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Knowledge and attitude towards the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus among healthcare personnel in the southern region of Saudi Arabia.
J Infect Public Health. 2018 Sep - Oct; 11(5):720-722.JI

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) belongs to the family Coronaviridae, and is named for the crown-like spikes on its surface. The clinical presentation of MERS-CoV infection ranges from asymptomatic to very severe disease, and the classical presentation includes fever, cough chills, sore throat, myalgia, and arthralgia.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study of 339 healthcare personnel was conducted over an 8-month period in the Aseer region of Saudi Arabia using a structured survey that included demographic information and questions testing participant's knowledge.

RESULTS

Approximately two-thirds of the respondents properly identified the causative agent of MERS-CoV as an RNA virus (66.4%, n=225) that is enveloped (68.1%, n=231). On the other hand, few respondents identified the proper number of strains or the genus (16.5% and 17.4%, respectively). More than half of the study sample identified the disease as zoonotic (57.2%, n=194). Similarly, 89.1% (n=302) identified that camels and bats are prone to infection with coronaviruses. Only 23.9% (n=81) properly identified March through May as the season with the highest transmission rate. There was a massive lack of adequate knowledge regarding prevalence of antibodies. Only 18.3% (n=62) of respondents identified PCR as the proper diagnostic confirmatory test for MERS-CoV infection. Regarding MERS-CoV clinical features, 76.4% (n=259) recognized the presence of sub-clinical infection, 64.7% (n=218) indicated that cases should be immediately isolated, and 46.9% (n=159) identified the main cause of mortality as respiratory failure.

CONCLUSIONS

There is limited microbiological and virological knowledge of MERS-CoV infection among healthcare personnel in the southern region of Saudi Arabia, although the clinical aspects are known.

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Authors+Show Affiliations

Abbag HF
College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: Huda-fuad@hotmail.com.
El-Mekki AA
Department of Microbiology & Clinical Parasitology, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abba, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: aaelmekki@gmail.com.
Al Bshabshe AAA
Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: albshabshe@icloud.com.
Mahfouz AA
Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Khalid University Supervisor Joint Program, Saudi Board of Community Medicine, Abha, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: mahfouz2005@gmail.com.
Al-Dosry AA
College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: ahasen199344@gmail.com.
Mirdad RT
College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: rashamirdad1995@hotmail.com.
AlKhttabi NF
College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: nora9fahad@gmail.com.
Abbag LF
College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: fu.lubna@gmail.com.

MeSH

AdolescentAdultAnimalsCoronavirus InfectionsCross-Sectional StudiesDisease Transmission, InfectiousFemaleHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeHealth PersonnelHumansMaleMiddle AgedPrevalenceProfessional CompetenceSaudi ArabiaYoung AdultZoonoses

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article

Language

eng

PubMed ID

29525570

Citation

Abbag, Huda F., et al. "Knowledge and Attitude Towards the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Among Healthcare Personnel in the Southern Region of Saudi Arabia." Journal of Infection and Public Health, vol. 11, no. 5, 2018, pp. 720-722.
Abbag HF, El-Mekki AA, Al Bshabshe AAA, et al. Knowledge and attitude towards the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus among healthcare personnel in the southern region of Saudi Arabia. J Infect Public Health. 2018;11(5):720-722.
Abbag, H. F., El-Mekki, A. A., Al Bshabshe, A. A. A., Mahfouz, A. A., Al-Dosry, A. A., Mirdad, R. T., AlKhttabi, N. F., & Abbag, L. F. (2018). Knowledge and attitude towards the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus among healthcare personnel in the southern region of Saudi Arabia. Journal of Infection and Public Health, 11(5), 720-722. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiph.2018.02.001
Abbag HF, et al. Knowledge and Attitude Towards the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Among Healthcare Personnel in the Southern Region of Saudi Arabia. J Infect Public Health. 2018 Sep - Oct;11(5):720-722. PubMed PMID: 29525570.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Knowledge and attitude towards the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus among healthcare personnel in the southern region of Saudi Arabia. AU - Abbag,Huda F, AU - El-Mekki,Awad A, AU - Al Bshabshe,Ali A Ali, AU - Mahfouz,Ahmed A, AU - Al-Dosry,Ahasen A, AU - Mirdad,Rasha T, AU - AlKhttabi,Nora F, AU - Abbag,Lubna F, Y1 - 2018/03/08/ PY - 2017/09/14/received PY - 2018/01/25/revised PY - 2018/02/18/accepted PY - 2018/3/12/pubmed PY - 2018/11/7/medline PY - 2018/3/12/entrez KW - Attitude KW - Coronavirus KW - Healthcare personnel KW - Knowledge KW - Middle East respiratory syndrome SP - 720 EP - 722 JF - Journal of infection and public health JO - J Infect Public Health VL - 11 IS - 5 N2 - INTRODUCTION: Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) belongs to the family Coronaviridae, and is named for the crown-like spikes on its surface. The clinical presentation of MERS-CoV infection ranges from asymptomatic to very severe disease, and the classical presentation includes fever, cough chills, sore throat, myalgia, and arthralgia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 339 healthcare personnel was conducted over an 8-month period in the Aseer region of Saudi Arabia using a structured survey that included demographic information and questions testing participant's knowledge. RESULTS: Approximately two-thirds of the respondents properly identified the causative agent of MERS-CoV as an RNA virus (66.4%, n=225) that is enveloped (68.1%, n=231). On the other hand, few respondents identified the proper number of strains or the genus (16.5% and 17.4%, respectively). More than half of the study sample identified the disease as zoonotic (57.2%, n=194). Similarly, 89.1% (n=302) identified that camels and bats are prone to infection with coronaviruses. Only 23.9% (n=81) properly identified March through May as the season with the highest transmission rate. There was a massive lack of adequate knowledge regarding prevalence of antibodies. Only 18.3% (n=62) of respondents identified PCR as the proper diagnostic confirmatory test for MERS-CoV infection. Regarding MERS-CoV clinical features, 76.4% (n=259) recognized the presence of sub-clinical infection, 64.7% (n=218) indicated that cases should be immediately isolated, and 46.9% (n=159) identified the main cause of mortality as respiratory failure. CONCLUSIONS: There is limited microbiological and virological knowledge of MERS-CoV infection among healthcare personnel in the southern region of Saudi Arabia, although the clinical aspects are known. SN - 1876-035X UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/29525570/Knowledge_and_attitude_towards_the_Middle_East_respiratory_syndrome_coronavirus_among_healthcare_personnel_in_the_southern_region_of_Saudi_Arabia_ DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -