Mohammed T. Al-Sayegh

Objective: Investigate mammal bites in Kuwait and their public health implications.Design: A retrospective analysis of mammal bite records from 2012 to 2020 was conducted, using data obtained from the Ministry of Health, Department of Public Health. Statistical analyses were performed with the SPSS Professional Statistics package (Version 17).Setting: The study took place in Kuwait, a small, arid country situated in the northwestern corner of the Arabian Peninsula, with a diverse population of 4.363 million.Subjects: The study involved 24,426 mammal bite victims.Interventions: Bite victims received post-exposure prophylaxis with the human diploid cell culture rabies vaccine (HDCV); quarantined animals were tested for rabies.Main Outcome Measures: The number of mammal bites, species involved, victim demographics, and vaccination rates were assessed.Results: Animal bites ranged from 1,977 cases in 2012 to 3,866 cases in 2019. Dogs and cats were responsible for 53.22% and 42.29% of the cases, respectively. Most cases occurred between December and January. The male-to-female ratio was 2.74:1, with an average age of 24.7±17.5 years. Bites were most common among individuals aged 25-45 years, accounting for 53% of total cases. Overall, 83.6% of bite victims received vaccinations, and all tested animals were negative for rabies.Conclusion: Mammal bites in Kuwait represent a significant public health issue. Enhanced surveillance measures and prevention strategies are crucial due to the presence of rabies in neighboring countries and the potential for cross-border transmission.

Cryptosporidium is a worldwide enteric protozoan parasite that causes gastrointestinal infection in animals, including humans. The most notable species is Cryptosporidium parvum because of its zoonotic importance; it is also the leading cause of cryptosporidiosis in preweaned calves. A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection, investigate the potential risk factors, and use molecular diagnosis to identify the predominant Cryptosporidium spp. in preweaned calves in Kuwait. Of 175 preweaned calves, Cryptosporidium antigens were detected in 58 (33.1%) using rapid lateral immunochromatography assay (IC). Calves less than one month of age (OR = 4.32, p = 0.0001) and poor hygiene (OR = 2.85, p = 0.0075) were identified as significant risk factors associated with Cryptosporidium infection. Molecular identification revealed that C. parvum (62.8%) was the dominant species infecting preweaned calves in Kuwait. In contrast, C. bovis and C. andersoni were recorded at 5.7% and 2.9%, respectively. All C. parvum gp60 nucleotide sequences were subtype IIaA15G2R1. Calves could be a source of C. parvum infection due to the similarity of the subtypes recorded previously in Kuwaiti children and preweaned calves in this study. Therefore, more research is needed to understand the Cryptosporidium transmission cycle in Kuwait.