Background and Objective: Hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are highly contagious pathogens that threaten medical waste handlers who are highly exposed to these viruses due to the nature of their work. To date, little data is available on the prevalence of viral markers (HBV, HCV, and HIV) among medical waste handlers in Sana'a city, Yemen. Hence, this work was conducted to enhance knowledge of the prevalence of viral markers among medical waste handlers working in some hospitals in the capital, Sana'a. Methods: A cross-sectional prospective study was conducted on 120 randomly selected medical waste handlers from January to June 2022. A pretested and designed questionnaire was used to collect the required data. Total 5mL of venous blood was collected. Then blood was tested for hepatitis B surface antigen and anti-HCV, as well as HIV antibody, were detected using a qualitative by rapid test cassette and positive results were confirmed by ELIZA technique. Results: The overall positive rates for HBsAg, anti-HCV, and HIV were 9.17%, 5.0%, and 0.0%, respectively, based on the rapid test. No significant differences were detected between socio-demographic characteristics and hepatitis B and HCV infection. High rates of hepatitis B and C infection were found in the age group ≥41 years (9.17%) and 21-30 years (8.77%), respectively. These two viruses have also been detected among married people with a history of acute infection between 7-9 times. There was a significant correlation between HBsAg positivity and history of blood transfusion as well as between HBsAg and anti-HCV positivity and history of hepatitis B vaccination. ELISA confirmed that the rate of HBsAg was 4.17% and anti-HCV was 2.5%. Conclusion: Appropriate training, immunization against HBV, and regular motivation of medical waste handlers on the practices of universal standard precautions are recommended to reduce transmission of hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and HIV among medical waste handlers. Peer Review History: Received: 4 May 2022; Revised: 14 June; Accepted: 27 June, Available online: 15 July 2022 Academic Editor: Dr. Muhammad Zahid Iqbal, AIMST University, Malaysia, drmmziqbal@gmail.com UJPR follows the most transparent and toughest ‘Advanced OPEN peer review’ system. The identity of the authors and, reviewers will be known to each other. This transparent process will help to eradicate any possible malicious/purposeful interference by any person (publishing staff, reviewer, editor, author, etc) during peer review. As a result of this unique system, all reviewers will get their due recognition and respect, once their names are published in the papers. We expect that, by publishing peer review reports with published papers, will be helpful to many authors for drafting their article according to the specifications. Auhors will remove any error of their article and they will improve their article(s) according to the previous reports displayed with published article(s). The main purpose of it is ‘to improve the quality of a candidate manuscript’. Our reviewers check the ‘strength and weakness of a manuscript honestly’. There will increase in the perfection, and transparency. Received file: Reviewer's Comments: Average Peer review marks at initial stage: 6.0/10 Average Peer review marks at publication stage: 7.5/10 Reviewers: Rusmir Baljic, Clinic for infectious diseases, Clinical center University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. rusmir.baljic@gmail.com Dr. Bilge Ahsen KARA, Ankara Gazi Mustafa Kemal Hospital, Turkey, ahsndkyc@gmail.com Prof. Dr. Hassan A.H. Al-Shamahy, Sana'a University, Yemen, shmahe@yemen.net.ye Dr. Jucimary Vieira dos Santos, Hemonorte Dalton Barbosa Cunha, Brazil, jucimaryvieira@yahoo.com.br Dr. Bilge Ahsen KARA, Ankara Gazi Mustafa Kemal Hospital, Turkey, ahsndkyc@gmail.com Similar Articles: PREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS A VIRUS, HEPATITIS B VIRUS, AND HEPATITIS C VIRUS, AMONG PATIENTS WITH HEPATIC JAUNDICE IN SANA’A CITY, YEMEN: A HOSPITAL BASED STUDY SERO-EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY OF HEPATITIS B, C, HIV AND TREPONEMA PALLIDUM AMONG BLOOD DONORS IN HODEIDA CITY- YEMEN EXPLOSION OF HEPATITIS B AND C VIRUSES AMONG HEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS AS A RESULT OF HEMODIALYSIS CRISIS IN YEMEN

Background: Intestinal parasites infection, malnutrition, and anemia are endemic among children living inpoor and developing low-income countries, particularly Yemen. Aims: The current study aims to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites, malnutrition, and anemia and their risk factors among orphaned children in Sana'a city, Yemen. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the orphanage between September 2020 and November 2023. One hundred and ninety-five (195) stool and blood samples were collected from orphan children aged 7-15 years. Intestinal parasites were examined using the formal ether concentration technique and hemoglobin was assessed using a Sysmex hematology analyzer. Result: Out of 195 specimens, 77(39.49%) were positive for parasite infection. The high rate of infections was among subjects aged between 10-12 years (43.9%), at primary schools (42.9%), didn’t have a history of parasite infection (48.9%), between 102-118 cms in height (48.6%), 11-30 kg in weight (49.4%), and underweight (40.1%) non-statistical differences (P > 0.05). The most predominant parasite was Entamoeba histolytica (17.4%), followed by Giardia lamblia (10.3%), Hymenolepis nana (6.2%), Ascaris lumbricoides (3.6%), and Enterobius vermicularis (3.6%). The prevalence of anemia was 19% and statistically significant with parasitic infection (P = 0.000) but not significantly to risk factors (P> 0.05). Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of intestinal parasites, anemia and malnutrition among the participating children, and this affects their health and life. Therefore, the implementation of control and prevention programs including improvement of health status, regular deworming practices with medication, health education, provision of appropriate food, and iron supplementation is required to reduce the incidence of malnutrition and anemia associated with intestinal parasitic infection. Peer Review History: Received: 20 February 2023; Revised: 16 March; Accepted: 18 April 2023, Available online: 15 May 2023 Academic Editor: Dr. Emmanuel O. Olorunsola, Department of Pharmaceutics & Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Uyo, Nigeria, olorunsolaeo@yahoo.com Received file:                             Reviewer's Comments: Average Peer review marks at initial stage: 5.0/10 Average Peer review marks at publication stage: 7.0/10 Reviewers: Dr. Bilge Ahsen KARA, Ankara Gazi Mustafa Kemal Hospital, Turkey, ahsndkyc@gmail.com Prof. Hassan A.H. Al-Shamahy, Sana'a University, Yemen, shmahe@yemen.net.ye

