Viable airborne fungi in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

An aerobiological study to identify and quantify allergenic fungi and their seasonal fluctuations was conducted at two different sites, (Al-Batha, a more developed area in the south and Al-Ulia, a less developed area in the north) in Riyadh city, using portable Personal Volumetric Air Sampler (Burkard Manufacturing Co., England). Sampling was conducted twice a week in both the morning and in the afternoon at both sites, for a period of 12 months. Airborne fungi were grouped into major and minor components depending upon their frequency of appearance and catch percentage in the air. Cladosporium spp., Penicillium spp., Aspergillus spp., Alternaria spp. and Ulocladium spp. were included as major components. Minor components included Drechslera spp., Rhizopus spp., Fusarium spp. and Stachybotryis spp. In general, higher concentrations of fungi were found at the developed (Al-Batha) site than at the less developed (Al-Ulia) site, both in the morning and in the afternoon.     

Fungi inhabiting household environments in Riyadh,Saudi Arabia

Fungi inhabiting household environments in the West, East and Central localities of Riyadh city were screened. The screened area included bedrooms, drawing rooms, living rooms, kitchens and bathrooms. The common genera of fungi isolated wereAlternaria, Aspergillus, Cercospora, Chaetomium, Cladosporium, Curvularia, Drechslera, Embellisia, Fusarium, Mucor, Penicillium, Rhizopus, Scytalidium, Trichoderma, Torula andUlocladium. Two uncommon generaNodulosporium andOidiodendron for Saudi Arabian mycoflora were also isolated. In all the localities, the highest number of fungal colonies per plate or per gram were found in the living rooms, followed by bedrooms. The number of colonies per plate or per gram was in general higher in densely populated than in less populated areas.     

Dermatophyte and non dermatophyte fungi in Riyadh City,Saudi Arabia

BackgroundDermatophytes are a scientific label for a group of three genera (Microsporum, Epidermophyton and Trichophyton) of fungus that causes skin disease in animals and humans. Conventional methods for identification of these fungi are rapid and simple but are not accurate comparing to molecular methods.ObjectiveThis study aimed to isolate human pathogenic dermatophytes which cause dermatophytosis in Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia and to identify these fungi by using conventional and molecular methods.MethodsThe study was conducted in Medical Complex, Riyadh and King Saud University. Samples of infected skin, hairs and nails were collected from 112 patients. Diagnosis of skin infections, direct microscopic test, isolation and identification of dermatophytes by conventional and molecular methods were carried out.ResultsThe results indicated that the tinea capitis infection had the highest prevalence among the patients (22.3%) while Tinea barbae had the lowest. In this study the identified dermatophyte isolates belong to nine species as Trichophyton violaceum, Trichophyton verrucosum, Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Trichophyton schoenleinii, Trichophyton concentricum, Microsporum canis, Microsporum audouinii and Epidermophyton floccosum which cause skin infections were isolated during this study. Non dermatophyte isolates included 5 isolates from Aspergillus spp. 4 isolates from Acremonium potronii and 15 isolates from Candida spp. M. canis were the most common species (25% of isolated dermatophytes). Out of the 52 dermatophyte isolates identified by conventional methods, there were 45 isolates identified by the molecular method.ConclusionsThe results concluded that approximately M. canis caused a quarter of dermatophyte cases, tinea capitis infection was prevalent and the molecular method was more accurate than conventional methods.     

Seasonal incidence of airborne fungal allergens in Riyadh,Saudi Arabia

Aerobiological studies to evaluate allergenic fungal spores in the atmosphere of Riyadh were conducted. Burkard personal volumetric sampler were operated as volumetric viable spore traps at two different sites (Al-Batha, a more developed area in the south and Al-Ulia, a less developed area in the north) in Riyadh. Twice a week samplings were carried out over a period of 12 month. The seasonal fluctuations of the most frequent fungi were plotted as major components. The dominant species at the two sites were members of the genera Alternaria, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Penicillium and Ulocladium. Drechslera, Fusarium, Rhizopus and Stachybotrytis species were minor components or sporadic. Seasonal variations of the total colonies were significantly (p < 0.05) different. They showed higher concentrations in the winter season and the lowest in summer. The Al-Batha site was always higher in spore concentrations than the Al-Ulia site. The results provide valuable information for the diagnosis and prophylaxis of allergic diseases due to airborne fungi.This revised version was published online in October 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Survey of mange mite infesting sheep in Riyadh region,Saudi Arabia

