Vector-borne diseases, particularly malaria and dengue fever, are responsible for over 700,000 deaths each year and represent more than 17% of all infectious diseases worldwide. This study aimed to study of Aedes mosquito in Jeddah City, KSA from November 2017 to October 2018. A cross-sectional study was conducted in randomly selected stations in urban localities of Jeddah City. Larvae and adults were collected using the recommended standard methods. The collected larvae and adults were taken to the laboratory for identification. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 24. From a total of 162062 breeding habitats a number of 12442 was found positive (7.7%). The breeding habitats air conditions tanks (a window air conditioner condensation) was represent most of the breeding habitats 19.9% followed underground water tanks 16.4% and agriculture basins 12.6%. House index was found high during November 2017 (17.8%) and January 2018 (18.6%) and lowest during May 2018 (5.1%). However container index was found high during October 2018 (16.5%), February 2018 (15.9%) and September 2018 (15.6%) and found low during August 2018 (6.2%). There was significance difference between house index and breatu index during dry and wet season, p<0.05. House index and breatu index were significantly found high during wet season compared to dry season. All the collected adult Aedes mosquito was identified as Ae. aegypti. In conclusion Ae. aegypti was prevalent in Jeddah City throughout the year. Urgent vector control activities is highly recommended.

Anopheline mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) consist of a large number of species. The distribution (Mapping) of malaria vectors is important for strategic planning and control strategies. Malaria risk within communities is usually associated with exposure to its vectors inside households (HHs) and necessarily with the existing larval habitats near the HHs. Studies were conducted from April 2020 to March 2022 in 4 areas/Hai of the Kodok locality (KL), Upper Nile State (UNS), Republic of South Sudan (RSS), to determine the indoor resting density and its seasonal changes, in addition to the number of Anopheles and other mosquitoes in a given room by adopting the pyrethrum spray sheet (PSS) collection technique for adults (80 HHs) and the dipping method for larval collection from 8 potential breeding sites. A total of 63,644 adults were collected and identified as follows: A. gambiae S.S. (68%), A. arabiensis (26%) and other mosquitoes (6%). The density / HH in the rainy- season (April -Oct.) varied between HHs; viz. A. gambiae s.s. (52-67) and A. arabiensis (20-28). In the dry -season (Nov. to March) the numbers were 2-12 and 0-5, respectively. A total of 7,704 larvae was collected, of which A. gambiae formed 88% and the other mosquitoes formed 12%, in the inspected breeding sites (384 visits). It is concluded that several Anopheles species are present in KL. A. gambiae is the dominant species during both dry -and wet –seasons. Densities were higher in the wet- than the dry-season. This information must be seriously considered during the vector control (VC) programs.

Globally mosquito-borne diseases (MBDs) represent a real public health problem especially those transmitted via Aedes mosquitoes. Among these Aedes vittatus Bigot plays an important role in the transmission of some arboviruses viz yellow fever, dengue fever, Zika, and chikungunya viruses. Several regions in Sudan suffered from Aedes-borne diseases, especially dengue fever, and yellow fever. Entomological surveys were conducted in Kassala State, eastern Sudan to determine the mosquito fauna. A total of 4,682 adult mosquitoes were collected and identified. These included Anopheles arabiensis, Culex quinquefasciatus, Cx. pipiens, Ae. aegypti, and Ae. Vittatus. This is the first detection of Ae. vittatus in Kassala State, Sudan. The detection of Ae. Vittatus might indicate a risk for transmission of some arboviruses in the area. Therefore, more studies are needed to determine the spread and the possible public health risks due to this invasive mosquito species in Kassala State and other neighboring states.

Resting behavior and seasonal variation of mosquitoes are of a high degree of importance in the planning of vector control programs and should be well known. A study was carried out to determine the current resting behavior, and the seasonal variation of the malaria vector Anopheles arabiensis in selected sentinel sites in River Nile State, Sudan. Mosquitoes were collected in three different seasons; dry- cold, hot- dry, and wet-season. Mosquitoes were collected from the possible resting places at indoor and outdoor sites in four selected sentinel sites. Mosquitoes showed a preference for both indoor and outdoor resting. Anopheles arabiensis showed a marked seasonal fluctuation in the occurrence with its peaks of abundance in March, November, and January. The findings of the study might indicate a risk of indoor malaria transmission, therefore, control measures like indoor residual spray should be considered to suppress mosquito population and reduce the possibility of malaria and other vector-borne diseases transmission in the state.

