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Background: Due to high-risk exposure of surgical residents to coronavirus, surgical residency programs have changed their training methods and working hours drastically. The purpose of this study is to find out the positive and negative impacts of the pandemic on surgical residency programs and on the lives of surgical residents. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 112 surgical residents of a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan, with a mean age of 30.5 years from all the departments of surgery using a self-made, validated 40point questionnaire comprising three sections. The last section also included modified Maslach Burnout inventory.Results: Of all the residents, 97 (86.6%) stated that their surgical hands-on duration is adversely affected by the pandemic. As for clinical exposure, 92 (82.1%) trainees responded that their clinical exposure is affected too. Among all the subjects, 69 (61%) were concerned about transmitting it to their family members and 43 (38.4%) affirmed on being afraid of dying because of their direct exposure.On the brighter side, the average number of working hours per week for surgical residents were reduced from 81.10 ± 6.21 to 49.16 ± 6.25 (p < 0.001) due to the outbreak. Modified Maslach Burnout inventory score was 8.33 ± 2.34 after the outbreak, showing statistically significant reduction in burnout among the surgical residents (p < 0.001). Conclusion:The changes in the surgical residency programs amidst the pandemic has reduced the working hours, hands-on and clinical exposure of the surgical residents. Moreover, the situation has provided an opportunity to explore efficient methods of learning that can lead to lesser burnout. However, psychological burdens of surgical residents like fear of acquiring the infection should be appropriately addressed.

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Abstract:A new acanthocepohalan species, Moniliformis saudi sp. n. is described from the desert hedgehog, Paraechinus aethiopicus (Ehrenberg), in central Saudi Arabia. Fourteen other valid species of Moniliformis Travassos, 1915 are recognised. The new species of Moniliformis is distinguished by having a small proboscis (315-520 µm long and 130-208 µm wide) with two apical pores, 14 rows of 8 hooks each and small hooks, thre largest being 25-31 µm long anteriorly. Distinguishing features are incorporated in a dichotomous key to the species of Moniliformis. The description is augmented by scanning electron microscopical (SEM) observation and DNA analysis of nuclear (18S rRNA) and mitochondrial (cytochrome oxidase subunit 1; cox1) gene sequences. Attached worms cause extensive damage to the immediate area of attachment in the host intestine. This includes tissue necrosis and blood loss due to damage to capillary beds. Worms also obstruct essential absorbing surfaces.Keywords: molecular analysis, host-parasite interface, comparisons, morfology, taxonomy Surveys of mammals and their parasitic fauna in Central Saudi Arabia (CSA) were conducted on regular monthly intervals. Both host and parasite faunas of CSA and the Kingdom are poorly documented. The host, the desert hedgehog, Paraechinus aethiopicus (Ehrenberg), is one of the smallest hedgehogs in the world. It is common in Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern and African countries (Harrison and Bates 1991) but only Moniliformis moniliformis (Bremser, 1811) has been reported from its intestinal track in Egypt (Nelson and Ward 1966) and in Algeria (Khaldi et al. 2012). The present report documents a new acanthocephalan species from this host in Saudi Arabia, a land virgin for new discoveries including new parasitic taxa. MATERIALS AND METHODSDesert hedgehogs (Paraechinus aethiopicus) were collected by live traps monthly between August 2014 and March 2015 mostly in Central Saudi Arabia at Unaizah (26°5'2''N; 43°59'38''E), Al Qassim Province. They were first overdosed with anesthetic agents before dissection. Acanthocephalans were placed in water overnight and then in 70% ethanol to process for microscopy, scanning electron microscopical (SEM) and DNA analyses, and in neutral buffered formalin for histopathological sectioning. The total number of hedgehogs examined was 89 animals (50 males and 39 females) weighing 355 ± 92 g. Infected hedgehogs (18 males and 12 females) weighed 166-495 g (mean 304 ± 80 g).For microscopical examination, specimens in 70% ethanol were punctured with a fine needle, then stained in Mayer's acid carmine, destained in 4% hydrochloric acid in 70% ethanol, dehydrated in ascending concentrations of ethanol (24 h each), and cleared in 100% xylene and then in 50% Canada balsam and 50% xylene (24 h each). Whole worms were then mounted in Canada balsam. Measurements are in micrometres, unless otherwise noted; the range is followed by the mean values between parentheses. Width measurements represent maximum width. Trunk length does not include prob...

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