During infection, T. gondii disseminates by the circulatory system and establishes chronic infection in several organs. Almost third of humans, immunosuppressed individuals such as HIV/AIDS patients, cancer patients, and organ transplant recipients are exposed to toxoplasmosis. Therefore, the study aimed to investigate the possibility that Toxoplasma infection could be a risk factor for COVID-19 patients and its possible correlation with C-reactive protein and ferritin. Overall 220 patients referred to the Al Furat General Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq were enrolled from 2020–2021. All serum samples were tested for T. gondii immunoglobulins (IgG and IgM) antibodies, C-reactive protein and ferritin levels. In patients with COVID-19, the results revealed a high positivity percentage for anti-Toxoplasma IgG. In COVID-19 patients infected with T. gondii, the C-reactive protein and ferritin levels were higher than the controls. The ferritin level was high in COVID-19 patients infected with toxoplasmosis compare with COVID-19 patient without toxoplasmosis in different gender and age while the level of CRP had no significant differences in COVID-19 patient with or without toxoplasmosis. These finding suggest that the incidental rate of toxoplasmosis could be considered as an indication to the high risk of COVID-19.
Hemogloin (Hb) and serum ferritin levels are used to assess anemia in pregnancy. Some studies referred to the influence of maternal age, body mass index (BMI) and parity on Hb and serum ferritin levels. The study aimed to examine the possible association of maternal Hb and serum ferritin with maternal age, parity, and BMI in a sample of pregnant women in Baghdad.
Ninety healthy pregnant women, grouped in three equal groups according to the pregnancy trimester, and thirty apparently healthy non-pregnant women from Baghdad were enrolled in this observational study. Blood and serum samples were obtained for the estimation of Hb and serum ferritin levels.
The pooled data of participants showed a n
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Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in females. In Iraq there are noticeable elevation in incidence rates and prevalence of advanced stages of breast cancer. Ferritin is intracellular iron storage protein abundant in circulation and its main application in differential diagnosis of anemia.
The level of serum ferritin was found raised in various cancers including breast cancer. The aim of this study was to assess whether the serum ferritin concentration would be altered in Iraqi women with breast cancer and it could be related to progression of disease.
Sixty eight females participated in this study. The mean age of these females was 53.25± 9.52 .The level of serum ferritin was measured in 24
... Show MoreAim: To find any association between specific ABO blood groups and FUT2 secretory status and COVID-19 in a sample of Iraqi dentists. Materials and Methods: For each participant, a questionnaire including demography, COVID-19 status, blood grouping, and RH factor, with chemo-sensitive symptoms was recorded. The saliva samples were collected and DNA was extracted from leukocytes. Sequencing of molecular detection of the FUT2 gene by real-time PCR and the data was done, whilst drawing the phylogenetic tree. Results: Out of 133, most of the dentists were female 61%, most were just under 35 years of age. The most participants in this study were predominantly with blood group O (40%), followed by B, A, and AB, with (90%) of them were RH+.
... Show MoreThe goal of this study was to investigate the protein peroxidation role by measuring serum levels of advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) in type 2 diabetic patients with or without retinopathy and comparing them to controls to see if circulating AOPP levels can be used as a detection biomarker for DR. And see which of the two widely used antidiabetic treatment groups had the most impact on this oxidative stress marker. The groups were divided into two subgroups: 1) 70 type 2 diabetic patients (36 male, 34 female), 35 with diabetic retinopathy (DR) and 35 with no evidence of DR, and 2) non-diabetic controls (11 male, 9 female) were chosen from Ibn AL-Haitham Hospital for Ophthalmology and a Specialized Center for Endocrinology and Dia
... Show MoreCOVID-19 is a unique viral infectious illness that causes a variety of symptoms and health hazards, particularly to the respiratory system and has been declared a worldwide pandemic. The disease is characterized by a cytokine release in severe conditions. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), a proinflammatory cytokine, mediates an important immunomodulatory process. Also, vitamin D was identified to have a role in the innate immunity of individuals. Our study was designed to find the role of IL-6 and vitamin D in COVID-19 patients, as well as, to see whether there is a link between vitamin D deficiency and cytokine syndrome development. The study included 90 COVID-19 patients and 30 control people from Baghdad, Iraq. The age of the participants was non-s
... Show MoreBackground: Toxoplasma gondiiis an obligate intracellular protozoan that may infect nearly all warm-blooded animals, including humans. T gondiiis thought to infect one-third of the human population.The symptoms depending on the adequacy of the immune antiparasitic response. In humans, the main source of infection is through contact with the feces of infected cats, the final host in which the T. gondii completes its life cycle. Other source of infection occurs when drinking raw milk, ingestion of contaminated meat. Aim: This descriptive study estimated the seroprevalence and risk variables for Toxoplasma gondii infection forundergraduate students of a college of Pharmacy who were studying at University of Baghdad. The frequency rate ofToxopl
... Show MoreBackground: the coronavirus leads to upper respiratory tract-associated manifestations like nasal congestion, sore throat, and smell disorder
Objectives: To reveal the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on otolaryngology symptoms using our daily medical practice.
Subject and Methods: A cross-sectional study that was carried on in the isolation wards at Al-Kindy and Al-Nu’man Teaching Hospitals during three months from the 1st of Jun. till the end of Aug. 2020. It included 1270 patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 infection seen in the ENT consultation clinic and admitted to the isolation wards.
Results: Otolaryngological manifestations were shown
... Show MoreThe study aimed to evaluate the benefits of transferrin saturation percentage (TSAT) and serum ferritin in assessing body iron status, which can influence erythropoietin treatment in patients with ESRD. Forty end-stage renal disease patients on regular hemodialysis participated in this study. Clinical data were obtained. Serum iron, total iron binding capacity, transferrin saturation, ferritin, albumin, creatinine, and C-reactive protein were investigated. Thirty healthy people were enrolled as a control group. ESRD patients had a mean age of 45.1±13.9 years, with 60% being males. They exhibited significantly lower hematocrit (25.3±6.5%), and higher platelet (285.7±148.1x10^9/L) and WBC (9.4±3.1x10^9/L) counts compared to healthy contro
... Show MoreThe aim of the present study is to compare the biochemical action of the three vaccines taken in Iraq: Pfizer Biontech, AstraZeneca Oxford and Sinopharm based on biochemical parameters. Seventy COVID-19 Iraqi patients ( males and females ) were participated in the present study and classified into 7 groups : Gc : COVID-19 patients ( without vaccine ) , Gp1: COVID-19 patients took one dose of Pfizer Biontech, Gp2 : COVID-19 patients took two doses of Pfizer Biontech, Ga1 : patients took one dose of AstraZeneca Oxford vaccine , Ga2: patients took two doses of AstraZeneca Oxford vaccine , Gs1 : patients took one dose of Sinopharm vaccine and Gs2:
... Show MoreSystemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is one of the autoimmune disorders, generated by a production of specific autoantibodies against self-antigens before the occurrence of clinical symptoms. The etiology of disease is still unknown, although there have been several infectious agents that have been associated with SLE development, especially in genetically predisposed individuals. Herpes simplex virus-I and -II (HSV-I and -II) and Toxoplasma gondiiare two infectious agents that have been suggested to be involved in SLE etiology. Accordingly, the present study assessed anti- HSV-I and -II and anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay in sera of 64 SLE female patients and 32 healthy control women. The patients w
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