Mosquito vectors survey in the AL-Ahsaa district of eastern Saudi Arabia

The present study aimed to identify the mosquito vectors distributed throughout AL-Ahsaa district situated in the eastern region of Saudi Arabia. Mosquito larvae were collected seasonally for one year (October 2009 to September 2010) from different breeding sites in seven rural areas utilizing long aquatic nets. Salinity and pH of these breeding sites were also measured seasonally. The survey revealed the presence of five mosquito species, Aedes caspius Pallas (Diptera: Culicidae), Anopheles multicolor Cambouliu, Culex perexiguus Theobald, Culex pipiens L., and Culex pusillus Macquart, representing three genera; four of them (Ae. caspius, An. multicolor, Cx. perexiguus, and Cx. pipiens) are important vectors of diseases. Ae. caspius is the most common vector followed by Cx. pipiens and then Cx. perexiguus. Mosquitoes in AL-Ahsaa are prevalent in both winter and spring seasons, rarely encountered in summer, and are found in moderation during the autumn months. These results are compared with results of other regions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Cardiovascular risk factor trends in the Eastern Mediterranean region: evidence from four countries is alarming

Fouad,Fouad:American University of Beirut Wasim,Maziak:Florida International University University of Liverpool,:Objectives Many Eastern Mediterranean countries are undergoing dramatic socioeconomic, demographic and life style changes and face noncommunicable disease (NCD) epidemics. We evaluated recent trends in major NCD risk factors in occupied Palestinian territories (OPT), Turkey, Syria and Tunisia. Methods We searched published and unpublished sources for systolic blood pressure (SBP), diabetes, smoking, body mass index (BMI), and cholesterol trends for both men and women aged 35–84 in each country from 1995 to 2009. Results Smoking prevalence was stable over time in Tunisia and Syria, but decreasing in Turkey (annual change -0.9 %) and OPT (annual change -0.7 %). Mean BMI (annual change of 0.1 % for Turkey, 0.2 % for OPT and Tunisia and 0.3 % in Syria) and diabetes (annual change of 0.3 % for Turkey, 0.4 % for OPT and Tunisia and 0.7 % in Syria) prevalence increased in each country. SBP levels increased slightly in Tunisia and Syria but decreased in OPT and Turkey. Conclusions Recent risk factor trends are worrying. Good quality data on the extent and determinants of NCDs are essential to respond the changing health needs of populations with burgeoning NCD epidemic