I am a distinguished professor of pediatrics and infectious disease who worked for more than fifty years at the university of jordan. During that time I established the department of pediatrics residency training program as well as having led the jordan program of immunization. I documented this by publishing extensively on this and earned the distinguished professor rankI was alsoThe first chairman of the Jordan board committees for pediatrics snd later the infectious disease board. Currently I amAlso a member of the senate health committee where I amAlso engaged in the Jordan effort to control covid
AbdelKarim A. Al-Qudah, MD(ABCN); Mohammed S. El-Khateeb, PhD; Walid Abu-Hamour, MD; Najwa Khoury... more AbdelKarim A. Al-Qudah, MD(ABCN); Mohammed S. El-Khateeb, PhD; Walid Abu-Hamour, MD; Najwa Khoury Bulos, MD, FAAP. ... FIGURE 1. Case A: Seven-year-old boy with Smith-Magenis syndrome. ... He has three healthy sisters and five healthy brothers. ...
To describe an outbreak of salmonella food poisoning that probably was due to contamination of ma... more To describe an outbreak of salmonella food poisoning that probably was due to contamination of mashed potatoes by a foodhandler, which occurred despite a policy for routine surveillance stool cultures of kitchen employees. A case control study of 223 individuals who ate the lunch meal on September 23, 1989, at the Jordan University Hospital (JUH) cafeteria. Tertiary care university hospital in Amman, the capital of Jordan. Individuals who developed loose stool or vomiting 6 to 72 hours after eating the lunch meal of September 23, 1989, at the JUH cafeteria. Of 619 individuals, 183 fit the case definition (attack rate, 19.6%); 150 were employees, 26 were inpatients, and seven were visitors. Twelve other employees became sick 4 to 6 days later and probably were infected secondarily. The incubation period ranged from 16 to 72 hours in 183 instances. Symptoms included diarrhea (88%), fever (71%), abdominal pain (74%), dehydration (34%), and bloody stool (5%). Eighty-four were hospitalized. Cultures of eight food items were negative, but stool culture on 90 of 180 patients and 11 of 61 kitchen employees yielded Salmonella enteritidis group D. A cohort study of 223 individuals revealed a food-specific attack rate of 72% for the steak and potato meal and 18% for the rice and meat meal (RR, 4; CI95, 2.62 to 6.24; P < 0.01). Stratified analysis of the steak and potato meal revealed that the potatoes were implicated most strongly (RR, 1.93; CI95, 1.42 to 2.64; P < 0.01). Cultures were obtained from all kitchen employees, and 11 of 61 grew Salmonella enteritidis group D. One asymptomatic, culture-positive employee prepared the mashed potatoes on September 23. All of these employees had negative stool cultures 3 months earlier. This outbreak probably was caused by massive contamination of mashed potatoes by the contaminated hands of the foodhandler. Routine stool culture of foodhandlers is not cost-effective and should not be used as a substitute for health education and proper hygienic practices.
Background: Human coronaviruses (HCoVs) are a significant cause of acute respiratory illness (ARI... more Background: Human coronaviruses (HCoVs) are a significant cause of acute respiratory illness (ARI) in children; however, the role of HCoVs in ARI among hospitalized children in the Middle East is not well defined. Methods: Children under 2 years admitted with fever and/or respiratory symptoms were enrolled from 2010 to 2013 in Amman, Jordan. Nasal/throat swabs were collected and stored for testing. Demographic and clinical characteristics were collected through parent/guardian interviews and medical chart abstractions. Prior stored specimens were tested for HCoVs (HKU1, OC43, 229E and NL63) by qRT-PCR. Results: Of the 3168 children enrolled, 6.7% were HCoVs-positive. Among HCoV-positive children, the median age was 3.8 (1.9–8.4) months, 59% were male, 14% were premature, 11% had underlying medical conditions and 76% had viral-codetection. The most common presenting symptoms were cough, fever, wheezing and shortness of breath. HCoVs were detected year-round, peaking in winter-spring months. Overall, 56%, 22%, 13% and 6% were OC43, NL63, HKU1 and 229E, respectively. There was no difference in disease severity between the species, except higher intensive care unit admission frequency in NL63-positive subjects. Conclusions: HCoVs were detected in around 7% of children enrolled in our study. Despite HCoV detection in children with ARI with highest peaks in respiratory seasons, the actual burden and pathogenic role of HCoVs in ARI merits further evaluation given the high frequency of viral codetection.
Background Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of acute respiratory infections... more Background Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of acute respiratory infections (ARI) hospitalizations in young children and is associated with increased severity compared to other viruses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utilization of a rapid RSV diagnostic test and clinical characteristics and disease severity of children who were hospitalized during one respiratory season in Amman, Jordan. Methods Children less than two years hospitalized with fever and/or respiratory symptoms were recruited at Al-Bashir Government Hospital from January 8, 2020, to March 17, 2020. Nasal swabs were collected and tested by Sofia-2 RSV Fluorescent Immunoassay. Demographic information and clinical history were obtained through parental interviews. A validated severity score was used to assess disease severity, and the treating physician prospectively collected the necessary information to calculate the score at admission. Disease severity was categorized based on the tota...
