SVU - International Journal of Medical Sciences (Jul 2023)

The medical and biochemical knowledge of health care professionals regarding the management of MERS-CoV: lessons from 2019 pilgrimage season in Al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study

  • Mariam Eid Alanzi,
  • Mona Ali H. Albalawi ,
  • Saeed Kabrah,
  • Yasmeen Talal Aljehani ,
  • Ahmed M. Okashah,
  • Ayman M Yenbaawi,
  • Sami Saleem Alrehaily ,
  • Areej Meshal Aljumaidi ,
  • Bandar Alkabli ,
  • Mohamed Hamed Almutairi ,
  • Riyadh Alghamdi,
  • Manal Ali Alsharif ,
  • Zohoor Dahie Aljohani,
  • Rehab Ismail H. Alribyawi ,
  • Sultan Ahmed H. Alluqmany ,
  • Ahlam Awad Aljohani ,
  • Suzan Talal Aljehani ,
  • Zain Jaber Alghamdi,
  • Ahmad Mohsen Aljermaawi ,
  • Amir Gadhyan Aldebeesi ,
  • May Mohamed Almutairi,
  • Khalid Eid Alanzi ,
  • Nusaybah Eid Alanzi ,
  • Saud Idris Umar ,
  • Fahad Majed Almutari,
  • Hamza Bakeet Altorgmi,
  • Osama Abdel-Mageed,
  • Abdel-Raheem Donkol ,
  • Mohamed Abdel-Haleem,
  • Hussam H. Baghdadi,
  • Salah Mohamed El Sayed*

DOI
https://doi.org/10.21608/svuijm.2023.249457.1739
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 6, no. 2
pp. 911 – 923

Abstract

Read online

Background: Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) epidemic was a serious healthcare concern not responding to conventional anti-viral therapies between 2012 and 2017 with high fatality rates. Saudi Arabia is still among the best world examples in combating both MERS-CoV and COVID-19 pandemics. Objectives: Investigating the medical and biochemical knowledge of healthcare professionals in Al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia on preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic measures against MERS-CoV epidemic. Subjects and methods: In 2019, this cross-sectional study included 416 healthcare personnel of which 402 participants answered the questions with a response rate of 96.7%. Specialties of participants were medical students (1.4%), physicians (64.4%), nurses (23.6%) and others (10.7%). Results: The vast majority of the investigated healthcare personnel gave the right answers. 96.7% of the participants answered that washing hands using water helps prevent MERS-CoV. 90.8% of the participants answered that wearing a clean non-sterile long-sleeved gown and gloves does helps prevent MERS-CoV infection. 94.7% of participants answered that using alcohol-based hand rub helps prevent MERS-CoV infection. 92.03% of the participants thought that wearing protective equipment does help preventing MERS-CoV infection. 86.1% answered that there is no vaccine available against MERS-CoV infection and 86.1% answered that taking vaccines is suitable for preventing MERS-CoV infection. 90.04% of the participants answered that MERS-CoV patients should be diagnosed using PCR and 84.3% thought that the highest levels of anti-CoV antibodies are in abattoir workers while 87.8% thought that isolation of suspected cases helps preventing MERS-CoV infection. Conclusion: The investigated healthcare workers had a satisfactory knowledge on the preventive and therapeutic measures and biochemical knowledge against MERS-CoV epidemic at mass gatherings as pilgrimage season.

Keywords