In the Sudan, the indoor residual spraying (IRS) campaigns currently depend on spraying the carbamate insecticide Bendiocarb (2, 2 dimethyl-2H-1,3-benzodioxol-4-yl methyl carbamate; Ficam® 80% WP) at 200 mg/m² against Anopheles arabiensis Patton (Diptera: Culicidae) and other mosquitoes and some household pests. Households building materials in the targeted villages are mainly constructed by using different local materials (wood and straw), mud bricks and a third group use cement in their walls. The residual activity (persistence) of Bendiocarb on the different building substrates/materials (viz. straw, mud, cement), and glass, which is used as non-absorbent substrate was determined. The susceptibility of mosquitoes to Bendiocarb was tested using 5 concentrations (i.e. 80, 40, 20, 10, 5, 2.5 ppm). Ten adults were exposed for 24 hr. to each of these concentrations, which was replicated 4x, and the experiment was repeated twice. The substrates were attached to the wall and Bendiocarb was sprayed as recommended by WHO; WHO recommended bioassay tests were carried out for evaluation using standard WHO cones. The LC50 proved to be 58ppm and LC90 143 ppm, and the slope of log-dose-probability line (Ld-P lines) 3.04. During the first months 100% mortality was obtained for the different substrates. The 2nd month tests showed 100% mortality for all substrates, except cement (92.5% mortality). In the 3rd month, the mortality rate was 100% on straw and glass, but 95% and 87.5% mortality were registered on mud and cement, respectively. The 4th month results were 60, 72.5, 80, and 90% mortality on cement, mud, straw and glass, following the same order. However, after 5 months, the mortality was: 25% for cement, 35% for mud, 42% for straw, and 65% for glass. It is concluded that the cement is the substrate in which the Bendiocarb performance was the lowest of the 4 tested materials. Bendiocarb stayed longer in mud building material, followed by the straw. In the glass substrate, Bendiocarb persisted longer than all the other substrates, which could be attributed to its nature as not absorbent and inert material. Therefore, Bendiocarb should be used as an effective IRS insecticide against A. arabiensis at 200 mg/m² and for the tested building materials, treatment should be at least 2x / yr.

Currently mosquitoes control is the cornerstone to minimize the rising number of mosquito borne diseases. There is an urgent need looking for alternatives to the current reliance on synthetic insecticides for the vectors control. Application of active toxic agents from plant extracts as an alternative control strategy was available from ancient times. These are non-toxic, easily available at affordable prices, biodegradable and show broad-spectrum target-specific activities against different species of vectors. Natural products with repellency properties are urgently needed. An insect repellent works by masking human scent, and a number of natural and synthetic mosquito repellents were studied. The main aim of this study was to identify the phytochemicals and compare their potentials as mosquito repellents from the ethanol (Et. OH) and hexane (hex) leaf extracts (LEs) of Ocimum basilicum, Coleus forskohlii, Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Cymbopogon flexuosus under laboratory conditions at 50 and 100% concentrations. Phytochemical analysis showed that alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, terpenes, tannins and terpenoids were present/or absent in the 4 plant-LEs. At 50% concentration of Et. OH extracts, C. forskohlii exhibited higher repellency potential on Anopheles gambiae with protection time of 137.3 min, while O. basilicum, E. camaldulensis and Cy. flexuosus registered protection time of 30.6, 15.3 and 19 min, respectively. At 100% concentration of ethanol- extracts, C. forskohlii caused the highest protection time against the vector with protection time of 182 min. O. basilicum, E. camaldulensis and Cy. flexuosus were equally less potent against the insect, with protection time 42.6, 32.6 and 28 min, respectively. Regarding hex-extract, at 50% concentration of C. forskohlii, the highest repellency potential , with protection time of 174 was registered, while O. basilicum, E. camaldulensis and Cy. flexuosus registered protection times of 44, 18 and 28.6 min, respectively. However, the 100% concentration of Et. OH-extracts of, C. forskohlii and O. basilicum exhibited the highest protection time, with protection times of 228 and 116min, respectively. E. camaldulensis and Cy. flexuosus were less potent, with protection times 28.6 and 54.6 min, respectively. The EOs of C. forskohlii and O. basilicum L EOs proved to have potentials as repellency agents against Anopheles. GC-MS analysis of the extracts identified the compounds of both solvents extracts and the terpens were the major compounds. According to the results, further studies are required, especially on the extracts of basil and coleus since they proved to be effective.