The throat carriage of Streptococcus pyogenes could play a crucial role in the transmission of infection to households and community settings. In Yemen, there is no information about S. pyogenes throat carriage among university students. This study aimed to find out the rate of asymptomatic throat carriage of Streptococcus pyogenes and its associated risk factors among medical students at Queen Arwa University in Sana’a City, Yemen. This cross-sectional study was conducted at Queen Arwa, between December 2022 and April 2023. A total of 300 throat swabs were randomly collected from medical university students. Streptococcus pyogenes was isolated and identified using standard bacteriological procedures. Additionally, the required data were obtained by using the designed questionnaire. Out of 300 specimens, 5 (1.7%) were positive for S. pyogenes throat carriage. The high rate of S. pyogenes was among females (2%), the age group of 25–30 years (8.3%), dental students (3.9%), and those who studied at the third level (3.7%). Additionally, the high rate of carriage was among those whose fathers’ were in the trading field (3.7%) and whose mothers were housewives (2%), whose fathers and mothers held a university certificate (2.9%) and primary school (6.5%), respectively, with a low income (12.5%), none of their families have a sore throat (2.1%), or a history of hospitalization (3.2%). There was a relatively low rate of S. pyogenes throat carriage in healthy medical students compared with international investigations. Standard precautions such as adequate hand and respiratory hygiene and avoiding overcrowded settings are used to prevent and control the transmission of GAS infections.

Background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a carcinogenic bacterium, it is the greatest risk factor for gastric cancer (GC), according to these evidences, there may be a certain association between chronic H. pylori infections and serum levels of tumor markers. This study was conducted to determine serum levels of some tumor markers, namely carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), cancer antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) and cancer antigen 72-4 (CA72-4) in patients with chronic H. pylori infections and evaluate the association between serum tumor marker levels and chronic patients with H. pylori infections in Ibb Governorate, Yemen. Subjects and methods: This study involved 200 patients who had been diagnosed with H. pylori infections using a serum immunochromatography antibody test. Stool and blood samples were collected from all patients to confirm the presence of H. pylori through detection of serum H. pylori IgG antibody and stool antigen test (SAT). Additionally, serum samples were analyzed to measurement the level of certain tumor markers CEA, CA19-9 and CA72-4. These tests were conducted at various Hospitals, Gastroenterology and Hepatology clinics in Ibb governorate, Yemen from October 2019 to November 2020. Results: The findings of current study showed that the prevalence of H. pylori infections by rapid anti H. pylori test were 200 (100%), 157 (78.5%) by serum H. pylori IgG antibody and 108 (54%) by SAT. In addition, the results showed that 42 (21%) of the patients had abnormal level of CEA, 30 (15%) had abnormal level of CA19-9 and 31 (15.5%) had abnormal level of CA72-4. Most importantly, the results indicated that the serum tumor marker levels CEA, CA19-9 and CA72-4 were correlated with the levels of serum H. pylori IgG antibody as well as positive results from the SAT (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the results indicated that serum tumor marker levels were associated with different infection status. Finally, the results indicated that the serum levels of tumor markers were associated with older ages, symptomatic patients and long duration of H. pylori infections (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The findings of this study indicated that there is a significant association between chronic H. pylori infections and the serum levels of tumor markers (CEA, CA19-9 and CA72-4). This suggests that the patients with active chronic H. pylori infection may have an increased risk of developing GC. Therefore, monitoring and early detection of H. pylori infection and tumor markers levels in these patients may be crucial for identifying individuals at higher risk and implementing appropriate interventions.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a blood-borne virus that causes acute or chronic hepatitis, depending on its severity, and its development leads to cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. This study aimed to detect HCV using the serological and molecular techniques among blood donors and clinical visitors in Amran governorate, Yemen. A total of 800 blood specimens were collected from blood donors (500 specimens) and clinical visitors (300 specimens). Blood specimens were screened for HCV using an immunochromatographic technique (ICT) and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the final positive cases for HCV were confirmed by nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR). Out of 800 specimens, only 21 (2.6%) were reported as positive for HCV by molecular analysis. According to diagnostic techniques, 18 (2.3%), 22 (2.7%), and 21 (2.6%), respectively, of specimens were reported as positive for HCV by ICT, ELISA, and PCR techniques. Moreover, a higher rate of HCV was found among participants aged 21–30 years (4.3%), females (2.5%), urban residents (2.7%), single individuals (3.1%), and uneducated individuals (6.1%). In addition, the proportion of HCV was significantly higher among participants with a family history of HCV infection (11.6%), previous surgery (30.8%), no blood transfusion (2.9%), prior cupping (9.1%), and perinatal injury (4.6%). This finding indicates that the prevalence rate of HCV infection in the study area is high. To protect the general public from the spread of HCV infection, it is essential to develop a public health approach including surveillance and monitoring, strengthening infrastructure, training healthcare workers in early detection and treatment of cases, and increasing public awareness.