The study was performed to survey the Sarcoptic mange in sheep and the effect of infection on the local strains during a specific period in different regions of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A total of 1745 sheep were examined clinically and were selected from the suspected cases for laboratory investigation of skin scrapings for disease diagnosis. The examined animals included (509) Naimi, (396) Najdi, (518) Hurri, and (322) Rufidi native sheep.The results showed that the infestation rate was (12.77%) in all sheep. The highest strain was recorded (17.2%, 14.3%, 9.6%, and 8.6%), respectively. The infestation was highest in sheep over two years of age (15.2%) while it was lowest in sheep under two years of age (11.2 %). In addition, the infection rate in females was higher than in males. The prevalence of mange mites in females was (14%) compared to (11.2%) in males. The highest percentage of infestation was recorded in the head region at 67.2%, followed by that in the neck (4.4%), back (16.5%), tail (11.6%), and legs (0%).The presence of mange mites was discovered by microscopic examination of deep skin scrapings of infected animals that were identified morphologically. The infection was assured by histological investigations. This study revealed that mange mite is one of the most significant sheep health constraints in Riyadh. Therefore, proper prevention measures must be implemented to take into consideration other non-host-related risk factors.     

Two human cases associated with forensic insects in Riyadh,Saudi Arabia

In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, we are reporting two cases of natural death. The two bodies showed different types of habitat, insect colonization and decomposition stage. The first case was about the body of a 65-years-old male, with mummification of the clothed body was found in an outdoor habitat. Different life stages of Dermestes maculatus DeGeer (Coleoptera: Dermestidae were gathered from the cadaver, and due to the advanced degree of decomposition, the PMImin was estimated to be 3 months. The second body belonging to a 40-years-old male, was found in a semi-closed apartment (indoor habitat), and the body was at the end of the bloated decomposition stage. In this case, Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae) larvae were collected, and the PMImin was estimated to be 4 days. The limited insect activity for the two bodies caused by the advanced decomposition stage in the first case and indoor environment in the second. Average temperatures of (23.3 ± 1.6) °C for the first body and (27.5 ± 1.7) °C2 for the second body. Habitat was the key factor to attract insects to the two cadavers. This study stressed that, for accurate estimates of time since death, knowledge of the impact of different variables on insects found over and around the carrion is essential.     

Carrion beetles succession in three different habitats in Riyadh,Saudi Arabia

A main objective of the study is the establishment of a forensic entomological database for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Decomposition processes and beetle succession were analysed on rabbit carcasses in three different habitats (agricultural, desert and urban) in the period from May to July 2014. Due to the effects of the high temperature at the study sites, carrion reached the dry stage within 12 days in the agricultural habitat, and 6 days in the desert and urban habitats. A total of 125 beetles belonging to eight species and five families were collected during the decaying process, with their abundances increasing from the fresh to decay stages. The prevailing species belonged to the families of Dermestidae and Histeridae. It was not possible to confirm any definitive relationship between the occurrence of a single species and a particular stage of decomposition. The beetle communities were also not distinctively different between desert and urban habitats, but a distinct community was evident in the agriculture habitat. In addition, there were distinct beetle communities between the decay stage and the other stages. The dry stage recorded the lowest number of beetles. This study indicated that, the habitat type had an effect on the decay process and the abundance rate of the beetles.     

Metagenomic analysis of bacterial communities of Wadi Namar Lake,Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Wadi Namar lake is a new touristic attraction area in the south of Riyadh. Human activities around the lake may lead to changes in water quality with subsequent changes in microenvironment components including microbial diversity. The current study was designed to assess possible changes in bacterial communities of the water at Wadi Namar Lake. Therefore, water samples were collected from three different locations along the lake: L1 (no human activities, no plants), L2 (no human activity, some plants) and L3 (human activities, municipal wastes and some plants). The total DNA of the samples was extracted and subjected to 16S rDNA sequencing and metagenomic analysis; water pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS) as well as the concentration of Na⁺¹, K⁺¹, Cl⁻¹ and total N were analysed. Metagenomic analysis showed variations in relative abundance of 17 phyla, 31 families, 43 genera and 19 species of bacteria between the locations. Proteobacteria was the most abundant phylum in all locations; however, its highest abundance was in L1. Planctomycete phylum was highly abundant in L1 and L3, while its abundance in L2 was low. The phyla Acidobacteria, Candidatus Saccharibacteria, Nitrospirae and Chloroflexi were associated with high TDS, EC, K⁺¹ and Cl⁻¹ concentrations in L3; various human activities around this location had possibly affected microbial diversity. Current study results help in recognising the structure of bacterial communities at Wadi Namar Lake in relation to their surroundings for planning to environment protection and future restoration of affected ecosystems.     