This study was conducted to determine the gossypol content in Bt cottonseed (Seeni-1) oil by using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy with an Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) element. The wavelengths used were selected by spiking refined, bleached deodorized palm oil (RBDPO) to gossypol concentrations of 0-5% and noting the regions of maximal absorbance. Absorbance values of the wavelength regions 3700-2400 & 1900-750 cm−1 and a partial least squares (PLS) method were used to derive calibration models for Hamid cottonseed oil, Seeni-1 cottonseed oil, and gossypol-spiked RBDPO. The coefficients of determination (R2) for the calibration models were computed for the FTIR spectroscopy results against those found by using the wet chemical method AOCS method Ba 8–78. The R2 was 0.8916, 0.9581, and 0.9374 for Hamid cottonseed oil, Seeni-1 cottonseed oil, and gossypol-spiked RBDPO, respectively. The standard error (SE) of the calibration was 0.053, 0.078, and 0.062, respectively. The calibration models were validated using the cross-validation technique within the same set of oil samples. The results of FTIR spectroscopy as a useful technique determining gossypol content in crude cottonseed oil showed that there is a significant difference (p <0.05) in the amount of gossypol content in Hamid and Bt Seeni-1 cottonseed oils.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death globally. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays an important role in cell proliferation and signaling. In this study, we examined the association between EGFR gene polymorphisms and lung cancer risk among the Jordanian population. A total of 129 patients with primary lung cancer and 129 matched healthy controls were recruited into this study. EGFR rs712829, rs712830, rs2072454, and rs11543848 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped to test for their association with lung cancer risk. A significant association was observed between the rs712829 SNP and lung cancer risk (p < 0.05) where the GG + GT genotypes were higher in lung cancer patients when compared to controls. In addition, no association was detected between rs712830, rs2072454, and rs11543848 SNPs and lung cancer risk. When patients were stratified according to the lung cancer type, a significant association was detected between both rs712829 and rs2072454 and adenocarcinoma lung cancer (p < 0.05). Haplotype analysis of all four SNPs showed a significant association between the TCCG haplotype and both lung cancer and the adenocarcinoma subtype (p < 0.001). In conclusion, EGFR rs712829, rs2072454 SNPs, and TCCG haplotypes are associated with a risk of lung cancer among Jordanians. Since genetic associations are affected by the genetic background of populations, more studies in other Arab populations are required to confirm the present findings.

Background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is considered the main cause of gastritis, peptic ulcer and gastric carcinoma in the human populations. H. pylori infection influences the secretion level of several proinflammatory cytokines including IL-1 beta, which encoded by the IL-1B gene. Objective: The current study aimed to investigate whether IL-1B gene polymorphisms are associated with H. pylori infection among the Jordanian population and responses to triple therapy. Subjects and Methods: The gastroscopic examination was performed on 412 subjects for H. pylori infection diagnosis, 257 subjects were found to be infected by H. Pylori (positive cases), whereas 155 subjects were uninfected (negative controls). The IL-1B gene T-31C and C3954T polymorphisms were genotyped by PCR-RFLP. Results: It was found that the T-31C polymorphism has a significant association with H. pylori infection (P<0.05), and the TT genotype frequency was significantly higher in infected subjects (50.2%) compared to controls (38.7%). On the other hand, no significant association was detected between C3954T SNPs and H. pylori infection among the Jordanian population. In addition, none of the examined polymorphisms were found to influence the responses to triple therapy. Conclusion: The IL-1B gene T-31C SNP might be associated with an enhanced risk of H. pylori infection among the Jordanian population.

Infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is very common and affecting about 50% of the worldwide population. Several genetic variations have been implicated in determining the clinical susceptibility to this infection. In the current study, we examined the association between C1236T (rs1045642) and C3435T (rs1045642) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the ABCB1 gene and the prevalence of H. pylori infection among Jordanians. A total of 412 subjects (257 H. pylori-positive cases and 155 H. pylori-negative controls) were recruited and participated in the study, and the genotyping of the ABCB1 gene was performed using RFLP-PCR techniques. A significant association was detected between C1236T and H. pylori infection (p < 0.01). The frequency of CT genotype was significantly higher in the positive cases (40.1%) compared to the controls (21.3%). In addition, the C3435T SNP was weakly associated with H. pylori infection (p = 0.077). Haplotype analysis of C1236T and C3435T SNPs showed that the TT haplotype was present in 22.7% of the positive cases compared to 30.7% of the negative controls (p < 0.05, odds ratio = 0.663, 95% CI: (0.483–0.911)). Consequently, the TT haplotype seems to decrease the risk of H. pylori infection. In conclusion, the current results suggest an association between ABCB1 SNPs and H. pylori infection in the Jordanian population.

