Abstract : The main goal of this study was to determine the prevalence and duration of acute loss of smell and taste in COVID-19 patients who visit Anwar Hospital, Saidu Sharif Swat. Initially, acute loss of smell (anosmia) and taste (ageusia) was not thought to be significant COVID-19 symptoms. To find out how often certain symptoms are and how important they are in terms of diagnosis. Cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted at Anwar Hospital, Anwar Clinical Laboratory, Saidu Sharif Swat, KPK, Pakistan from 01 March 2020 to 18 September 2021. A total of 3537 specimens of the suspected COVID-19 patients were tested using Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). In the current study it was found that 4.8% (45) patients had a loss of taste and smell. The patients were under observation for a duration of 2-3 weeks (8 to 21 days). The RT-PCR of 970 patients was positive whereas of 1567 was negative. The prevalence of COVID-19 was 38.23%. All participants' ages ranging from 9 to 70 years were included in this study. Ageusia and Anosmia appear to be key symptoms and indicators for COVID-19 diagnosis, especially when the illness is in its early stages. Majority of the COVID-19 patients, who had anosmia or ageusia recovered in three weeks. For both symptoms, the median duration to recovery was 7 days. In individuals with suspected COVID-19, these symptoms might be a valuable tool for early diagnostic work-up..
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Abstract : Multiple sclerosis is an immune mediated disease affecting the central nervous system, which lead to neurodegenerative causes of physical disability globally. Relationship of non-human leukocyte antigen gene, CD58, with multiple sclerosis has been reported in many populations but is indistinct among Southwest Asians. Our study was established to explore the association between CD58 polymorphism and multiple sclerosis among the Iraqi population in Iraq. This study was conducted to analyzed the frequency of rs12044852 polymorphism and its consequence on the genetic susceptibility to Multiple sclerosis. Case control study was conducted on 30 MS patients and equal number of healthy controls was recruited to be genotyped in an experimental case-control based study through polymerase chain reaction using specific sequence primers (PCR-SSP). Results of CD58 Genotyping showed that there is a significant effect of the frequency of rs12044852 within the genetic susceptibility of MS. So, a Strong association was found between the CC genotype and onset of MS (L.S.D 0.05) and the AC genotype was more frequent in the control. Our findings revealed the (critical effect of rs12044852 poly-morphism of CD58 on the MS susceptibility..
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Abstract : COVID-19 is RNA virus was identified in 2019 in Wuhan, China and it causes a various degree of respiratory affection ranging from mild respiratory illness to life threatening respiratory failure. The main diagnostic test is detection of the virus by PCR in a nasopharyngeal swab. We aimed to determine the incidence, clinical presentation, and outcome of COVID-19 patients in a limited resources setting. We included 258 COVID-19 cases from Shendi isolation center, Sudan. This study was conducted during the period between November 2020 and June 2021. The most common age group was found to be between 61 —80years representing 46.5% of the patients. More than half of them were males. The clinical presentations of the patients were dominated by the following profile: Fever in 211 patients (81.8%), dyspnea in 169 patients (65.5%), cough in 160 patients (62%), sore throat in 49 patients (19%), headache in 21 patients (8.1%), fatigue in 14 patients (5.4%), chest pain in 7 patients (2.7%), anosmia in 6 patients (2.3%), loss of appetite in 5 patients (1.9%), abdominal pain in 2 patients (0.8%), diarrhea in 2 patients (0.8%), vomiting in one patient (0.4%), loss of test in 3 patients (1.2%), nausea in one patient )0.4%(, and rhinorrhea in one patient (0.4%). Most of patients were from rural areas (67.8%). The most common chronic illness seen was DM in 58 patients (22.5%) and hypertension in 43 patients (16.7%). Mortality rate was (28.7%) (affecting 74 patients), In COVID-19, the most common presenting symptoms are: fever, cough and dyspnea are. Mortality rate is found to be very high in this study; both DM and hypertension are associated with increased incidence and mortality rate of COVID-19. The mortality rate is directly proportionate to increase in age; as the age group 61-80 representing 46.5% of the patients..
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Abstract : Diagnostic radiology plays a significant role in the process of diagnosing and treating diseases, thereby contributing to human health in general. Accordingly, radiographic technologists should keep up to date with deep knowledge and practice in this area. Therefore, radiological programs in Saudi universities should offer a curriculum that meets the requirements of modern technology in radiology. This study aims to review the curriculum of the diagnostic radiology undergraduate program at Najran University and comparing with nine selected universities in KSA with a focus on the discipline and the required courses for graduation. Curricula, syllabi and courses specification were collected online from available universities websites and more comprehensive details on the curriculum of Najran University were obtained to enhance the analysis. The outcome of the current study will provide recommendations to Najran University necessary to develop the studied curriculum by adding medical terminology course to the curriculum and suggest a modification in the time allocated of the internship period. It is expected from this study will help the curriculum of Najran University to be consistent with other KSA universities and become more effectively for students by deliver strong clinical practice within sufficient training hours in the college laboratories and Najran hospitals..
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Abstract : This study was conducted to determine the mental health profile of the adolescents who were below 18 years to 12 years of age, who have parents with mental health problems. The profile was based on the parents’ perception of their children or adolescents using Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) rating scales. Fifty adolescents, 26 males and 24 females were studied. The mean age for the males was 15.2 ± 2.96 years and that of the females was 15.1 ± 1.78 years. There was no significant difference with regards to the age between the males and females at p < .05. Sixteen adolescents or 32% had fathers diagnosed with mental illness, 60% of the adolescents (N=30) had mothers with diagnosed mental illness while 8% or 4 adolescents had both parents diagnosed with mental illness. Male adolescents of parents diagnosed with mental illness showed higher scores on the SDQ main domains (ES, CS and HS) except PRS compared to their female peers. There was significant difference in hyperactivity scores (HS) and EXT between male and female at p< .05. Using the recommended Brunei cut off score of > 17 to indicate abnormal SDQ score for TDS, there were 8 adolescents (16%) in this study who had abnormal scores and might potentially have emotional and behavioural problems. There were more adolescents of mentally ill parents with abnormal SDQ scores than the scores of school going adolescents. These findings gave us insights regarding the impact of parental mental illness on adolescent’s mental health..
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