The current rampant coronavirus infection in humans, commonly known as COVID-19, a pandemic that may cause mortality in humans, has been declared a global emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO). The morbidity and mortality rates due to the pandemic are increasing rapidly worldwide, with the USA most affected by the disease. The source COVID-19 is not absolutely clear; however, the disease may be transmitted by either by COVID-19-positive individuals or from a contaminated environment. In this review, we focused on how the COVID-19 virus is transmitted in the community. An extensive literature search was conducted using specific keywords and criteria. Based on the published report, it is concluded that COVID-19 is primarily transmitted human-to-human via oral and respiratory aerosols and droplets with the virus-contaminated environment play a lesser role in the propagation of disease. Healthcare providers and the elderly with comorbidities are especially susceptible to the infection.

Contracaecum is a genus of nematodes belonging to the family Anisakidae, that parasitise many fishes which act as an intermediate or paratenic hosts, while the piscivorous birds and mammals are definitive hosts. A total of 44 third larval stage of Contracaecum were collected from 13 infected freshwater fishes belonging to five different species in different water bodies in Sulaimani Province, Kurdistan Region, Iraq from January to the end of December 2018. In this investigation, 966 fishes were collected including six species of Nemacheilidae, five species of Cyprinidae, three species of Leuciscidae, two species of Xenocyprididae, one species of each of Bagridae, Heteropneustidae, Mastacembelidae, Mugilidae, Siluridae and Sisoridae. This study revealed that five fish species (Cyprinus carpio, Luciobarbus barbulus, L. esocinus, L. xanthopterus and Mastacembelus mastacembelus) were infected with Contracaecum larvae with the prevalence of 2.05%, 0.92%, 1.92%, 19.35% and 1.06%, respectively. The Contracaecum larvae were morphologically studied by compound light microscope and the molecular analyses was done by amplification, sequencing and comparing different gene loci (ITS1, ITS2 and COX2) of isolated third larval stage of Contracaecum. The ITS1, ITS2 and COX2 were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced. The sequences of ITS1, ITS2 and COX2 reveal that all Contracaecum larvae from all infected fishes represented exactly one species (Contracaecum rudolphii B) based on compering and identity percentage in Gene Bank database. Phylogenetic analysis of the genotype (for ITS1) was described. The genetic characterization of the Contracaecum larvae in the present study is available in the GenBank database and they were deposited in GenBank and their accession numbers were demonstrated.

Background: Cupping therapy has long been practiced in several cultures for the treatment of ailments and improvement of general well-being. Thus, the aim of this current study is to observe the clinical efficacy and safety of wet cupping treatments in relieving headache, chest pain and muscle ache in patients recently have diagnosed with hyperlipidemia, diabetes and high blood pressure. Materials and methods: This study determines the effects of wet cupping on some blood parameters and pressure in 50 males and 50 female patients aged between 35 and 55 years undergoing wet cupping therapy at the Sheefa Cupping and Acupuncture Private Center after they have been diagnosed clinically to have hyperglycemia, diabetes and high blood pressure by a specialist at Department of Chronic Diseases, Sulaimani Teaching Hospital. Venous blood was obtained, and blood pressure taken from patients immediately before and 72 h after cupping therapy. The hematological parameters and serum lipid profile, fasting blood sugar, ferritin, urea, and creatinine concentrations were determined. Results: Wet cupping significantly reduced the cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein, fasting blood sugar, ferritin, urea, and creatinine, lowered blood pressure but did not significantly affect the erythrocyte parameters, leukocyte or platelet counts in the patients. The normal hematological parameters in patients after wet cupping therapy showed that the treatment is not detrimental to health. The treated patients showed significantly reduced headache, chest pain and muscle ache verbally. Conclusion: Wet cupping therapy is beneficial as a prophylactic and/or complementary treatment for hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, and hypertension and in prevention and control of diabetes mellitus and kidney disease, hence reducing the headache, chest pain and muscle ache. Highlights:

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SummaryA total of 1134 freshwater fishes belonging to Cyprinidae (Acanthobrama marmid (n=20), Alburnus caeruleus (n=7), Alburnus mossulensis (n=62), Arabibarbus grypus (n=123), Barbus lacerta (n=7), Capoeta trutta (n=222), C. umbla (n=161), Carasobarbus kosswigi (n=5), C. luteus (n=89), Carassius auratus (n=54), Chondrostoma regium (n=52), Cyprinion kais (n=10) and C. macrostomum (n=322)) were collected in different water bodies in Sulaimani Province, Kurdistan Region-Iraq for the presence of larval nematode of the genus Conteacaecum. This investigation revealed that 17 fishes belonged to five species (A. marmid, A. grypus, C. trutta, C. luteus and C. regium) were infected with Contracaecum larvae with prevalence of 35 %, 0.81 %, 0.90 %, 4.49 % and 5.76 %, respectively. The third- larval stage was morphologically studied by optical microscopy, and the ultrastructure was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In addition, molecular analysis was carried out by amplifying, sequencing and comparing different gene loci, including internal transcribed spacers (ITS-1 and ITS-2) and cytochrome oxidase c subunit-II (COX-2), of the different isolated Contracaecum larvae. These sequences were also compared with closely related nematode sequences from the GenBank. Fifteen sequences were obtained for this study from the collected Contracaecum larvae. ITS-1, ITS-2 and COX-2 were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced. The sequences of ITS-1, ITS-2 and COX-2 revealed that the collected Contracaecum larval specimens from all infected fish species represented one species (Contracaecum rudolphii B) based on the identity percentage in the GenBank database. The genetic characterisation of the parasite in the present study is available in the GenBank database, and the obtained ITS-1, ITS-2 and COX-2 sequences were deposited in GenBank. The present study provides information on the accurate identification and molecular analysis of Contracaecum larvae in the infected fish species in Sulaimani Province, Kurdistan Region-Iraq.