To assess virus-specific hospitalisation rates, risk factors for illness severity and seasonal tr... more To assess virus-specific hospitalisation rates, risk factors for illness severity and seasonal trends in children hospitalised with acute respiratory infections (ARI). Prospective cohort study. A government hospital serving low-income and middle-income population in Amman, Jordan. Children under 2 years of age hospitalised with fever and/or respiratory symptoms (n=3168) from 16 March 2010 to 31 March 2013. Children with chemotherapy-associated neutropenia and newborns who had never been discharged after birth were excluded from the study. Hospitalisation rates and markers of illness severity: admission to intensive care unit (ICU), mechanical ventilation (MV), oxygen therapy, length of stay (LOS) and death. Of the 3168 subjects, 2581 (82%) had at least one respiratory virus detected, with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) being the most predominant pathogen isolated. During admission, 1013 (32%) received oxygen therapy, 284 (9%) were admitted to ICU, 111 (4%) were placed on MV and 3...
We have previously estimated that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was associated with 22% of al... more We have previously estimated that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was associated with 22% of all episodes of (severe) acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) resulting in 55 000 to 199 000 deaths in children younger than 5 years in 2005. In the past 5 years, major research activity on RSV has yielded substantial new data from developing countries. With a considerably expanded dataset from a large international collaboration, we aimed to estimate the global incidence, hospital admission rate, and mortality from RSV-ALRI episodes in young children in 2015. We estimated the incidence and hospital admission rate of RSV-associated ALRI (RSV-ALRI) in children younger than 5 years stratified by age and World Bank income regions from a systematic review of studies published between Jan 1, 1995, and Dec 31, 2016, and unpublished data from 76 high quality population-based studies. We estimated the RSV-ALRI incidence for 132 developing countries using a risk factor-based model and 2015 popu...
The Pediatric infectious disease journal, Jan 12, 2015
Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a leading cause of acute respiratory tract infection (ARTI) in yo... more Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a leading cause of acute respiratory tract infection (ARTI) in young children. Our objectives were to define HMPV epidemiology and circulating strains and determine markers of severe disease in Jordanian children. We conducted a prospective study March 16, 2010-March 31, 2013using quantitative RT-PCR to determine the frequency of HMPV infection among children <2 years old admitted with fever and/or acute respiratory illness to a major government hospital in Amman, Jordan. HMPV was present in 273/3168 (8.6%) of children presenting with ARTI. HMPV A2, B1, and B2, but not A1, were detected during the 3-year period. HMPV-infected children were older and more likely to be diagnosed with bronchopneumonia than HMPV-negative children. HMPV-infected children with lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) had higher rates of cough and shortness of breath than children with LRTI infected with other or no identifiable viruses. Symptoms and severity were not dif...
AbdelKarim A. Al-Qudah, MD(ABCN); Mohammed S. El-Khateeb, PhD; Walid Abu-Hamour, MD; Najwa Khoury... more AbdelKarim A. Al-Qudah, MD(ABCN); Mohammed S. El-Khateeb, PhD; Walid Abu-Hamour, MD; Najwa Khoury Bulos, MD, FAAP. ... FIGURE 1. Case A: Seven-year-old boy with Smith-Magenis syndrome. ... He has three healthy sisters and five healthy brothers. ...
To describe an outbreak of salmonella food poisoning that probably was due to contamination of ma... more To describe an outbreak of salmonella food poisoning that probably was due to contamination of mashed potatoes by a foodhandler, which occurred despite a policy for routine surveillance stool cultures of kitchen employees. A case control study of 223 individuals who ate the lunch meal on September 23, 1989, at the Jordan University Hospital (JUH) cafeteria. Tertiary care university hospital in Amman, the capital of Jordan. Individuals who developed loose stool or vomiting 6 to 72 hours after eating the lunch meal of September 23, 1989, at the JUH cafeteria. Of 619 individuals, 183 fit the case definition (attack rate, 19.6%); 150 were employees, 26 were inpatients, and seven were visitors. Twelve other employees became sick 4 to 6 days later and probably were infected secondarily. The incubation period ranged from 16 to 72 hours in 183 instances. Symptoms included diarrhea (88%), fever (71%), abdominal pain (74%), dehydration (34%), and bloody stool (5%). Eighty-four were hospitalized. Cultures of eight food items were negative, but stool culture on 90 of 180 patients and 11 of 61 kitchen employees yielded Salmonella enteritidis group D. A cohort study of 223 individuals revealed a food-specific attack rate of 72% for the steak and potato meal and 18% for the rice and meat meal (RR, 4; CI95, 2.62 to 6.24; P &lt; 0.01). Stratified analysis of the steak and potato meal revealed that the potatoes were implicated most strongly (RR, 1.93; CI95, 1.42 to 2.64; P &lt; 0.01). Cultures were obtained from all kitchen employees, and 11 of 61 grew Salmonella enteritidis group D. One asymptomatic, culture-positive employee prepared the mashed potatoes on September 23. All of these employees had negative stool cultures 3 months earlier. This outbreak probably was caused by massive contamination of mashed potatoes by the contaminated hands of the foodhandler. Routine stool culture of foodhandlers is not cost-effective and should not be used as a substitute for health education and proper hygienic practices.