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a tyrosine kinase cell surface protein that plays a role in the process of carcinogenesis. In this study, we investigated the association between EGFR rs2233947 and rs884225 SNPs and the risk of lung cancer. A total of 258 participants (129 lung cancer patients and 129 healthy controls) took part in the study. Restriction fragment length polymorphism-polymerase chain reaction (RFLP-PCR) technique was used to genotype EGFR SNPs. A strong association was detected between rs2233947 and lung cancer (P<0.01). Compared with the rs2293347 GG genotype, the AA/AG genotypes were associated with a significantly decreased risk of lung cancer (adjusted OR = 0.28, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.13-0.61, P<0.01). EGFR rs2233947 correlated with lung cancer in males, smokers, and in the squamous cell carcinoma lung cancer subtype (P<0.01). Haplotype analysis of rs2233947 and rs884225 showed that the AA haplotype was associated with a significantly decreased risk of lung cancer (P<0.01). The data presented in the current study support a protective role for the rs2233947 A allele against the development of lung cancer. This result, however, requires further validation in a larger population.

Background Several studies found that physicians develop a negative attitude toward biochemistry and genetics disciplines. Many medical schools adopt an integrated system-based curriculum supplemented with clinical correlations. Medical schools in Jordan switched to the integrated curriculum; however, studies that evaluate the attitude of physicians toward biochemistry and genetics are lacking. Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the attitude of physicians toward biochemistry and genetics including the correlation of their curricula with clinical practice. Materials and Methods A structured questionnaire consisting of 40 statements was distributed to a random sample of 616 physicians practicing in private and governmental hospitals in Jordan. Participants earned their MD or MBBS degree from Jordan or other countries and were interns, residents, or specialists. Results More than half of the participants admitted that biochemistry and genetics are intellectually challenging and were among their least favourite subjects (59.1%); however, many of them were familiar with some of the contemporary advances in biochemistry and genetics and their translational potential (64.0%). Most of the participants felt that modifying the medical school curriculum by integrating biochemical and genetic concepts with clinical teaching will motivate the medical students (74%). In univariate analysis, residents showed the most positive attitudes and were the most knowledgeable about the biochemical changes associated with diseases and about the contemporary advances in biochemistry or genetics (P < 0.05). In multivariate analysis, physicians practicing in the private sector or those with more than five years of experience generally had a more positive attitude toward biochemistry and genetics (P < 0.05). Conclusion Physicians in Jordan showed an overall positive attitude toward biochemistry and genetics. This was more evident among residents, physicians with more than five years of experience, or those practicing in the private sector.

This study was initiated to investigate the level of chromium III in Gezira Tannery Wastewater and compare with the permissible limit stander for chromium III. Samples of Gezira Tannery Corporation (GTC) wastewater (WW) were collected from both the mouth and the tail of the drainage stream. These samples were analyzed to determine the concentrations of Cr using atomic absorption spectrometric (AAS) method. Results of AAS method showed high quantities of Cr III (1.85%), i.e. above the WHO permissible limit (0.0001%).

Makkah (western Saudi Arabia) is one of the endemic areas of dengue fever. The efficacy of outdoor Ultra-low Volume ( UL) with cyfluthrin 5% EW, and indoor thermal fogging (TF) with deltamethrin 2% EW as space spraying (SS), at the recommended and higher dose for controlling of Aedes aegypti were evaluated in Alsharayie area of the city, following WHO standard protocols. Bioassay tests for females were carried out for sugarfed adults upon emergence (1-5) days. The efficacy of UL at different distances from the spray path (5, 15, 25, 40 and 50 m), and TF at 5 locations inside the house (center, corner, dark, window and hall) was also investigated. The data showed that the SS efficacy was significantly affected by the dose applied of pyrethroid. Tested distances from the spray path did not affect UL efficacy. Similarly, the locations of the cages indoor showed no difference on the performance of TF. However, it was observed that the TF efficiency was affected by the volume/size of the sprayed area, i.e. ≤20 m inside the rooms (73.8 to 96.6 %), compared with ≥30 m hall (57.7 to 79.7%). Regarding KdT, adults were rapidly knocked-down with UL (cyfluthrin) 29 min, when compared to TF (deltamethrin) 40 min. The results revealed that the LC50 and LC90 values for cyfluthrin against Ae. aegypti were 0.026 mg/L and 0.05 mg/L, respectively. While the respective values for deltamethrin were 0.008 mg/L and 0.015 mg/L. It can be concluded that the two pyrethroids are not effective at currently recommended doses SS against adult. Doses 300mg/L of cyfluthrin, and 160mg/L of deltamethrin proved to be more effective and recommended for the control of this vector.