Since the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic, the clinical manifestations of the virus have undergone many changes. Recently, there have been many reports on gastrointestinal symptoms in COVID‐19 patients. This study is aimed to perform a detailed phylogenetic study and assessment of different SNVs in the RNA genome of viruses isolated from fecal samples of patients with COVID‐19 who have gastrointestinal symptoms, which can help better understand viral pathogenesis. In the present study, 20 fecal samples were collected by written consent from COVID‐19 patients. According to the manufacturer's protocol, virus nucleic acid was extracted from stool samples and the SARS‐CoV‐2 genome presence in stool samples was confirmed by RT–PCR assay. Three viral genes, S, nsp12, and nsp2, were amplified using the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR) method and specific primers. Multiple sequencing alignment (MSA) was performed in the CLC word bench, and a phylogenetic tree was generated by MEGA X based on the neighbor‐joining method. Of all cases, 11 (55%) were males. The mean age of the patients was 33.6 years. Diabetes (70%) and blood pressure (55%) were the most prevalent comorbidities. All 20 patients were positive for SARS‐CoV‐2 infection in respiratory samples. Molecular analysis investigation among 20 stool samples revealed that the SARS‐CoV‐2 genome was found among 10 stool samples; only three samples were used for sequencing. The polymorphism and phylogenetic analysis in SARS‐CoV‐2 showed great similarity among all of the evaluated genes with the Wuhan reference sequence and all of the current variants of concern (VOCs). The current study represents a great similarity in polymorphism and phylogenetic analysis of the SARS‐CoV‐2 isolates with the Wuhan reference sequence and all of the current VOC in the particular evaluated partial sequences of S, nsp12, and nsp2.
Background: Occult hepatitis C virus infection (OCI) is defined by the presence of HCV RNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and liver tissue cells despite the absence of HCV RNA in plasma. Currently, OCI is classified into two types: seropositive OCI (anti-HCV positive and serum HCV-RNA negative) and seronegative OCI (anti-HCV and serum HCV-RNA negative). Beta-Thalassemia is described as a blood disorder, which decreases the synthesis of hemoglobin. Repeated blood transfusion is the standard treatment for patients with betathalassemia major (BTM) that increases the risk of exposure to infectious agents. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of OCI among BTM patients.Materials and Methods: plasma and PBMCs were collected from 90 BTM patients and screened for HCV antibody using the ELISA kit commercially as the first step. Then nested-RT PCR was performed on extractions of plasma and PBMC. Positive samples of HCV RNA from PBMCs were sequenced and aligned to construct the HCV phylogenetic tree to assess the homology of sequences compared to the reference sequences retrieved from GenBank.Results: Seventy-nine out of 90 cases (87.8%) indicated negative results for HCV Ab (seronegative), while 11 patients (12.2%) were seropositive. HCV RNA was found in PBMCs samples of four patients (66.66%) with negative HCV Ab (seronegative) and two patients (33.3%) with positive HCV Ab (seropositive). HCV RNA was not detected in plasma samples of these six patients. Overall six out of 90 patients (6.7%) had OCI. HCV genotyping revealed that all six patients infected with HCV subtype 3a. Conclusion:We indicated the high frequency of OCI in BTM patients. Nevertheless, more attention is warranted, considering the importance of this infection. Also, further studies are necessary to determine the actual prevalence of OCI among BTM patients in Iran.
Coronaviruses, which have been known to cause diseases in animals since the 1930s, utilize cellular components during their replication cycle. Lipids play important roles in viral infection, as coronaviruses target cellular lipids and lipid metabolism to modify their host cells to become an optimal environment for viral replication. Therefore, lipids can be considered as potential targets for the development of antiviral agents. This review provides an overview of the roles of cellular lipids in different stages of the life cycle of coronaviruses.
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