Background: Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is an autoimmune vesiculobullous mucocutaneous disease with life-threatening consequences. Rituximab (RTX) has recently emerged as an effective treatment for PV. Objectives: This study aims to determine changes in neutrophil and platelet counts for PV patients treated with RTX or corticosteroids combined with Imuran (azathioprine). Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Dermatology at Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq. Thirty PV patients received two types of treatment: 15 patients were administered RTX and 15 patients took corticosteroids with Imuran (azathioprine). Neutrophil and platelet counts were detected at the hospital laboratory. Results

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a widespread, yet often overlooked, parasitic disease caused by the Leishmania protozoan, which is prevalent in numerous countries, including Iraq. This condition is marked by the appearance of skin lesions on various exposed areas of the body. In most old-world regions, sodium stibogluconate (SSG) is the classical widely used drug to treat CL. The progression of skin ulceration is controlled by different inflammatory modulators including cytokines and enzymes. In this study, the possible role of the enzyme Matrix metalloproteinase9 (MMP-9) and its inhibitor Metallopeptidase inhibitor-1 (TIMP-1) as immunological markers was evaluated in CL patients suffering from cutaneous leishmaniasis before and aft

Significant risks to human health are posed by the 2019 coronavirus illness (COVID-19). SARS coronavirus type 2 receptor, also known as the major enzyme in the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2), connects COVID-19 and RAS. This study was conducted with the intention of determining whether or not RAS gene polymorphisms and ACE-2 (G8790A) play a part in the process of predicting susceptibility to infection with COVID-19. In this study 127 participants, 67 of whom were deemed by a physician to be in a severe state of illness, and 60 of whom were categorized as "healthy controls" .The genetic study included an extraction of genomic DNA from blood samples of each covid 19 patients and healthy control

Burn is one of the most devastating traumas that someone can encounter in their life. Burn wound sepsis is still the leading cause of death in burned patients. Appropriate knowledge of the causative pathogen in burn sepsis is important for successful patient management and for the reduction of the incidence of antibiotic resistance. A retrospective study was conducted between 2010 and 2018 at the Burn Specialty Hospital in Baghdad.Atotal of 320 blood culture samples were obtained from patients with sepsis orsuspected of having sepsis. Patient age ranged between 9 months to 70 years old, with a mean total burn surface area of 45.26%. The most common microorganisms isolated from those patients who had sepsis or suspicion of sepsis were Klebsi

The present study aimed to determine the serum sex hormone levels among Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) patients before and after 3 months of oral administration of 5-α reductase inhibitor(finasteride). Forty BPH patients and 40 healthy men from Amara city were involved in this study, their ages were between 40-59 year. They were all subjected  to direct estimation of hormones by MinVidas method including Testosterone (T), Estradiol (E2), Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Luteinizing Hormone (LH), Prolactin (PRL), and Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) before and after 3 months of treatment with 5α-reductase inhibitor (finasteride) (the healthy individuals didn’t take finasteride).The results showed that T level was significantly lo

Compression study of Irisin, Vitamin D and Kidney Function Parameters Between Iraqi Fracture Patients with and Without DM2 and Healthy Control, Omar Yousif Majnun*, Altaie AF

Background: The aim of this study was to determine phototoxic effect of visible blue light on anaerobic periodontal pathogens namely Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Porphyromonas gingivalis. Materials and methods: Strains of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Porphyromonas gingivalis were isolated from pockets of systemically healthy patients aged between 35-55 years old with pocket depths of 5-6 mm, the bacteria cultured on special blood Agar plates solid media, then subjected to visible blue light emitted from commercially available light cure devise (LED curing light); that emits blue light (400-500nm) of 1000mw energy at different periods of time exposures, then the CFU of each plate was measured by direct colony count

Visceral leishmaniasis(VL) or kala-azar is one of the world most neglected tropical diseases in mortality and fourth in morbidity, rK39 dipstick was used to diagnose the suspected infected patients as easiest and rapid technique for VL diagnostic, the disease out-coming required to the differentiation of cell mediated immunity either T-helper 1(Th-1) or (Th-2). One of main pointers that may be considered as one of immune evasion strategy in the host-parasite interplay is HLA-G level alteration. HLA-G Known as a special proteins (non-classical HLA class I) molecules which can suppress the immune system by T-cell functions impaired in the aid with target receptors as LILRB4. The development of the cell mediated immunity initiated with Interle