Susceptibility to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and disease severity has recently been associated with inflammatory markers and genetic polymorphisms of ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) and ACE2 genes, but the evidence has been inconclusive. This case-control study (99 COVID-19 patients and 96 controls) sought to assess the significance of age, C-reactive protein (CRP), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR cycle threshold (Ct) in severity of COVID-19. Besides, two variants of ACE and ACE2 genes (rs4646994 and rs2285666, respectively) were analyzed to determine their role in COVID-19 susceptibility and/or disease severity. Results revealed that age, CRP and NLR were significantly elevated in severe cases compared to moderate cases, while RT-PCR Ct value was significantly decreased. Allele and genotypes of both variants were not associated with COVID-19 risk, with the exception of rs2285666 A allele. It showed a significantly higher frequency in female patients than in female controls (probability = 0.041 ) . In conclusion, the study indicated the role of age, CRP, NLR and SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR Ct in susceptibility to COVID-19 severity. However, analysis of the ACE and ACE2 gene variants (rs4646994 and rs2285666, respectively) showed that the two variants were not associated with the risk of developing COVID-19.

The first patient with COVID-19 was reported in Iraq on 24 February 2020 for the Iranian student came from Iran. As of 24 May 2020, the confirmed cases of COVID-19 infections reached 4469, with 160 deaths and 2738 patients were recovered from the infection. Significant public health strategies have been implemented by the authorities to contain the outbreak nationwide. Nevertheless however, the number of cases is still rising dramatically. Here, we aim to describe a comprehensive and epidemiological study of all cases diagnosed in Iraq by 24 May 2020. Most of the cases were recorded in Baghdad followed by Basra and Najaf. About 45% of the patients were female (with 31% deaths of the total cases) and 55% were male (with 68% deaths of the total cases). Most cases are between the ages of (20-59) years old, and (30-39) years are the most affected range (19%) Approximately (8%) of cases are children under 10 years old. Iraq has shown a cure rate lower than those reported by Iran, Turkey and Jordan; and higher than Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Healthcare workers represented about (5%) of the total confirmed cases. These findings enable us to understand COVID-19 epidemiology and prevalence in Iraq that can alert the our community to the risk of this novel coronavirus and serve as a baseline for future studies.

Several studies have demonstrated that age, comorbidities, and abnormalities in different clinical biomarkers can be important to understand disease severity. Although clinical features of COVID-19 have been widely described, the assessment of alterations of the most common biochemical markers that are reported in patients with COVID-19 still has not been well established. Here, we report clinical and blood biochemical indicators of 100 patients with COVID-19. Throat-swab upper respiratory samples were obtained from patients and real-time PCR was used to confirm SARS-CoV-2 infection. Gender, age, and clinical features such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and smoking habits were investigated. Biochemical parameters were categorized and analyzed according to these clinical characteristics. Triglycerides, GPT, and ALP are the biochemical markers that changed the most in the group of hypertension patients. Cholesterol and triglycerides were significantly different ( P = 0.01 ; P = 0.04 , respectively) between diabetic and nondiabetic patients with COVID-19. Potassium levels were significantly different ( P = 0.03 ) when comparing smokers with nonsmoker patients. Our results suggest several potential biochemical indexes that changed in patients with COVID-19 and whether certain comorbidity and clinical characteristics influence these markers.

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Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a malignant neoplasm originating from the un-controlled cell proliferations in epithelial cells lining of rectum, colon, or appendix. RASSFs wereconcerned in tumourigenesis and numerous members of family are presently supposed to be tumour suppressor, Aim and objectives: Estimate- function of RASSF1-A methylated gene in theCRC pathogenesis, detect RASSF1-A methylated gene cutoff value for diagnosis and using RASSF1-A gene as abio-marker to detect recurrence after surgery, Subjects and methods: This is a prospective observational case-control researchperformed on 50 cases diagnosed as CRC by endoscopy and histopathology and 50 control persons at Aswan university hospital and internal medicine department., Results: there is high significant relation between RASSF 1A and development of colorectal-cancer, Conclusion: Genetical mutations in the Kras genes and epigenetic modifications in RASSF1-A, FHIT and MGMT genes in sporadic CRC are accompanying with the generalprogress of the disorder and can be utilized as diagnostical or prognostically biomarkers in this collection of tumours.

Researchers describe the extracellular manufacture of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from Phomatropica and its effectiveness against certain multidrug-resistant pathogenic bacteria that were obtained from the Central Laboratory of Quran Hospital. These bacteria were pathogenic. The AgNPs were synthesized and characterized by scan electrons microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV-visiblespectrophotometer that established the mostly spherical nanoparticles synthesis with size range between 55-99 nm. The potential antimicrobial activity was reported vs (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Escherichia coli)by well diffusion method.AgNPs showed different inhibitory areas at different concentrations, the 50μg/mlconcentration of AgNPsappeared inhibition zones varied from(0-21 mm), while at 100 μg/mlofAgNPs varied between (13-25mm) vs the tested pathogenic bacterial strains in this investigation. Nevertheless, the synergetic impact of AgNPs with antibiotics have beendetected in the increasing the inhibitory impact vs the pathogenic bacteria. In conclusion, Extracellular biosynthesis appears to be a scalable and sustainable process. Because of their biogenic nature, these Ag-NPs might be a better medication candidate and have the potential to completely eliminate the issue of chemical agents.Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are proliferating at an alarming rate. To address this issue, the development of bactericidal agents is critical. AgNPs may provide a solution for drug-resistant bacteria.

The link between the inflammatory marker and SARS-CoV-2 cycle threshold (Ct) with disease progression remains undefined, mainly in coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Therefore, this study aimed to identify several inflammatory markers (Ferritin, LDH, and D-dimer), and Ct values to predict outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 Iraqi patients. A case study was performed on 426 patients to guess cutoff values of inflammatory markers that were detected by a real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and specific auto-analyzer instrument. Significantly increased levels of inflammatory markers in critical and severe patients compared with mild-moderate (p < 0.001). Compared with aging and disease severity, inflammatory markers and Ct values are significantly related to the aging and severity in critical and severe COVID-19 patients (p < 0.001). Finding the Ct value was negatively associated with Ferritin, LDH, and D-dimer (p < 0.001); moreover, inflammatory markers concentrations and Ct values were significantly higher during the first ten days. The Ct values correlate with some relevant clinical parameters of inflammation. Higher levels of D dimer, S. Ferritin and LDH were associated with older age and the severity of COVID-19. The area under the ROC curve indicates that serum ferritin was the highest and excellent predictor for disease severity. Keywords: Coronavirus disease 2019; Inflammation; D-dimer; Ferritin; Lactate dehydrogenase; Cycle threshold (Ct).