control basal diet without SP and the same basal diets supplemented with 0.25, 0.5, or 1.0% SP. Birds fed 1% Spirulina-supplemented diets recorded significantly (p < 0.05) higher body weight, weight gain, and feed conversion ratio and less overall feed intake and feeding behavior than those in the control group. No significant changes (p > 0.05) were recorded in the dressing percentage or the relative weights of internal organs among the different experimental groups, except for the thymus. Diets containing 0.5 or 1.0% SP saw an increase (p < 0.05) in serum total protein and globulin and a reduction (p < 0.05) in serum cholesterol concentration. The lymphocyte percentage in birds fed SP diets was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than in birds fed the control diet. These results suggest that adding SP up to 1% to the broiler diets could positively affect some important blood biochemical parameters, enhance their immunity response, and improve their growth performance. However, from an economic point of view, supplementation with 0.25% of SP is recommended for Fayoumi broiler chickens.

A national prevalence and profile of single and multiple developmental delays among children aged from 1 year up to 12 years: an Egyptian community-based study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed at providing a national prevalence of single and multiple developmental delays (DDs) among 41,640 Egyptian children aged 1 to 12 years and exploring DDs' associated risk and protective factors. METHODS: A national household survey from eight governorates of Egypt representing the four major subdivisions of Egypt was conducted through systematic probability proportionate to size. All enrolled children were assessed according to Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, (VABS) as a reliable screening questionnaire for identifying categories of DDs that were verified by pediatrics' specialists. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of children with DDs was 6.7%. The prevalence of a single DD was 3.9% versus 2.8% multiple DDs. Communication deficit was the most prevalent type (5.3%). Lower prevalence was identified for fine motor delay (1.0%), gross motor delay, and socialization deficit (1.5% each). Whereas deficits in daily life skills (self-help and adaptive behavior delay) amounted to 2.3%. Living without mothers and/or fathers in homes was associated with increased odds of having DDs by one and a half times (OR = 1.72 and OR = 1.34 respectively). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed the most predictors for DDs including children who suffer from convulsions after birth (OR = 3.10), low birth weight babies (OR = 1.94), male sex (OR = 1.75), mothers having health problems during pregnancy (OR = 1.70) and belonging to middle socioeconomic status (OR = 1.41). Children who suffered from cyanosis after birth was found to be at risk for any or multiple DDs. Difficult labor was significantly associated with increased odds for multiple DDs (OR = 1.55). Higher paternal and maternal education was associated with decreased odds to have any DDs by 40% (OR = 0.60 and OR = 0.58 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The detected prevalence of DDs is within the estimated range of prevalence of DDs for the pediatric population. The majority of the detected risk factors are preventable. Developmental screening is recommended to be implemented in all primary care settings as a routine practice.

SARS-CoV-2 antibody prevalence among healthcare workers: A cross-sectional study at a quaternary healthcare center in Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among Healthcare Workers (HCWs). METHODS: We carried out a cross-sectional study among 3644 HCWs at King Saud Medical City (KSMC) during the last two weeks of December 2020. A Google form survey was used to collect data on demographics, underlying health conditions, job duties, infection control competencies, COVID-19 exposure history, symptoms, and confirmed infections. FINDINGS: 26.5% demonstrated seropositivity to SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, 10-fold higher than the national seroprevalence (2.36) conducted in May 2020. Seropositivity was significantly higher among non-Saudi HCWs and participants who lived outside the hospital dormitory p < 0.0001 and 0.01, respectively). Seropositivity was significantly higher among HCWs who worked on clinical areas of high exposure level, and those who spent longer duration working with patients with COVID-19; p = 0.002 and 0.005, respectively). CONCLUSION: SARS-CoV-2 infections among HCWs can go unrecognized, which magnifies the importance of complying with universal masking and social distancing directives. Detecting SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in HCWs can help healthcare leaders in considering staff allocations and assignments accordingly.

Challenges to the infection control team during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in a quaternary-care medical center in Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: King Saud Medical City (KSMC) is a quaternary care center based in the center of the capital city, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), and it is one of the key Ministry of Health (MoH) facilities dedicated to the care of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients in the central region. METHODS: A comprehensive surge plan was promptly launched in mid-March 2020 to address the pandemic, and it expanded in a phase-wise approach. Supporting the capacity of the infection prevention and control department (IPCD) was a main pillar of the surge plan. Task force infection control teams were formed to tackle the different aspects of pandemic containment processes. The challenges and measures undertaken by the IPC team are described here. CONCLUSION: Infection prevention and control staff are frontline responders in public health emergencies like COVID-19, and a solid infection prevention and control system in the healthcare setting supported by qualified and sufficient manpower, a well-developed multidisciplinary team approach, electronic infrastructure, and efficient supply utilization are required for effective crisis management.

