COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the WHO in March 2020. The most promising strategy to control the pandemic was to develop a vaccine. However, vaccination hesitancy is a major threat to world public health. Understanding the reasons behind this hesitancy might help in developing encouragement strategies. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the knowledge and attitude toward the COVID-19 vaccine in Saudi Arabia. A total of 1599 responses were received; the overall vaccine acceptancy was 79.2%. Age, sex, and nationality of participants significantly predicted the vaccination status. A significantly higher proportion of participants, who reported being vaccinated, or intended to receive the vaccine, stated that the COVID-19 infection is dangerous, or varies from person to person; the vaccine is safe, and think there is a definite need for the vaccine (p < 0.001). The major encouragement factors to receive the vaccine were either confidence in the government decisions (54.8%), or the feeling of responsibility to stop the pandemic (48.7%), whereas the main discouraging factors were concerns about the insufficient clinical trials (11.4%), or the undiscovered side effects (11%). The results of this study indicate good acceptance toward the COVID-19 vaccine among residents of Saudi Arabia.

By the beginning of 2021, the battle against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains ongoing. Investigating the adaptive immune response against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes COVID-19, in patients who have recovered from this disease could contribute to our understanding of the natural host immune response. We enrolled 38 participants in this study. 7 healthy participants and 31 COVID-19 patients who had recovered from COVID-19 and categorized them into 3 groups according to their previous clinical presentations: 10 moderate, 9 mild, and 12 asymptomatic. Flow cytometry analysis of peripheral lymphocyte counts in recovered patients showed significantly increased levels of CD4+ T cells in patients with a history of mild and moderate COVID-19 symptoms compared with those healthy individuals (p < 0.05 and p < 0.0001 respectively). whereas no significant difference was observed in the CD8+ T cell percentage in COVID-19-recovered patients compared with healthy individuals. Our study demonstrated that antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (anti-S) IgG antibody production could be observed in all recovered COVID-19 patients, regardless of whether they were asymptomatic (p < 0.05)or presented with mild (p < 0.0001) or moderate symptoms (p < 0.01). Anti-S IgG antibodies could be detected in participants up to 90 days post-infection. In conclusion, the lymphocyte levels in recovered patients were associated with the clinical presentation of the disease, and further analysis is required to investigate relationships between different clinical presentations and lymphocyte activation and function.

Background: Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune condition triggered by gluten ingestion in genetically predisposed individuals. Management typically involves a strict gluten-free diet (GFD). However, there are limited data concerning adherence to GFD among adult CD patients in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, this study aimed to pilot test the assessment of knowledge, adherence to GFD, and barriers to adherence to GFD among adult celiac patients in Madinah, Saudi Arabia. Methods: Cross-sectional data were collected from 36 adults with celiac disease at King Fahad Hospital, Madinah (2021–2022). After obtaining consent, participants completed an online questionnaire covering sociodemographic data, GFD knowledge, adherence, and related barriers. Results: Only 33% of participants were aware of the Ministry of Health’s GFD support program, with 30.6% utilizing gluten-free products and 27.8% receiving financial assistance. Higher adherence scores were significantly associated with awareness of the program, reading nutrition labels, understanding GFD requirements, receiving financial support, and using separate utensils for gluten-free food preparation. The majority (58.3%) had not consulted a dietitian, and no significant association was found between dietitian consultation and GFD adherence. Poor knowledge and difficulty interpreting nutrition labels were reported as primary barriers. Conclusions: Improving public and patient awareness of the GFD and available support programs is essential in enhancing adherence among CD patients in Saudi Arabia. Healthcare providers should play a more active role in patient education and ongoing support.

Chronic kidney disease has a major impact on the quality of life and mortality, and affects nearly 10% of the global population, with 4.8% prevalence in Saudi Arabia, and the rates increase sharply with age. Despite advances in hemodialysis (HD) technology, several studies have demonstrated that it exposes patients to immune dysregulation, increasing vulnerability to infections and inflammation-related problems. This study aims to examine Complete Blood Count (CBC) alterations associated with HD, offering insight into hematological stability and immune cell dynamics that could refine patient monitoring and improve clinical outcomes. A total of 107 patients were included in this study, of whom 55.1% were male and 44.9% were female. According to our results, HD changes the dynamics of immune cells. Males showed higher percentages of neutrophils, while females showed higher counts of lymphocytes and monocytes before HD, indicating sex-based immune differences. Additionally, HD was linked to decreases in WBCs and RBC parameters, emphasizing immunological suppression and anemia as major clinical challenges. These results highlight the significance of taking age, sex, and comorbidities into account when interpreting CBC changes in HD patients. They also highlight the need for biomarkers and that accurately evaluate the immune and hematological health of this population.