Genomic Characterization of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Isolates from Tertiary Hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is the most common cause of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in hospitalised and non-hospitalised patients. Genomic analysis was used to gain further insight into the molecular characteristics of UPEC isolates from Saudi Arabia. A total of 165 isolates were collected from patients with UTIs between May 2019 and September 2020 from two tertiary hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) were performed using the VITEK system. Extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL)-producing isolates (n = 48) were selected for whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis. In silico analysis revealed that the most common sequence types detected were ST131 (39.6%), ST1193 (12.5%), ST73 (10.4%), and ST10 (8.3%). Our finding showed that blaCTX-M-15 gene was detected in the majority of ESBL isolates (79.2%), followed by blaCTX-M-27 (12.5%) and blaCTX-M-8 (2.1%). ST131 carried blaCTX-M-15 or blaCTX-M-27, and all ST73 and ST1193 carried blaCTX-M-15. The relatively high proportion of ST1193 in this study was notable as a newly emerged lineage in the region, which warrants further monitoring.

Assessment of knowledge and attitude toward influenza vaccinations within the adult population of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: The most cost-effective measure for preventing the infectious disease, influenza, is vaccination. The purpose of this research was to evaluate knowledge levels, familiarity, and attitude toward influenza and influenza vaccination of the Riyadh adult population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out in Riyadh and data was collected between December 2017 and March 2018. Five hundred participants were interviewed in person using a closed-ended questionnaire. Participants comprised the general population, students, and healthcare workers (HCWs), and were recruited from shopping malls, parks, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, and King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz University Hospital. A pilot study was conducted among 15 participants from the general population, students, and HCWs who gave verbal consent. Participants were asked if they comprehended the questionnaire and whether they felt comfortable participating. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the sample. Statistical significance was determined using t-test for quantitative variables and Chi-square test for qualitative variables. RESULTS: Most participants in all groups had poor knowledge. The least informed was the general population (8.8%), followed by the students (11.8%), and the most aware were the HCWs (18.5%). The social media (35%) was the main source of participants' knowledge, followed by doctors and health educators in hospitals (33%). Only 15.6% of participants had been vaccinated this year. Even fewer (8.8%) stated that they took the vaccination every year. The most important reasons for getting vaccinated were the recommendations by the Ministry of Health or by their doctors (77.8% for each). The key barrier to vaccination was a lack of perceived benefit (the participants did not usually get influenza so they felt vaccination was unnecessary [66.2%]). About 34% of participants reported that they had the children in their families vaccinated. The main reason given was to protect their children from influenza complications (80.6%). CONCLUSION: Within the Riyadh adult population, there was both low compliance to take the influenza vaccinations owing to a lack of perceived benefit and insufficient knowledge of the risks of influenza.

Peritoneal dialysis related infections in a tertiary care hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVES: To detect the incidence of and risk factors for infections among patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD). METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at the PD unit of King Fahad Medical City. End-stage renal disease patients above the age of 12 years who were undergoing PD management between January 2006 and March 2016 were included. RESULTS: One hundred PD patients were enrolled in the study and examined over a total observation period of 2,553 patient-months. The leading ESRD etiology was hypertension (26.3%). The mean duration of PD was 28.05 months. A total of 45 patients developed 101 episodes of technique-related infections (TRIs). Peritonitis represented the majority of these episodes (90 episodes), with an overall rate of one episode per 28.3 patient-months. TRIs were mostly caused by coagulase-negative staphylococci. A total of 12 patients developed non-technique related infections (NTRIs). There was a statistically significant difference between patients with TRI and non-infected patients regarding the presence of diabetes and duration of dialysis. No peritonitis-related deaths were noted. In total, 21 patients continued on PD and 18 patients were shifted to hemodialysis (HD). Conclusion: In our setting, ESRD patients undergoing PD are more susceptible to TRIs than NTRIs. Diabetes increases the risk of developing TRIs. The high incidence of coagulase-negative staphylococcal TRI suggests touch contamination.