Background: Human coronaviruses (HCoVs) are a significant cause of acute respiratory illness (ARI... more Background: Human coronaviruses (HCoVs) are a significant cause of acute respiratory illness (ARI) in children; however, the role of HCoVs in ARI among hospitalized children in the Middle East is not well defined. Methods: Children under 2 years admitted with fever and/or respiratory symptoms were enrolled from 2010 to 2013 in Amman, Jordan. Nasal/throat swabs were collected and stored for testing. Demographic and clinical characteristics were collected through parent/guardian interviews and medical chart abstractions. Prior stored specimens were tested for HCoVs (HKU1, OC43, 229E and NL63) by qRT-PCR. Results: Of the 3168 children enrolled, 6.7% were HCoVs-positive. Among HCoV-positive children, the median age was 3.8 (1.9–8.4) months, 59% were male, 14% were premature, 11% had underlying medical conditions and 76% had viral-codetection. The most common presenting symptoms were cough, fever, wheezing and shortness of breath. HCoVs were detected year-round, peaking in winter-spring months. Overall, 56%, 22%, 13% and 6% were OC43, NL63, HKU1 and 229E, respectively. There was no difference in disease severity between the species, except higher intensive care unit admission frequency in NL63-positive subjects. Conclusions: HCoVs were detected in around 7% of children enrolled in our study. Despite HCoV detection in children with ARI with highest peaks in respiratory seasons, the actual burden and pathogenic role of HCoVs in ARI merits further evaluation given the high frequency of viral codetection.
Background Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of acute respiratory infections... more Background Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of acute respiratory infections (ARI) hospitalizations in young children and is associated with increased severity compared to other viruses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utilization of a rapid RSV diagnostic test and clinical characteristics and disease severity of children who were hospitalized during one respiratory season in Amman, Jordan. Methods Children less than two years hospitalized with fever and/or respiratory symptoms were recruited at Al-Bashir Government Hospital from January 8, 2020, to March 17, 2020. Nasal swabs were collected and tested by Sofia-2 RSV Fluorescent Immunoassay. Demographic information and clinical history were obtained through parental interviews. A validated severity score was used to assess disease severity, and the treating physician prospectively collected the necessary information to calculate the score at admission. Disease severity was categorized based on the tota...
To assess virus-specific hospitalisation rates, risk factors for illness severity and seasonal tr... more To assess virus-specific hospitalisation rates, risk factors for illness severity and seasonal trends in children hospitalised with acute respiratory infections (ARI). Prospective cohort study. A government hospital serving low-income and middle-income population in Amman, Jordan. Children under 2 years of age hospitalised with fever and/or respiratory symptoms (n=3168) from 16 March 2010 to 31 March 2013. Children with chemotherapy-associated neutropenia and newborns who had never been discharged after birth were excluded from the study. Hospitalisation rates and markers of illness severity: admission to intensive care unit (ICU), mechanical ventilation (MV), oxygen therapy, length of stay (LOS) and death. Of the 3168 subjects, 2581 (82%) had at least one respiratory virus detected, with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) being the most predominant pathogen isolated. During admission, 1013 (32%) received oxygen therapy, 284 (9%) were admitted to ICU, 111 (4%) were placed on MV and 3...
We have previously estimated that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was associated with 22% of al... more We have previously estimated that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was associated with 22% of all episodes of (severe) acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) resulting in 55 000 to 199 000 deaths in children younger than 5 years in 2005. In the past 5 years, major research activity on RSV has yielded substantial new data from developing countries. With a considerably expanded dataset from a large international collaboration, we aimed to estimate the global incidence, hospital admission rate, and mortality from RSV-ALRI episodes in young children in 2015. We estimated the incidence and hospital admission rate of RSV-associated ALRI (RSV-ALRI) in children younger than 5 years stratified by age and World Bank income regions from a systematic review of studies published between Jan 1, 1995, and Dec 31, 2016, and unpublished data from 76 high quality population-based studies. We estimated the RSV-ALRI incidence for 132 developing countries using a risk factor-based model and 2015 popu...
The Pediatric infectious disease journal, Jan 12, 2015
Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a leading cause of acute respiratory tract infection (ARTI) in yo... more Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a leading cause of acute respiratory tract infection (ARTI) in young children. Our objectives were to define HMPV epidemiology and circulating strains and determine markers of severe disease in Jordanian children. We conducted a prospective study March 16, 2010-March 31, 2013using quantitative RT-PCR to determine the frequency of HMPV infection among children <2 years old admitted with fever and/or acute respiratory illness to a major government hospital in Amman, Jordan. HMPV was present in 273/3168 (8.6%) of children presenting with ARTI. HMPV A2, B1, and B2, but not A1, were detected during the 3-year period. HMPV-infected children were older and more likely to be diagnosed with bronchopneumonia than HMPV-negative children. HMPV-infected children with lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) had higher rates of cough and shortness of breath than children with LRTI infected with other or no identifiable viruses. Symptoms and severity were not dif...
Uploads