Background and Objectives: Preventive, adjunctive and curative properties of lactoferrin have been evaluated since the first wave of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), a viral respiratory disease, emerged 18 years ago. Despite the discovery of new vaccine candidates, there is currently no widely approved treatment for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). Strict adherence to infection prevention and control procedures, as well as vaccines, can, however, prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of lactoferrin treatment in improving clinical symptoms and laboratory indices among individuals with mild to moderate coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). Materials and Method: A randomized, prospective, interventional pilot study conducted between 8 July and 18 September 2020 used a hospital-based sample of 54 laboratory-confirmed participants with mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19. Randomization into a control and two treatment groups ensured all groups received the approved Egyptian COVID-19 management protocol; only treatment group participants received lactoferrin at different doses for seven days. Clinical symptoms and laboratory indices were assessed on Days 0, 2 and 7 after starting treatments. Mean values with standard deviation and one-way analysis of variance with least significant difference of demographic and laboratory data between control and treatment groups were calculated. Results: Our study showed no statistically significant difference among studied groups regarding recovery of symptoms or laboratory improvement. Conclusions: Further research into therapeutic properties particularly related to dosage, duration and follow-up after treatment with lactoferrin in individuals with COVID-19 is required.

Background: The emergence of multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) Escherichia coli (E. coli) and virulent non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) poses a growing concern to the meat industry. Non-O157 STEC strains including O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145 have been implicated in the occurrence of bloody diarrhea and hemolytic uremic syndrome in humans. This research assessed prevalence, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass-spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) protein mass-spectra profiles, multidrug-resistance traits, polymerase chain reaction detection of virulence, and antibiotic-resistance genes of E. coli isolated from beef carcasses and slaughterhouse environments. Methods: A total of 180 convenience sponge samples were collected from two different sources-specific parts of beef carcasses and surfaces of the processing environment at the slaughterhouse of Ha′il, Saudi Arabia between September and November 2020. MALDI BioTyper and phylotype-based identification methods accurately identified and classified the samples as belonging to the genus belonging to the Escherichia coli domain of bacteria (NCBI txid: 562). Results: Expected changes were seen in the mass peak spectrum defining nine closely related isolates and four unrelated E. coli isolates. Serological typing of E. coli revealed enterotoxigenic E. coli O166 (19.10%); enteropathogenic E. coli O146 (16.36%) and O44 (18.18%); enterohemorrhagic E. coli O111 (31.18%) and O26 (14.54%). Forty-five percent of examined E. coli were resistant to seven antimicrobials; 75% of 20 selected isolates were resistant to three or more antimicrobials. phoA and bla_TEM genes were detected in all selected E. coli isolates. Conclusion: This study confirmed the efficiency and validity of Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass-spectrometry in screening for multi-drug resistant E. coli isolated from slaughterhouse derived beef carcasses in Ha’il, Saudi Arabia. We contributed by revealing the distinction between related and non-related strains of E.coli in livestock. The findings in this study can inform improved policy development decision making and resource allocation related to livestock processing regarding antimicrobial use in food animals and rapid screening for effective multiple antibiotic resistance E. coli and virulent non-O157 STEC control in the slaughterhouses.

Photovoice is a transformative tool for improving health outcomes among people living with mental ill-health (PLWMI), fostering empowerment and social change. Only one meta-analysis has evaluated the effectiveness of photovoice for mental health outcomes. However, the study focused on various health conditions and only addressed two mental health outcomes. With an exclusive focus on mental health and stigma, this meta-analysis aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of photovoice’s impact on eight mental health and stigma-related outcomes in PLWMI and healthcare providers (HCPs). The study included seven randomised control trials (Sample size (n)=754), retrieved from electronic databases including Cochrane Trials, CINAHL Plus, ProQuest, Medline, PsychInfo, and Google Scholar, published between 2013 and 2023. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted to calculate effect sizes (Cohen’s d (d)). The study protocol was pre-registered on PROSPERO (CRD42023476867). Results showed significant improvements in mental health outcomes for PLWMI. Photovoice led to reductions in social withdrawal (n = 318; d, 95% CI = -0.20, -0.41 to 0.00) and depression (n = 267; d, 95% CI = -0.23, -0.45 to -0.02). Additionally, it increased self-efficacy (n = 267; d, 95% CI = 0.22, 0.00 to 0.44) and recovery (n = 285; d, 95% CI = 0.19, -0.02 to 0.41). However, there was a decrease in stigma resistance (n = 318; d, 95% CI = -0.13, -0.36 to 0.10). Among HCPs, there were significant improvements in both stigma and mental health-related outcomes, with reductions in anger (n = 330; d, 95% CI = -1.05, -2.79 to 0.69), social distance (n = 418; d, 95% CI = -1.41, -3.02 to 1.03), and the perception of danger (n = 115; d, 95% CI = -1.80, -5.04 to 1.44). The findings highlight the potential of photovoice as an effective intervention for improving mental health outcomes and reducing stigma in both PLWMI and HCPs. Consequently, photovoice can play a crucial role in enhancing the well-being of PLWMI and in transforming HCP attitudes within healthcare settings.

Non-pharmacological interventions including mobility restriction have been developed to curb transmission of SARS-CoV-2. We provided precise estimates of disease burden and examined the impact of mobility restriction on reducing the COVID-19 effective reproduction number in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This study involved secondary analysis of open-access COVID-19 data obtained from different sources between 2 March and 26 December 2020. The dependent and main independent variables of interest were the effective reproduction number and anonymized mobility indices, respectively. Multiple linear regression was used to investigate the relationship between the community mobility change and the effective reproduction number for COVID-19. By 26 December 2020, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Saudi Arabia reached 360,690, with a cumulative incidence rate of 105.41/10,000 population. Al Jouf, Northern Border, and Jazan regions were ≥2.5 times (OR = 2.93; 95% CI: 1.29–6.64), (OR = 2.50; 95% CI: 1.08–5.81), and (OR = 2.51; 95% CI: 1.09–5.79) more likely to have a higher case fatality rate than Riyadh, the capital. Mobility changes in public and residential areas were significant predictors of the COVID-19 effective reproduction number. This study demonstrated that community mobility restrictions effectively control transmission of the COVID-19 virus.