Molecular identification of isolated fungi from stored apples in Riyadh,Saudi Arabia

Fungi causes most plant disease. When fruits are stored at suboptimal conditions, fungi grows, and some produce mycotoxin which can be dangerous for human consumption. Studies have shown that the Penicillium and Monilinia species commonly cause spoilage of fruits, especially apples. Several other genera and species were reported to grow to spoil fruits. This study was conducted to isolate and identify fruit spoilage by fungi on apples collected in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and conduct a molecular identification of the fungal isolates. Thus, we collected 30 samples of red delicious and Granny Smith apples with obvious spoilage from different supermarkets between February and March of 2012 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Each apple was placed in a sterile plastic bag in room temperature (25–30 °C) for six days or until fungal growth was evident all over the sample. Growth of fungal colonies on PDA was counted and sent for molecular confirmation by PCR. Six fruit spoilage fungi were isolated, including Penicillium chrysogenum, Penicillium adametzii, Penicillium chrysogenum, Penicillium steckii, Penicillium chrysogenum, and Aspergillus oryzae. P. chrysogenum was the most frequent isolate which was seen in 14 of a total of 34 isolates (41.2%), followed by P. adametzii and A. oryzae with seven isolates each (20.6%) and the least was P. steckii with six isolates (17.6%). Penicillium species comprised 27 of the total 34 (79.4%) isolates. Sequence analysis of the ITS regions of the nuclear encoded rDNA showed significant alignments for P. chrysogenum, P. adametzii and A. oryzae. Most of these fungal isolates are useful and are rarely pathogenic; however they can still produce severe illness in immune-compromised individuals, and sometimes otherwise healthy people may also become infected. It is therefore necessary to evaluate the possible production of mycotoxins by these fungi to determine a potential danger and to establish its epidemiology in order to develop adequate methods of control.     

Phytophagous and predaceous mites associated with vegetable crops from Riyadh,Saudi Arabia

This study was conducted to investigate phytophagous and predatory mites associated with vegetable plants in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Eight phytophagous and 10 predacious mites were collected from 14 species of vegetable crops covering five major production localities. Out of these 18 mite species, 13 species are new to the mite fauna of Saudi Arabia. In addition, the two species, Tenuipalpus punicae and Agistemus exsertus, are reported for the first time on vegetable crops in Saudi Arabia. For each mite species found, notes on host plant association and occurrence period are given. An illustrated key for the identification of the 18 mite species reported in this study is provided and this can be used to improve the IPM programs by applying the local natural predatory mites in controlling mite pests in Saudi Arabia.     

Cryptosporidiosis in young children suffering from diarrhoea in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

A one-year study of patients (0-120 months of age) with diarrhoea at King Abdel-Aziz University Hospital (KAUH) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, detected two cases of cryptosporidiosis. Stool specimens from 174 children with diarrhoea and negative for other parasitic infection were examined using a safranin-methylene blue stain (S-MB). Two children (L.1%) were showing Cryptosporidium oocysts. None of 50 control children who did not have diarrhoea and was free of Giardia lamblia was Cryptosporidium positive.     

Attitude and awareness of public towards genetic testing in Riyadh,Saudi Arabia

The current study was designed to evaluate the attitude of the Saudi general population towards knowledge, perception and awareness about genetic testing. Using a convenience sampling technique, an online survey was used to collect the data. The survey consisted of 16 questions that covered basic demographics and several scenarios that assess subjects’ perceptions regarding genetic testing. Answering all questions was required for completing the survey. Among 333 subjects, 53.5% were male, 18.9% were married, and 99.4% were muslims. Around 75% has/will have a bachelor degree. About 59% were students. About 87% would consider genetic testing before marriage and similar percentage would not consider conceiving a child if the genetic screening indicated that there is 100% chance the child will be born with genetic disorder. Neither marital status (Single = 87.04%, married = 87.30% (P = 0.955)) nor gender (male = 85.96, female = 88.39 (P = 0.509)) affected the aforementioned decision. When subjects were asked if they would choose abortion knowing that the embryo has a severe genetic disorder, 62.7% answered yes. In general, 80.4% were willing to be recruited into a genetics study, married subjects were more reluctant to be recruited compared to singles (30% and 17% (P = 0.018) respectively). There was no difference between males and females in the decision of joining a genetic study. Also 78.4% supported creation of genetic disease database and family maps. 69.7% of the participants supported government enforcement of the genetic testing, 56.2% supported government-run facilities for Saudi citizens to have genetic tests. We conclude that married people were in favor of genetic testing than the single counterparts, secondly, single status people supported the idea of having genetic tests before their marriage they were supportive of the idea of the government taking a leading role in enforcing the genetic testing and creation of the genetic banks.     

