Prevalence of Human Papillomavirus in Women from Saudi Arabia

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the main causes of cervical cancer in womenworldwide. The goal of the present study was to determine the prevalence and distribution of HPV genotypes inwomen from Saudi Arabia. Recently, several HPV detection methods have been developed, each with differentsensitivities and specificities. Methods: In this study, total forty cervical samples were subjected to polymerasechain reaction and hybridization to BioFilmChip microarray assessment. Results: Human papillomavirus(HPV) infections were found in 43% of the specimens. The most prevalent genotypes were HPV 16 (30%) HPV18 (8.0%) followed by type HPV 45, occurring at 5.0%. Conclusion: Our finding showed the HPV infection andprevalence is increasing at alarming rate in women of Saudi Arabia. There was no low risk infection detected inthe tested samples. The BioFilmChip microarray detection system is highly accurate and suitable for detectionof single and multiple infections, allowing rapid detection with less time-consumption and easier performanceas compared with other methods.     

Genetic Variation in a DNA Double Strand Break Repair Gene in Saudi Population: A Comparative Study with Worldwide Ethnic Groups

DNA repair capacity is crucial in maintaining cellular functions and homeostasis. However, it can be alteredbased on DNA sequence variations in DNA repair genes and this may lead to the development of many diseasesincluding malignancies. Identification of genetic polymorphisms responsible for reduced DNA repair capacity isnecessary for better prevention. Homologous recombination (HR), a major double strand break repair pathway,plays a critical role in maintaining the genome stability. The present study was performed to determine thefrequency of the HR gene XRCC3 Exon 7 (C18067T, rs861539) polymorphisms in Saudi Arabian population incomparison with epidemiological studies by “MEDLINE” search to equate with global populations. The variantallelic (T) frequency of XRCC3 (C>T) was found to be 39%. Our results suggest that frequency of XRCC3 (C>T)DNA repair gene exhibits distinctive patterns compared with the Saudi Arabian population and this mightbe attributed to ethnic variation. The present findings may help in high-risk screening of humans exposed toenvironmental carcinogens and cancer predisposition in different ethnic groups.     

Perceived Barriers to Breast Cancer Screening among Saudi Women at Primary Care Setting

Introduction: Screening for breast cancer (BC) is of low rate in Saudi Arabia; although it is provided in the country free of charge to the population. This cross-sectional study aimed at investigating the perceived barriers towards BC screening in Al Hassa, Saudi Arabia. Participants and Methods: A total of 816 adult Saudi women aged ≥ 30 years attending for routine primary health services or accompanying patients at the selected primary health care centers (PHCs) were randomly selected from 12 PHCs (8 urban and four rural) using multi-stage sampling method. Participants were invited to personal interview using semi-structured data collection instrument including inquiries about socio-demographics, reproductive history, previous histories of diagnosed breast lesions and breast cancer. The perceived individual barriers towards screening, their attitudes, the reasons for not attending previously held screening campaigns in Al Hassa, were also included. Results: Low utilization of BC screening has being significantly associated with woman’s age (OR=2.55; 95% CI= 1.71-3.83), higher educational status (OR=2.98; 95% CI=2.05-4.34), higher family income (OR=1.96; 95% CI=1.31-2.93), using hormonal contraception (OR=1.46; 95% CI=0.99-2.13) and positive history of previous breast (OR=12.16; 95% CI=6.89-21.46), as shown by the results of the logistic regression model. Exploratory factor analysis showed that personal fears (especially fear of doctors/examiners, fear of hospitals and health facilities and fear of consequences/results) were the major factors that hinder women from utilizing the free of charge BC screening with high loading eigenvalue of 3.335, explaining 30.4% of the barriers. Conclusion: Educational interventions aim at improving breast cancer knowledge and addressing barriers should be incorporated as core component of the screening program in Saudi Arabia.     

