Introduction: Candida spp. has become increasingly resistant to antifungal drugs, with elevated MIC levels causing a negative medical impact and increasing the number of patients at risk of candidiasis. According to the CDC, about 7% of Candida blood samples show reduced susceptibility to fluconazole. Monitoring the antifungal resistance profile of Candida spp. is vital, as non-Albicans species may limit treatment options. Objective: Evaluate the antifungal effectiveness against clinical Candida spp. isolates of six antifungals: amphotericin B, fluconazole, voriconazole, itraconazole, caspofungin, and 5-fluorocytosine. Methods: 100 samples were collected from various clinical samples at the National Centre of Teaching Laboratories in Baghdad, Iraq, from May to December 2023. The effectiveness of six antifungals (fluconazole (FLC), itraconazole (ITR), voriconazole (VRC), amphotericin B (AMB), caspofungin (CAS), and 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC)) was tested using the MA120 Automated ID and AST System (Render) according to CLSI standards. Results: Out of 100 isolates, nine Candida species were identified: C. albicans (54%), C. glabrata (20%), C. dubliniensis (10%), C. tropicalis (6%), C. krusei (5%), C. parapsilosis (2%), and C. rugosa, C. lusitaniae, and C. kyfer (each 1%). The non-susceptible rates to the six antifungals were: 5-FC (42%), FLC (21% intermediate, 9% resistant), AMB (11%), ITR (8%), VRC (6%), CAS (4% intermediate, 1% resistant). Conclusion: We observed increased resistance rates to 5-FC, FLC, ITR, AMB, and VRC, but not to caspofungin. C. albicans showed a high 5-FC non-WT phenotype (72%) with elevated MIC values, while C. glabrata had a 7% non-WT rate against AMB. C. tropicalis and C. parapsilosis revealed limited susceptibility to azoles
Insurance Companies perform a prominent role in providing services and bolstering national economy, and they contribute in achieving the aims of the economic development plans in addition to many other social and economic benefits. So it is necessary to evaluate the activity of these companies continuously to define performance level and its nature. Financial analysis is one of the important instruments that helps in analyzing and explanation of data in such a way that enable administration to define performance level and diagnosing strength and weakness points. This study tackles the state of affairs of the Iraqi Insurance Company which is considered as one of the active national institutions, due to its distinguished role in collecting
... Show MoreBackground: A carefully planned clinical medical education is critical for the provision of supportive clinical educational environment. The latter will ensure effective teaching, active learning and good attitudes and performance at the bedside. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical learning environment at AL-Diwaniyah Teaching Hospital. Materials and Methods: A descripitive cross-sectional study involved resident doctors from Internal Medicine and Surgery departments who had six months or more residency training in the respective departments. Data were collected using the Postgraduate Hospital Educational Environment Measure. Data where analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 21.0 and presented us
... Show MoreObjectives: to assess the normal range of different lip parameters with gender difference and its role in esthetic procedures for Iraqi people. Methods: direct lip measurements were performed with closed lip position using a digital vernier caliper in 132 young Iraqi subjects (89 female and 43 male). Results: Lip measurements showed sexual dimorphism with higher value in men than women in six parameters. Cutaneous height of the upper lip was higher in both sexes. The mustache area in males was longer in males compared to females. Also, it was noticed that upper lip vertical thickness had a higher value, especially in subjects with cosmetic procedures. In addition to that, vertical upper lip thickness showed a higher rise in values
... Show MorePapillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) represents the most prevalent kind of thyroid gland cancer, making up around 80% of all occurrences of thyroid cancer. Evidence shows that Syndecan-1 (SDC-1) expression is lost in a number of benign and malignant epithelial neoplasms, although its expression profile in thyroid gland neoplasms is yet unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess SDC-1 expression in papillary thyroid carcinoma patients, as well as the relationship between age and gender and SDC-1 expression. To undertake a detailed investigation of SDC-1 in normal and malignant tissues, tissue sections were used to examine SDC-1 expression in 70 tissue samples, 50 distinct PTC (6 males and 44 females) and 20 normal tissue ty
... Show MoreThis study was based on the determination of aphid species that infested Chrysanthemum sp. (Asterales, Asteraceae) in the middle of Iraq; five aphid species belong to subfamily Aphidinae were recorded: Aphis fabae Scopoli, 1763, Aphis gossypii Glover, 1877, Coloradoa rufomaculata (Wilson, 1908), Macrosiphoniella sanborni (Gillette, 1908) and Myzus persicae (Sulzer, 1776). A. gossypii was the most dominant species throughout the study period while M. persicae is the lesser species.
A summary of the main taxonomic characters is presented here and a pictorial key which was designed to separate aphi
... Show MoreAn abortion that occurs spontaneously is known as a miscarriage. Various effectors associated with abortion such as Genetic and uterine anomalies, Endocrinopathy, immunological dysfunctions, infectious agents, environmental contaminants, psychogenetic elements, and endometriosis. Maternal infections considered the main reason for pregnancy wastage in females with Bad Obstetric History (BOH). Candida albicans is a dimorphic fungus that can grow as yeast or filamentous cells and considered one of the limited species of the Candida genus that cause humans candidiasis. It is an opportunistic fungus that responsible for mucosal infections in the mouth and genital tract. Excessive growth of C. albicans will follow with Vulvovaginal candid
... Show MoreThe aim of this study is to investigate the ability of malachite green (MG) combined with 650nm diode laser to kill Candida albicans and to spectrally study the MG photodegradation after photodynamic therapy (PDT) spectrally. Cultures of Candida albicans were exposed to 40mW, 650 nm diode laser in the absence of MG. In PDT group, the MG was added to the Candida suspension for 5 min then exposed to diode laser for (5, 10, 15, 20) min at power density of 0.59W/cm2. The absorption spectrum of the photosensitized fungal suspension was obtained. The data were submitted to T-test (p<0.05). A 650nm diode laser in the presence of MG reduced the number of CFU/ml in 98.4%. Laser with 650nm alone and MG alone did not reduce significantly the num
... Show MoreThe current research included (the evaluation of Information Security Management System on according to international standard (ISO / IEC 27001: 2013) in Iraqi Commission for Computers and Informatics), for the development of an administrative system for information security is considered a priority in the present day, and in the light of the organizations dependence on computers and information technology in work and communication with others. The international legitimacy (represented by the International Organization for standardization (ISO)) remains the basis for matching and commitment and the importance of the application of information Security Management System accordi
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