Psychological Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Workers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: Perceived Stress Scale Measures.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has been stressful and of considerable concern among health care workers (HCWs). Being particularly at increased risk for exposure, HCWs worry about becoming infected as well as infecting co-workers, patients and family members. Such distress and panic may have destructive effects on individuals and may last long after the pandemic situation leading to depression or post-traumatic stress disorder. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to measure and investigate the prevalence of the factors affecting psychological stress during the COVID-19 pandemic among HCWs. METHODS: A self-administered online survey-including perceived stress scale (PSS) questions-was disseminated among HCWs in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (SA) between1st June and 30th July 2020. RESULTS: A total of 469 HCWs responded to the survey for a high response rate (93.8%). The PSS revealed that 15.8% of the respondents were suffering from high stress levels, 77.2% were suffering from moderate stress levels and 7% with low stress levels. Females and junior frontline staff reported more severe stress levels. Participation on the pandemic team shows significant impact on stress levels. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 pandemic has increased stress levels among HCWs and affects their psychological wellbeing. Designing programs promoting HCWs mental health are crucial and emotional and psychological support strategies should be part of every public health crisis management plan.

Characteristics of healthcare workers with COVID-19: A retrospective descriptive study in a quaternary care center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological and clinical presentation of Healthcare Workers (HCWs) affected by COVID-19. METHODS: A cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted at King Saud Medical City (KSMC), Saudi Arabia (KSA). All KSMC employees who acquired COVID-19 between March 22nd to July 15th, 2020 have been included. Their data has been anonymously analyzed. FINDINGS: During the study period, among the 12000 HCWs working at KSMC, 9.75% tested positive for COVID-19. The source of HCWs infections was mainly community acquired (85%) which included incidences of transmission in hospital dormitories. Transmission among coworkers was the main source of hospital acquired incidences. Direct patient care was reported in 99.8% of study subjects among the high-risk areas, compared to 3.4% in low-risk areas (p-value <0.001), 12-h shifts were more common in the medium and high-risk areas, and at least one symptom was reported by 93.1% of HCWs in high-risk areas compared to 81.6% in low-risk areas (p-value <0.001). CONCLUSION: In KSA, for HCWs, reducing lapses in compliance with masking in non-patient care areas should be considered. In KSA the role that hospital dormitories play in the community transmission of COVID-19 among HCWs need further studies.

The Incidence of Acute Pulmonary Embolism with COVID-19 Pneumonia in Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Single-Center Study.

Acute pulmonary embolism (APE) is a common and prognostically significant complication of COVID-19 infection. We investigated the clinical characteristics and chest CT findings of COVID-19 positive patients complicated with APE. A retrospective, record-based, case-series study was performed examining 483 patients admitted to King Saud Medical City during the pandemic, from April 2020 to June 2020. Of these, 92 patients who underwent chest CT scans were included in the final analysis. The incidence of APE, clinical presentations, radiological patterns, and patient outcomes were assessed and compared against those for patients without PE. The incidence of APE was 22% [95% confidence interval (95% CI): 19%-39%], detected by chest CT. Men constituted 85.0% of patients, with a mean age of 48.9 ± 16.7 years. For most patients with APE, risk factors for thromboembolism were established but did not differ significantly from those without PE. The mean D-dimer level of 9.1 (range 7.0-10.2) was significantly higher among patients diagnosed with APE (OR: 1.021; 95% CI: 1.012-1.028; P = 0.001) compared with that in patients without PE. Moreover, the mean levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH, 628.5; range: 494.0-928.3; OR: 1.002; 95% CI: 1.000-1.003; P = 0.02), C-reactive protein (CRP; 158.5; range: 105.3-204.5; OR: 1.025; 95% CI: 1.015-1.035; P = 0.001), and cardiac troponin (3.5; range; 2.6-3.8; OR: 1.016; 95% CI: 0.971-1.067; P = 0.01) were also significantly higher in patients with APE than those in patients with PE. The chest CT presentations of APE included massive, segmental, and sub-segmental APE. The need for Intensive Care Unit admission was higher among patients diagnosed with APE, who presented a fatality rate of 10%.. Our study pointed to the incidence and predictors of APE in COVID-19 patients. High levels of D-dimer, CRP, cardiac troponin, and LDH should alert the clinician to the possibility of APE in COVID-19 patients..

Dental Education in the Time of COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges and Recommendations.

Moving within the second wave of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, dental education delivery has been profoundly affected by this crisis, so has the structure, evaluation, and future of dental education. Both pre-clinical and clinical dental education have experienced challenges ranging from fully online educational content to limited dental training for senior dental students. This crisis appears to be a tipping point that produced confusion in dental teaching especially clinical sciences. Although medical institutions immediately started to adapt to the unexpected COVID-19 crisis, dental and oral health educational services are profoundly impaired due to the dental team's propinquity to the patient and the aerosols generated during routine dental therapeutic procedures. Dental students unlike other medical students are considered to be at the highest risk due to the nature of their clinical training that includes working in the oral cavity of patients using aerosol-generating equipment. Some dental schools have taken the leadership and documented their modifications during this pandemic; however, there is a serious need for further investigation and wide range screening of the situation in the dental schools during the COVID-19 crisis. The aim of this mini-review is to present these challenges and how academic dental institutions have implemented strategies to overcome them.