Cancer Incidence in Saudi Arabia: 2012 Data from the Saudi Cancer Registry

Background: In order to most appropriately allocate healthcare and research funding for cancer, it is important to have accurate population-based incidence data. The Saudi Cancer Registry (SCR) provides such information, covering the time period from 1994 to the present day. The current report concerns an overview of cancer incidence statistics for Saudi Arabia in 2012. Methods: The SCR collects data from healthcare facilities throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. All newly diagnosed cases of cancer are recorded, with information on site and histology. For the present report, age-standardised and age-specific incidence rates (ASR, AIR, respectively) were calculated, with attention to gender-specific and regional differences. Results: The total number of incident cases of cancer identified by the SCR in 2012 was 14,336, with 6,791 (47.5%) among males and 7,545 (52.6%) among females. Of this total, 11,034 cases (76.9%) occurred in patients of Saudi origin. For Saudi males, the overall ASR (inc. all cancer sites) was 78.1 per 100,000 people, while that for females was 86.7. Incidence varied by region, with the Eastern region and Riyadh displaying the highest ASRs for both males and females, and Hail and Jazan displaying the lowest. Incidence varied by gender, with colorectal cancer (13.3%), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL; 8.4%), and leukaemia (8.2%) being the most common types in males, and breast (25.8%), thyroid (11.7%), and colorectal cancers (9.3%) being the most common in females. Conclusions: This analysis of cancer incidence in Saudi Arabia demonstrated significant differences according to gender, age, and region of the Kingdom. The data should help ensure the most appropriate allocation of resources, with the aim of minimising the healthcare burden associated with cancer.     

Analysis of preanalytical errors in a clinical chemistry laboratory: A 2-year study

Patient safety and medical diagnosis of patients are mainly influenced by laboratory results. The present study aimed to evaluate the errors in the preanalytical phase of testing in a Clinical Chemistry diagnostic laboratory.A review was conducted at the Clinical Chemistry Laboratory of a hospital in Saudi Arabia from January 2019 to December 2020. Using the laboratory information system, the data of all canceled tests and requests were retrieved and evaluated for preanalytical errors.A total of 55,345 laboratory test requests and samples from different departments were evaluated for preanalytical errors. An overall rate of 12.1% (6705) was determined as preanalytical errors. The occurrence of these errors was found to be highest in the emergency department (21%). The leading preanalytical errors were nonreceived samples (3.7%) and hemolysis (3.5%). The annual preanalytical errors revealed an increasing rate in outpatient and inpatient departments, while a decreasing rate was observed in the emergency department. An increased rate of errors was also noted for the 2-year study period from 11.3% to 12.9%.The preanalytical phase has a significant impact on the quality of laboratory results. The rate of error in the study was high and the leading causes were nonreceived samples and hemolysis. An increased occurrence of hemolyzed samples in the outpatient department was noted. Enhanced educational efforts emphasizing specimen quality issues and training in sample collection among hospital staff must be carried out.     

Voluntary testing for COVID-19: perceptions and utilization among the inhabitants of Saudi Arabia

ObjectivesVoluntary testing (VT) plays a crucial role in the prevention and control of infectious diseases. The present study investigated the perceptions and utilization of VT services for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among the inhabitants of Saudi Arabia.MethodsIn total, 3,510 adult participants from all provinces of Saudi Arabia were recruited via a national online survey.ResultsOf the 3,510 participants, 88.9% were aware of the testing services available to them and of those, more than half (59.5%) had used the VT services and 96.1% were satisfied with the services. Contact with a positive COVID-19 case was the top reason for accessing VT, while a lack of awareness about the availability of VT services was the top perceived limiting factor. A history of chronic health conditions, anxiety and/or depression, and previous symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 were found to be predictors of the utilization of VT services (OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.22−1.96; OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.16−1.88; OR 3.31, 95% CI 2.77−3.95; and OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.34−1.96; respectively), respectively.ConclusionThe awareness of voluntary COVID-19 testing services was satisfactory among the Saudi Arabian population, but can be improved. Sociodemographic and health history predictors of the utilization of VT services were identified.