Pattern of intestinal parasitic infection in preschool children in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

A total of 1,167 stool specimens collected from 0.6-6 years old patients attending King Abdel Aziz University Hospital (KAUH) in Riyadh, were examined for intestinal parasites. Of these 243 (20.8%) were positive. Giardia lamblia (13.5) and Enterobius vermicularis (4.2%), were the commonest parasites found. Other parasites present include Ascaris lumbricoides, Entamoeba histolytica and Hymenolepis nana. Abdominal pain (38.6%) and diarrhoea (27.6%) were the most common causes of referral presented among both males and females examined groups. Out of 211 patients positive for different parasites and showing different causes of referral, 45.5% were accompanied with abdominal pain and 22.3% having pruritus ani, while the percentage of patients having diarrhoea and positive for different parasites (9.5%) are less. It has been concluded that diarrhoea is not a major sign of parasitic infestation in 0.6-6 years old age group. Other causes of referral include, loss of appetite, underweight and failure to thrive which are mainly associated with Giardia lamblia infection.     

Prevalence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in horses in Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia

The aim of the present study was to determine the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in horses used for sporting purposes in the Province of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In total, 266 serum samples from clinically healthy horses were analyzed for anti- T. gondii antibodies using the Sabin-Feldman dye test. Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 84 (31.6%) horses, with specific titers of 1∶16 (78 with a prevalence of 29.3%), 1∶64 (4 with a prevalence of 1.5%), and 1∶256 (2 with a prevalence of 0.8%). The number of seropositive horses in Shaqra (43.7%) was considerably higher than in other regions, with the lowest occurring in Al-Majmaah (11.0%). However, the differences in seroprevalence between the 6 locations were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). In contrast, the overall seroprevalence in Riyadh province was higher than that reported in other countries. Horses are not a direct source of infection for human toxoplasmosis in this region. Usually human infection is facilitated via cats, which are the reservoir hosts for this parasite.     

Preference of sweeteners among Saudi diabetes patients from a tertiary health care centre in Riyadh,Saudi Arabia

BackgroundChoice of sweetening options can influence glyceamic control among patients with diabetes. This study aims to investigate the preference of added sweeteners for Saudi patients with diabetes, factors associated with the choice of sweeteners and the attitude of the patients towards the use of artificial sweeteners.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study conducted at King Saud University Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and targeting Saudi patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Data was collected via personal interviews accessing medical records of interviewed patients. Patients were asked about consumption of sweeteners and types of consumed soft drinks on daily basis. Bi-variate analysis of the associations between choice of sweeteners and patients characteristics was performed and followed by binary logistic regression to adjust for potential confounders such as age, gender, and education level.ResultsA total of 302 Saudi diabetic patients were recruited in this investigation. Among this sample, frequency of patients reporting weekly consumption of white sugar was the highest (57%), followed by honey (26%) and artificial sweeteners (12% for powder form and 10.5% for tablets). Consumption of white sugar was significantly more frequent among patients with higher level of Body Mass Index (BMI) (P value < 0.05). The frequency of using honey was higher among females while consumption of either sugared or low calorie soft drinks was significantly higher among male patients (P values < 0.05). Upon asking the patients about their attitude towards artificial sweeteners, only 25% of the sample agreed that their use can aid in reduction of caloric intake while 35% of the sample agreed that artificial sweeteners can be harmful to the body.ConclusionsAmong this sample of type 2 diabetes patients, the frequency of white sugar and honey use as a sweetening option is high. These findings generate the need for further research to investigate the effectiveness of health education and nutritional advice among diabetes patients attending similar clinical settings in Saudi Arabia.     

