In this study the prevalence of acute, sub-acute and chronic toxoplasmosis were monitored in a group of Iraqi pregnant women according to the anti-T.gondii antibodies (IgG and IgM), as well as the levels of both progesterone and estrogen hormones were measured using mini-VIDAS®technique. This study demonstrated that there was high prevalence of chronic toxoplasmosis (31.70%) when it compared with acute and sub-acute type, results also showed that the acute toxoplasmosis always related with low concentration of both progesterone and estrogen which were (5.35 ± 7.15 ng/ml) and (70.66 ± 51.08 pg/ml) respectively
Placental dysfunction and or fetal central nervous system infestation caused by Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is the leading cause of congenital non-genetic neuro-developmental problems of the newborn, worldwide. Although the highest rates of congenital infection and CMV seroprevalence occurs in developing countries like Iraq, there remains a paucity of data from that part of the world. This descriptive case control study was undertaken in Babylon/ Iraq to determine the local seroprevalence of CMV in women of child bearing age, and to identify the socio-demographic factors associated with it. This study found a seropositivity peak amongst the 26-35 yr olds which declined in the 36 – 45 yr olds. However, the
... Show MoreObjective The aim of this study was to assess whether serum cytokine levels correlate with clinical periodontal parameters in health or disease.
Materials and Methods Male subjects (40–60 years) with CP (n = 30), CP + CHD (n = 30), and healthy controls (n = 20) had plaque index (PLI), gingival index (GI), bleeding on probing, probing pocket depth (PPD), and clinical attachment level (CAL) evaluated. Serum IL-1β and IL-6 levels were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Results PLI, GI, PPD, and CAL were significantly higher in patients with CP + CHD compared to those with CP. Serum levels of IL-1β and IL-6 were also si
Background: Infection with Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) leads to activation of T-helper cells (Th-1 and Th-2) which are involved in the synthesis and release of different cytokines which may lead to endothelial dysfunction. Objectives: To evaluate the endothelial function in patients with acute toxoplasmosis. Methods: This case-control study involved 31 patients with toxoplasmosis aged 19 - 47 years matched with 20 healthy subjects. Anti-T. gondii antibody (IgG, IgM, IgA) was determined by direct antigen-antibody reaction. Interleukin-6(IL-6), endothelin-1 (ET-1) and human malondialdehyde (MDA) serum levels were measured. Results: IgM, IgG and IgA levels were high in the infected patients compared with controls (P < 0.01). Furthermore, IL-
... Show MoreDiabetic Nephropathy(DN) is a complex disease manifested by persistence microalbuminuria occurring due to the interaction between hemodynamic and metabolic pathway that activates the local renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system resulting in a decline in renal functions.
This study aimed to quantify the associations between serum aldosterone concentration and fetuin- A as a marker of calcification in type 2 diabetic patients with and without microalbuminuria from one side, and study the possible relationship between aldosterone and fetuin-A with glycemic indices, serum electrolyte, renal function and microalbuminuria and body mass index from the other side.
A case-control study involved eighty-six adult subjects
... Show MoreBackground: Malaria remains a leading cause of mortality in sub-Saharan Africa (including Sudan). C-reactive protein (CRP) is useful as a marker of severity in malaria. African studies have shown that serum CRP levels correlate with parasite burden and complications in malaria, especially falciparum. However, there are no data on CRP levels in Sudanese malaria patients.
This study aims to evaluate the association between CRP levels with comorbidities, species, and complications of severe malaria
Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study enrolled 65 severe malaria patients at Khartoum state hospitals during the period from April to June2021. Manifestations of severe
... Show MoreThe study aimed to identify Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and its genotypes prevalent among Iraqi women. They collected 89 cervical swab samples from diagnosed patients at Baghdad Teaching Hospital's Early Detection Clinic. Using PCR technique on 19 samples, they found HPV16 (57.89%) and HPV6 (10.52%) genotypes, while HPV-11, 18, and 45 were absent. HPV 16 and HPV 6 were common in cervical cancer among Iraqi women. Sequencing revealed nucleic acid variants in HPV-6 (124A>C) and HPV-16 (225G>T) E6 genes, resulting in silent effects on the encoded protein. These changes didn't alter amino acid residues (p.74I= and p.L117=). Phylogenetic analysis showed substantial distances between their samples and other viral types, indicating di
... Show MoreEndometriosis is a common women health disorder that occurs when Endometrial-like tissue grows outside the uterus. This may lead to irregular bleeding , pelvic pain, infertility and other complications. Metformin, because of its activity to improve insulin sensitivity, it is used for the treatment of diabetes; it also has a modulatory effect on ovarian steroid production and has anti-inflammatory properties, all may suggest its possible effect in treatment of endometriosis. This study was planned to determine the effect of metformin on serum levels of&nbs
... Show MorePsoriasis, a chronic inflammatory dermatological condition, exhibits heterogeneous responses to anti-TNF therapies such as etanercept (ETN), underscoring the need for predictive biomarkers. This study investigated the association of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) gene promoter polymorphisms (rs1143623 C/G, rs752338864 C/G, and rs1143627 C/T) with ETN efficacy in 80 Iraqi patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Patients were categorized according to treatment response: responders achieved ≥ 75% reduction in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), whereas non-responders demonstrated ≤ 50% reduction. Post-treatment serum IL-1β levels were significantly higher in non-responders (50.35 ± 15.81 pg/mL) compared to respo
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