In 2012, a novel coronavirus (CoV) associated with severe respiratory disease, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS-CoV; previously known as human coronavirus-Erasmus Medical Center or hCoV-EMC), emerged in the Arabian Peninsula. To date, 114 human cases of MERS-CoV have been reported, with 54 fatalities. Animal models for MERS-CoV infection of humans are needed to elucidate MERS pathogenesis...

As of 23 April 2014, 345 people have been reported infected, and of those 107 have died [2]. Most cases occurred in Saudi Arabia (SA) and to a lesser extent in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), still further 11 countries in Europe, Asia and North Africa have reported cases linked to the Arabian peninsula. Few clusters and cases were noted in the second half of 2012, and the epidemic has been stab...

Pedetidae, or springhares, are represented by a single extant genus (Pedetes) and five extinct ones (Parapedetes, Megapedetes, Propedetes, Rusingapedetes and Oldrichpedetes of which the latter two are new). The fossil record of pedetids tends to be scanty, but remains have been found in Southern Africa, East Africa, the Maghreb, the Arabian Peninsula, Turkey and Greece. Most of the localities h...

Cataglyphis fisheri sp. n. is described and illustrated from the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia based on the worker caste. It belongs to the Cataglyphis pallida-group which is recorded for the first time from the Arabian Peninsula. Cataglyphis fisheri sp. n. is similar to Cataglyphis pallida Mayr, 1877 from Kazakhstan. Differential diagnosis between these two species is ...

A new fossiliferous locality is discovered from the upper Eocene Aydim Formation, in Dhofar, Southern Sultanate of Oman. A left ulna of rsinoitherium is described, and cranial and postcranial specimens found in close proximity are referred to the same taxon. The locality is romising for the recovery of additional fossil specimens. Moreover, the presence of Arsinoitherium in Oman is of biogeogra...

The emergence of a novel strain of coronavirus in the Arabian Peninsula raised a global health concern in 2012, partly because the majority of human infections were fatal and partly due to its presumed animal origin. An urgent meeting of scientific and public health experts was convened by WHO in January 2013 in view of the limited knowledge available on the epidemiological and natural history ...

We analyzed the features of opsoclonus syndrome as a manifestation of post viral encephalopathy in 3 patients (one child and 2 adults). This is the first report of opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome in the Arabian Peninsula. Symptoms appeared a few days after a viral-like illness in all patients. We excluded the possibility of paraneoplastic syndrome as investigations were carried out and follow-up ...

In 2000, we investigated the Rift Valley fever (RVF) outbreak on the Arabian Peninsula-the first outside Africa-and the risk of nosocomial transmission. In a cross-sectional design, during the peak of the epidemic at its epicenter, we found four (0.6%) of 703 healthcare workers (HCWs) IgM seropositive but all with only community-associated exposures. Standard precautions are sufficient for HCWs...

The leaves of the plant khat (Catha edulis) are commonly chewed in Arabian Peninsula and certain countries of the East Africa. The leaves of which are chewed for largely cultural and stimulant reasons. In this paper, a review of the scientific literatures on the relationship between khat use and psychosis and potentiality of dependence. To understand khat use, it is needed to discuss khat pheno...