EBV, is a member of the herpesvirus family and one of the most common human viruses, Epidemiological data suggest that EBV is associated with polytransfused blood βthalassemia and several autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. We examined the presence of IgM antibodies against EBV in serum of 35 Thalassemic patients, 75 autoimmune patients among as 35 rheumatoid arthritis patients, 20 Systemic lupus erythrematosus and 20 autoimmune hypothyroid diseases, and 20 healthy controls by ELISA assay then detected the predominant strain in positive samples. The results show that the highest EBV infection percent was in SLE 15% whilst the lowest infection percent was in Thalassemia 5.7%., and according to gender, the results showed that the highest infection percentage recorded in females with rheumatoid arthritis 30 %, whilst the infection does not appear in males with rheumatoid arthritis and autoimmune thyroid disease and females of thalassemia patients. On the other hand, this study reveals that EBV-1 is the predominant strain in autoimmune diseases and thalassemia in Iraq.

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A new immunoblot assay, composed of five Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded recombinantproteins virus capsid antigen [VCA] gp125, p19, p22, early antigen [EA], and EBNA-1 IgG, wasused to manifest the EBV infection and look at the antibody pattern to EBV proteins in the serumof both autoimmune disorders and Thalassemia patients and compare the observations with thosein normal healthy controls. Serum samples from 35 rheumatoid arthritis patients, 20 SLE, 20autoimmune hypothyroid diseases, 35 Thalassemia patients and 20 healthy controls were testedfor EBV IgG antibodies by an immunoblot assay (Euroline). The results showed that the highpercentage recorded was 50% in acute infection. Followed by 30% at late infection, while latephase with loss EBNA-1 and reactivated infection were 10% compared to the normal healthycontrols. Our study showed an increased EBV activation among the autoimmune patient groupscompared to the normal healthy controls. Further studies are required to delineate the associationbetween the etiology of autoimmune disorders and EBV.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) have mutagenic effects on somatic cells. HBV and HCV may be showing these mutagenic effects through its viral proteins or through integrating into host DNA. The aim of this study was to determine whether HBV and HCV have a genotoxic effect on the DNA of oral epithelial cells. A cohort of 145 samples have been collected from participants  from the date of  5 \ 1 \ 2020 to  15\9\ 2021. Among those samples are (40 healthy controls, HBV 38, 44 HCV, and HCC 23) to make cytogenetic evaluation by observing the micronucleus (MNi) test and comet assay. For each individual, 100 cells were analyzed for comet assay. Around 100 cells were observed and MNi were scored for each individual. Our results showed significantly higher frequencies of MNi in HBV, HCV, and HCC patients groups than in the control group. There was no difference in MNi scores among HBV, HCV, HCC patients groups, and showed a significantly difference of study groups compared to healthy carriers. In conclusion:  chronic HBV, HCV, HCC patients have genomic instability as affected as patients because of their levels of DNA damage and MNi.