Cervical Ganglioneuroblastoma Diagnosed by 68Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT in a Child with Opsoclonus Myoclonus Syndrome.

We performed a 68Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT scan on a 25-mo-old female patient who presented with opsoclonus myoclonus ataxia syndrome and had negative initial anatomic imaging. The scan showed a somatostatin receptor-overexpressing cervical tumor in favor of a cervical neuroendocrine tumor, with subsequent histopathologic findings of ganglioneuroblastoma.

Factors affecting SARS-CoV-2 variant distribution in military hospitals in Jordan.

The pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has prompted a collaborative global effort to contain viral spread and improve health outcomes for those infected. The tracking of SARS-CoV-2 variants since the first sequence was published in January 2020 is an important part understanding the pandemic. There is limited data regarding SARS-CoV-2 circulation in Jordan. In this study we determined the prevalence of genetic variants of SARS-CoV-2 during June-September 2021 by sequencing the full genome of 213 viral samples from Jordanian Royal Medical Services military hospitals. Our analysis revealed the presence of 33 variants, with (B.1.617.2.AY.106) as the predominate strain. Six variants were present at a prevalence greater than 2%((B.1.617.2.AY.106), 52.8%; Delta (B.1.617.2), 7.0%; (B.1.617.2.AY.34.1), 5.6%;(B.1.617.2.AY.44), 2.8%; (B.1.617.2.AY.121), 2.33%; (B.1.617.2.AY.102), 2.33%). Variant prevalence varied significantly by region and (B.1.617.2.AY.106) variant tended to be associated with mild to moderate symptoms, on the other hand other variants were asymptomatic. We did not find significant associations of variants with other factors such as age, gender or vaccination status. These data help us to understand the occurrence of new variants in Jordan, their geographic distribution, and associations with demographic variables, vaccination status, and symptom severity. The sustained circulation of SARS-CoV-2 continues to lead to novel variant emergence. These findings highlight the need to continue tracking new variants, monitor the dynamics of variant prevalence, and future efforts will guide prevention, vaccination, and control strategies.

Epidemiology of human brucellosis in military hospitals in Jordan: A five-year study.

INTRODUCTION: Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease with significant impacts on livestock and human health. It is a severe community health burden in the Middle East with an estimated 2000 times higher prevalence than in North America and Western Europe. To date, there are limited studies on human brucellosis and risk factors for infection in Jordan. Our study aimed to analyze documented brucellosis cases in Jordan and use geographic and socio-demographic data to better understand its prevalence and transmission. METHODOLOGY: This retrospective study examined electronic medical records describing 1,497 cases of febrile illness that were tested for brucellosis at Royal Medical Services hospitals between 2016 and 2020. A total of 465 confirmed brucellosis cases, aged 0 to 80 years were included. Serum samples were screened for anti-Brucella antibodies, and positive samples were additionally tested for antibody titer using the Wright tube agglutination test. RESULTS: Our results showed that 31.1% (456/1497) of the febrile diseases were brucellosis. We found that young adults and working age, northern governorates, rural location of residency, occupations involving regular contact with livestock, and Spring/Summer season were highly significant as risk factors. Seropositivity was highest among dairy factory workers with 64.4%. CONCLUSIONS: This study adds to our understanding of human brucellosis in Jordan and its impact on public health. These data will be useful in the prevention of brucellosis and will inform reliable disease control policies.