The current study presents the cellar spiders genus Nita Huber & El-Hennawy, 2007 (Araneae, Pholcidae) as the first record for Iraq spider fauna, this genus represented by the species Nita elsaff Huber & El-Hennawy, 2007 were identified based on morphological characteristics and DNA sequence data. A short morphological description is also presented for cellar spiders listed in Iraq; including this species in addition to Artema Atlanta Walckenaer, 1837.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of high concentration of Mentha spicata on liver tissues. Fourteen mature male albino mice were used in this study and divided into two groups. Control group received 1 ml normal saline daily for 7days through oro- gastric tube. The remained animals received 1ml of aqueous extract of Mentha spicata daily for 7 days through oro-gastric tube. At the end of experiment, all animals were dissected. Liver Samples were fixed in 10% buffered formalin and embedded in paraffin. Sections were prepared and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. The slides were examined macroscopically. The results showed that coagulative degeneration, degeneration of hepatocy

solation of candida spp. From cancer patients who suffered oral candidiasis due to immunodeficiency

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

Klebsiella pneumoniae are Gram-negative which cause many diseases such as urinary tract infections, respiratory tract infections and septicemia. Inulinase is an enzyme used in food manufacture and pharmaceuticals. Inulinase is used in decreasing lipid ratio and, cholesterol in blood and considered as a prebiotic factor inside intestine. Many microorganisms can produce inulinase, such as yeast, fungi and bacteria; among such bacteria: Bacillus spp., Arthrobacter spp., and Pseudomonas spp. but there are no studies about inulinase production by K. pneumoniae have been reported. So the current study aims at investing the ability of producing and purification inulinase by K. pneumoniae. Method: K. pneumoniae were isolated from many hospitals and

This study was carried out to evaluate parasitological and immunological of the effect of chitosan and chitosannanoparticles loaded with spiramycin on toxoplasmosis infected mice. After injection intra peritoneal with 103viable tachyzoites for acute infection, treatments given for seven days. Peritoneal fluid examination revealed a significant decrease in the number of Toxoplasmagondiitachyzoites in all treated infected mice compared with infected non-treated. The combined therapy gave better results than single. The best effect was observed in group of mice treated with spiramycin combined with chitosan nanoparticles. Also immunoglobulin Ig Manti body and gamma Interferon (INFγ), Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF-α) cytokines responses ag

Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic infection that triggers immune cells to produce cytokines and inflammatory mediators that are responsible for abnormal or aborted immune responses. This study highlights the evaluation of the Dectin-1 receptor and cytokine IL-37 in the serum of 80 patients who had miscarried in the first trimester and were infected with toxoplasmosis, as well as 40 pregnant women in the first trimester who had a successful pregnancy (control groups). The serum was first screened for the T. gondii IgM and IgG antibodies by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and then the serum levels of IL-37 and Dectin-1 were determined. The results showed that the serum level of Dectin-1 was significantly increased in anti-

Antibiotic resistance increment is a major problem for the human society nowadays which encourages the efforts to look for new therapeutic alternatives from natural defenses. Synergistic antibacterial activity of epidermin and staphylolysin LasA A against Staphylococcus aureus (Staph aureus), Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Ps. aeruginosa) was evaluated. The antibacterial activities of epidermin from Staphylococcus epidermidis (Staph epidermidis) and Staphylolysin (LasA) from Ps. aeruginosa using the agar well diffusion assay were evaluated, and then using the micro dilution method to evaluate the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). The checkerboard method and fract

The relationship between chronic hepatitis B virus and Helicobacter pylori infection was evaluated to determine, seventy five patients with chronic hepatitis B infection (8-70 years) were investigated. The results were compared with the results of 50 healthy volunteers. Anti-H. pylori antibodies IgA and IgG were measured by Indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) in sera of patients and healthy groups. The percentage of anti-H.pylori IgA antibodies (26.67%) were significantly (P<0.01) higher than healthy control group. While, no significant difference was found between the percentages of anti-H. pylori IgG antibodies (48 %) in patient sera and these kind of antibodies in sera of healthy control group (P > 0.05). The present results indica

The toxicity of insecticide dichlorvos (90%) was tested in ovaries of mosquito fish using three sublethal concentrations (0.3, 0.6, 0.8 µg/L) and studied their effects on the means of body and ovary weights, gonadosomatic index, ovum size and ova number. Results showed that there was a significant (P<0.05) decrease in body and ovary weights, ovum size and ova count. However, there was no significant (P<0.05) difference in gonadosomatic index in treated groups with the three concentrations of dichlorvos compared with the control group. This study was added evidence on the ovular toxicity of dichlorvos concerning its effect on fish production as well as reduction in the means of productive offspring and their survival.

