The aim of this study is to describe the leech species that are used in some of the alternative medicine clinics in Baghdad Province based on morphometric measurements and colouring pattern of the body. A collection of twenty leeches was provided from some clinics. All specimens were identified and described based on standard available keys. The morphometric characteristics and colouring patterns were recorded and the indicated that these leeches were Hirudo orientalis Utevsky & Trontelj, 2005 and H. verbana Carena, 1820.

Capparis spinosa is one of the oldest genera grown in Iraqi land with worldwide traditional medicinal uses beside the culinary uses. These uses were own to the presence of many phytochemical including flavonoids, polyphenols. Among the reported polyphenolic acids are caffeic, chlorogenic and ferulic acids with well-known powerful antioxidant properties. The present work aimed to identify the presence of these polyphenolic acids in Iraqi caper naturally gown in the rural area of middle Iraq following standard chromatographic procedures. Aerial parts of the plant (buds, berries and leaves) were extracted with hydroalcoholic solvent by maceration method. Thin layer chromatographic techniques and HPLC analysis were performed to iden

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic destructive inflammatory disease associated with destruction of joint connective tissues and bones, affecting 0.5%–1% of the population worldwide reporting higher prevalence of periodontitis among rheumatoid arthritis patients. The purpose of this study is to estimate level of salivary C-reactive protein in relation to the occurrence and severity of the periodontal disease and other oral parameters among group of patients with rheumatoid arthritis Material and methods: Fifty women patients with rheumatoid arthritis; twenty five on Methotrexate treatment and twenty five on combination treatment of Methotrexate and Etanercept selected as study groups with an age range (30-40) years old and

Introduction: Ostrich farming has emerged as a new livestock industry in Iraq, but scientists lack sufficient information on health concerns, including intestinal parasites that cause significant production losses and financial instability over extended periods. Methods: Researchers collected 150 fecal samples from ostriches that dwelled in central and southern Iraq for microscopic examination of intestinal parasite occurrence. Results: The six parasite species included Entamoeba sp., which made up 26.66% of the population, and Cryptosporidium sp. at 11.33%, Ascaridia galli at 10%, Giardia sp. at 4.6%, Raillietina sp. at 2%, and Trichostrongyl. Molecular analysis was performed on a subset of positive samples because Entamoeba sp. is

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common malignant neoplasm of the oral mucosa. Human papillomavirus (HPV) virus cause a broad scope of diseases from benign to invasive tumors, types 16 and 18 classified as carcinogenic to humans. This study aimed to provide the first molecular characterization of HPV types in Iraq. Thirty-five unstimulated whole saliva samples were collected from histopathologically confirmed patients with oral cancer were enrolled in this study. Genomic DNA was extracted from exfoliating cells to amplify HPV-DNA using HPV-L1 gene sequence primers by polymerase chain reaction method (PCR), the viral genotyping was performed using direct sequencing method. HPV genotypes identified were deposited in Gen

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease its etiology is unknown. The classical autoimmune diseases, have adaptive immune genetic associations with autoantibodies and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), diabetes mellitus type two (DM II). Serum of99 males suffering from RA without DMII as group (G1), 45 males suffering from RA with DM II as group (G2) and 40 healthy males as group (G3) were enrolled in this study to estimation of alkaline phosphates (ALP), C-reactive protein (CRP) and Pentraxin-3(PTX). Results showed a highly significant increase in PTX3 levels in G1 and G2 compared to G3 and a significant decrease in G1comparing to G2. Results also revealed a significa

Background: Most primary Health Care Centers (PHCCs) in Iraq have a referral system records; however, this mechanism does not function well because of the lack of other requirements for an efficient referral system.

Objective: To assess the practice & opinion of doctors in PHCs toward the referral system, and to determine the doctors in PHC's commitment to referral system instructions and guidelines.

Subjects and methods: A cross-sectional study with analytic elements was conducted in nine health directorates in Iraq, from the 1st October 2018 – 30th June 2019.One PHC was selected randomly form each sector in every governorate, A questionnaire was used to collect the required information.

Radioactive elements were identified in samples of imported coffee consumed in the province of Basra using gamma spectrometry SAM940TM. It is a scintillation detector of NaI(Tl) crystal and the dimensions of 2×2 inch. We have identified specific concentration As(Bq/kg) and annual effective dose D(Sv/y) for radioactive elements (_^40)K, (_^131)I, (_^134)Cs and (_^137)Cs. The estimated average effective dose for adults from coffee samples were found to be 0.037mSv/y, 88.434nSv/y, 46.909nSv/y, 27.212nSv/y for ((_^40)K,(_^131)I,(_^134)Cs,(_^137)Cs) respectively. The present results of the study revealed that the radioactivity was relatively low in the coffee and within the permissiblelimit.

Background: Oral health and nutrition are in interdependent relationship that good nutritional health enhancing good oral health. Nutrition can affect the development and integrity of oral cavity and the progression of oral disease. The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of the gingival health condition in relation to the nutritional status, among 10 years old primary school children in urban and rural area in Al-Hillah city. Material and method: Eight hundred ninety one (891) students, aged10 years old, selected randomly from different primary schools, in urban and rural area in Al-Hillah city, were included in this study. Oral examination including of plaque index assessment, which was done according to the criteria

Background: Nutrition can affect the development and integrity of the oral cavity as well as the progression of oral diseases such as dental caries which was the most predominant and wide spread not life threatening human diseases especially in developing countries as in Iraq. This study was conducted to assess the occurrence, prevalence and severity of dental caries condition and their relations to nutritional status among intermediate schools females in Al-Najaf city in Iraq. Materials and methods: This study was conducted among intermediate schools females aged 13, 14 and15 years old and the total sample consisted of 754 students. The assessment of nutritional status was performed using body mass index (BMI) following Centers for Diseas