Beetles associated with buried carcasses: potential forensic importance in Riyadh,Saudi Arabia

Burial has a special influence on carrion fauna, which may change the rate of decomposition and so affect postmortem estimates. This study aimed to identify species and succession of beetles on buried remains. From 28 January to 31 May 2021, we examined the Coleoptera on buried and exposed rabbit carcasses, on the campus of the University of King Saud in an area measured around 175 m by 250 m. The area is almost entirely devoid of flora, except for a few acacia trees and some common wild herbs. It is about 1 km away from residential neighborhoods. In total, 165 specimens belonging to 4 families were collected. The Tenebrionidae was the most abundant family, where it formed 52% at a depth of 20 cm and 78% at a depth of 40 cm in the buried carcasses, while the family Dermestidae was the most abundant in the surface carcasses, as it formed 53% of the insects sampled. Type Mesostena puncticollis Solier, 1835 (Tenebrionidae) predominated at exposed carcasses as well as at depths of 20, 40 cm and while type Dermestes frischii Kugelann, 1792 (Dermestidae), predominated at depth of 40 cm and exposed carcasses, and type Saprinus chalcites (Illiger, 1807) (Hisiteridae) at depth of 20 only. These findings are possibly useful in forensic investigations involving buried bodies in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.     

Analysis of insects colonised on human corpses during autopsy in Riyadh,Saudi Arabia

In medicolegal cases, an analysis of the presence of insects on human bodies may have potential legal significance. This study investigates the presence of insects on human bodies during autopsies in legal medicine. It was implemented in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Nine cadavers were examined, respectively, from four cases of homicide, two cases of burning, one suicide, one accident and one case of neglect. Insects associated with the human corpses were carefully collected and identified using valid taxonomic keys. Three of the cadavers were of children with ages ranging from seven months to nine years. In seven cases decomposition had occurred outdoors while in two cases it was indoors. Overall, eleven different species of insects were identified. Six of the cases exhibited species from five families within Diptera (Calliphoridae, Muscidae, Ulidiidae, Tachinidae and Sarcophagidae), specifically Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann), Musca domestica (Linnaeus), Tachinidae sp. (Bigot), Physiphora alceae (Preyssler) and Sarcophaga dux (Thompson). Six of the cadavers hosted beetles, which were identified as Dermestes maculatus (DeGeer), D. frischii (Kugelann), Necrobia rufipes (Fabricius), Nitidula bipunctata (Linnaeus), Pimelia interjecta (Solier) and Latridiidae sp. (Erichson). Moreover, the suicide corpse was colonised by more fly species than the other corpses, while the beetles colonised the homicide and accident corpses more than the other corpses. Analysis of the diversity of insects on human corpses may lead to advances in the understanding of forensic entomology and more sophisticated estimates of the minimum post‐mortem interval.     

Ecology of the Sand Boa,Eryx jayakari in Riyadh Region of Saudi Arabia

The ecology, feeding habits and sexual dimorphism in Arabian Sand Boa, Eryx jayakari from the Central region of Saudi Arabia, were studied. In this study the E. jayakari was recorded for the first time from several sites. Significant differences were noted in total length of body and tail, and body diameter of male and female. The females were of larger size. The mean number of the dorsal body scales, ventrals and subcaudal for both sexes were not significantly different. The mean number of the dorsal body scales, ventral body scales and subcaudal scales for the females was 43, 169 and 18 scales which were not significantly different from respectively ones in males 42, 168 and 18 scales. Frequent prey consumed were lizards (50%), rodents (25%) and arthropods (12.5%).     

Beetles succession on different microhabitats of small mammals in Riyadh,Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The decay of small carcasses is considerably neglected although it may provide important forensic data. This study differentiates the beetle species correlated with rat, Rattus norvegicus and mouse, Mus musculus (L. 1758) carcasses placed in two different habitats at King Saud University in western Riyadh. Decay processes and beetle succession were analyzed from January to February 2018. We collected an average of 268.67 beetles belonging to nine species from eight families, including Histeridae, Dermestidae, Cleridae, Tenebrionidae, Staphylinidae, Coccinellidae, Melolonthinae, and Pyrrhocoridae. Collected specimens were identified morphologically and by molecular techniques based on the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. Their presence rose in the bloated and decaying stages of decomposition. The beetle communities differed between the two habitats. In addition, a distinctive beetle community was found in the decaying stage compared to the other stages. The lowest number of beetles was reported in the dry stage. The abundance of beetles was associated with carcass size (rat or mouse) and habitat type.