The effect of the aqueous extract of fig (Ficus carica) fruit was studied by using different concentrations of this fruit (15, 20 and 25 mg/kg of body weight) on some hematological parameters (hemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume, white blood cell count and platelets count) in female rabbits. Twenty female rabbits were randomly divided into four groups (five animals in each group). Three groups were dosed with the concentrations mentioned above, while the last was administered with distilled water and considered as control group. These animals were orally dosed by aqueous extract using a micropipette. The results showed that there was a significant (P<0.05) increase in hemoglobin concentration and packed cell volume means for all

This study was achieved to investigate the accumulation of some heavy metals included: Cadmium, Lead and Nickel in the tissues (gill, intestine, liver, muscles and skin) of Silurus triostegus Heckel, 1843 (Siluriformes, Siluridae) and its larval stage of the nematode Contracaecum sp. (Rhabditida, Anisakidae). As well as to assess the infection patterns of Contracaecum among S. triostegus specimens which were purchased fresh from the local market in Baghdad. One hundred and nine nematodes specimens in larval stage were recovered from the fish host; the overall prevalence of Contracaecum sp. was 38.6%. The sex of the host was not significantly (P ˃ 0.05) associated with the infection of this nematode. Results showed that the ov

16S rRNA gene sequence examination is an effective instrument for characterization of new pathogens in clinical specimens. Akey component of colonization, biofilm formation, and protection of the pragmatic human pathogen Pseudomonasaeruginosais the biosynthesis of the exopolysaccharide Psl.Extracellular polysaccharides,biofilm, are secreted by microorganisms into the neighboring environment and are significant for surface attachment and keeping structural safety within biofilms.Biofilm production is an important technique for the survival of P. aeruginosa,and its association with antimicrobial resistance represents a defy for patient therapeutics. The aim of the current research is to assess the antibiotic resistance manner and distribution

Owing to high antibacterial resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, it could be considered as the main reason behind the nosocomial infections. P. aeruginosa has a well-known biofilm forming ability. The expression of polysaccharide encoding locus (pelA gene) by P. aeruginosa is essential for this ability. The purpose of the current research was to determine the biofilm formation in P. aeruginosa isolated from clinical samples and to evaluate the role of the selected PelA gene in biofilm formation using PCR method in Iraqi patients. Results revealed that 24 (96%) isolates were found to have the ability to form biofilm that was remarkably related to gentamicin resistance. Moreover, the pelA gene was found in all biofilm-producers. In c

       Swarming is one of the most important virulence factors used by bacteria to invade new sites. This study aimed to test the effects of gentamicin on swarming motility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, both phenotypically and molecularly. The present results revealed that 11/25 isolates had gentamicin MIC of 1024 µg/ml.  However, gentamicin at sub-minimal inhibitory concentration significantly (P< 0.05) reduced the diameter of swarming in all P. aeruginosa isolates. Noticeably the mean and median swarming diameter before treatment with gentamicin 5.557 and 5.816 cm respectively had significantly (P < 0.001) reduced to 0.871 and 0.766 cm respectively. At the molecular level, amrZ (a global regulator of multiple genes) and

In Iraqi patients with acromegaly the present investigation included 40 control group and 70 patients with acromegaly divided 35 patients with Diabetic while another 35 patients without Diabetic, with ages between (29-72) years for the identification of GST activity polymorphisms by present and absent GSTM1, GSTT1, and PCR-RFLP, enzymatic digestions were carried out using BsmAI (Biolabs. England, UK) for GSTP1b and AciI (Biolabs, England, UK) for GSTP1c.the association GSTActivity with GST genotype were investigated in a cohort of Iraq acromegaly patients comparing with the healthy control group. The results show a non-significant change in GSTP1b gene in both groups, while show high significantly in GSTP1c in diabetic and non-diabetic acro

One hundred forty three of Klebsiellapneumoniae isolates had been collected from some hospitals in Baghdad city. The isolates were taken from different clinical specimens.Antimicrobial susceptibility test was carried out towards fifteen antimicrobial agents by using Vitek2 system with Antimicrobial susceptibility test cards. The results of antibiogram showed that the local isolates were possess highly resistance towards most antimicrobial agents under study. The high resistance wastoAmpicillin while the low resistance was to Imipenem.Two methods were used for detection of Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamases (ESBLs) production; first methods by using of Vitek2 system,thesecondmethods by using of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique to dis