Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a prevalent form of urinary tract diseases affecting individuals of all ages and genders. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), UTIs are a significant burden on the healthcare system, comprising 10% of all infections and ranking as the second leading cause of emergency department admissions. Despite this, limited research has been conducted in Saudi Arabia, particularly in Jazan Province, located in the southwestern region. Methods: This retrospective, cross-sectional study encompassed individuals with positive urine cultures who sought care at a tertiary hospital in Jazan between January 2022 and March 2023. A standardized data collection form was utilized to retrieve relevant information from microbiology lab test results and patients’ electronic medical records. Variables such as sex, urine sample collection date, bacterial isolates, antibiotic sensitivity, and resistance were collected using the data collection form. Data were analyzed using SPSS software, version 23.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Results: A total of 1082 urinary bacterial samples were isolated and identified. Females accounted for more bacterial infections (62.66%) than males (37.34%). Gram-negative bacteria represented 94% of all isolated strains. The most prevalent pathogens associated with UTIs were Escherichia coli (47.97%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (24.58%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (11.55%). Antimicrobial resistance patterns indicated the presence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) (30.13%), carbapenemase-resistant Enterobacter (CRE) (1.94%), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (0.74%), and vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE) (0.18%). UTI incidence demonstrated a higher prevalence in September (13%) compared to other months in 2022. Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the predominant Gram-negative multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO), accounting for 34.42%, 13.95%, and 1.63% of the population. Conclusions: The prevalence of UTIs caused by antibiotic-resistant microbes is notable in Jazan. Consistent with findings from other regions, Escherichia coli remains the most common causative pathogen of UTIs, displaying a seasonal pattern that warrants attention. Approximately 35% of reported cases involve MDRO, with ESBLs accounting for 30%. These results should raise concerns among healthcare officials, highlighting the necessity for further investigations into factors contributing to the circulation of MDRO in Jazan.

Background and Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic affects various populations worldwide. The discovery of vaccinations was necessary for the prevention and elimination of the disease. Despite the high importance of these vaccinations, they may cause some complications, such as ocular complications. This study aims to draw attention to the possible complications of the vaccination and highlight its importance. Materials and Methods: Systematic review of the literature from January 2021 to January 2023. A total of 20 published articles were included and reported cases of ocular complications in patients who received COVID-19 vaccines. Results: A total of 243 patients with verified ocular complications following the COVID-19 vaccination were included, ranging in age from 18 to 84 years. The most common ocular complications reported in the current study were ocular inflammatory complications, which represented 47.3%, followed by optic neuritis (24.3%). Retinal artery occlusion, retinal vein occlusion, acute macular neuroretinopathy, and paracentral acute middle maculopathy represented 10.7%. Herpetic ocular infections and herpetic eye disease (14%). Nearly half (42%) of the patients with ocular problems received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination. Conclusions: Despite the high importance of the COVID-19 vaccination, it was found that it is associated with the occurrence of some ocular complications. Future projects should come with more extensive prospective studies to further elucidate the underlying mechanisms and risk factors associated with ocular complications following COVID-19 vaccination, thereby enhancing our understanding and guiding appropriate management strategies.

Background and Aims: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a prevalent bacterial infection that has substantial implications for healthcare on a global scale. Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) is a gram‐negative rod responsible for most UTI cases. ESBL‐producing E. coli is widely recognized as a significant contributor to antibiotic resistance. This study aims to evaluate the prevalence and antibiotic resistance trends of ESBL‐producing E. coli in patients with UTIs at a tertiary hospital in Jazan, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A retrospective cross‐sectional analysis was conducted on 347 urine specimens collected between January 2022 and March 2023. Results: The study found that 31% of E. coli specimens were positive for ESBL. Among patients with ESBL‐producing E. coli , 78.9% were females, and the majority of ESBL‐producing E. coli cases were observed in the outpatient clinic departments. Among all E. coli isolates, ampicillin exhibited the highest resistance rate at 69.3%, aztreonam at 66.7%, and colistin at the lowest resistance. ESBL‐producing E. coli strains exhibited higher resistance rates than non‐ESBL‐producing E. coli strains. Conclusion: The study agrees with others in the region and shows a higher prevalence of ESBL‐producing E. coli in the region, emphasizing the importance of antibiotic stewardship programs and infection control measures to mitigate the prevalence and spread of ESBL‐producing E. coli in our region.

Background Amblyopia is a vision disorder that results from a development problem in the brain rather than a neurological disease in the eye. The condition causes reduced visual acuity in one or both eyes due to the brain's inability to process inputs, rather than a structural abnormality. This study aims to assess parents’ awareness, knowledge, and perception of amblyopia in their children in the Jazan region, Saudi Arabia. Methods This is a cross-sectional study that used an electronic questionnaire consisting of five main sections to assess the level of awareness of amblyopia among parents in the Jazan region. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS v.25, IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA) was utilized to input the data. The degree to which participants' level of awareness was related to variables such as age, gender, and educational level was assessed through the chi-square test (χ2), and any values that scored p-values under 0.05 were deemed statistically significant. Results The analysis included 572 participants, 395 mothers (69.0%) and 177 fathers (31.0%). The age groups of the participants were divided into 36-45 years (38.0%), 26-35 years (36.0%), and above 46 years (17.0%). Out of the total, 36 participants (6.0%) had a history of amblyopia, and 73 (13.0%) had a child who suffered from amblyopia. The findings showed that only 18 participants (3.1%) had a good awareness of amblyopia, while 242 (42.3%) had a fair level of awareness. Most participants, 312 (54.5%), were classified as having a poor awareness level of amblyopia. Parents with postgraduate degrees, those with prior awareness, and parents whose children had eye diseases demonstrated higher levels of good awareness. However, gender, age, and residency did not have significant associations with awareness levels. Conclusion While parents must be involved in managing amblyopia, our research found that more than half of the parents surveyed had a limited understanding of various aspects of the disease, which can cause permanent damage to their child's vision. Therefore, we recommend implementing health education programs to increase awareness and knowledge about amblyopia in Jazan.