Background: The SARS-CoV-2 virus causes COVID-19, a respiratory syndrome. It causes inflammation and damages several organs in the body. miRNAs play a role in regulating the infection resulting from SARS-CoV-2. MicroRNA-155, a kind of microRNA linked to viral defences, can affect the immune responses during COVID-19. Objectives: Examination of the involvement of microRNA-155 in the development and severity of COVID-19, as well as finding the correlation between microRNA-155 and viral load (copies/mL) in severe cases of the disease. Materials and Method: A case-control research study was performed between October 2022 and June 2023. It included a cohort of 120 hospitalised individuals with severe cases of COVID-19, together with 115 individuals with mild cases of COVID-19 and apparently healthy individuals. A real-time PCR procedure was applied to determine microRNA-155 expression in the studied groups and the viral load (copies/mL) in severe cases of the disease. Results: MicroRNA-155 was expressed in severe cases threefold more than its expression in mild cases of COVID-19 and healthy individuals. Also, a strong association was demonstrated between microRNA-155 and viral load (copies/mL) in severe COVID-19. Conclusion: MicroRNA-155 could be used as a biomarker for severe COVID-19 conditions and could have a role in disease severity and infectious particles of the virus. Since it is positively correlated with viral load (copies/mL) in severe cases of the disease.

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.

This book was designed as case-control study and performed in the period between October 2016 to June 2017 in Central public health laboratory, Baghdad, Iraq. It includes samples from 90 women; 60 breast cancer patients, 20 benign tumor patients, and 10 normal breast tissues as a control group. A blood sample and formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissue block with histopathological report were obtained by a pathologist from each woman included in this study, according to ethical approval. The practical part of this study was designed around two main pathways. First, serological detection of anti-HCMV IgG and IgM was performed using the ELISA technique. Second, Immunohistochemically technique to demonstrate the expression of HCMV early and late antigens as well as HER2 expression in malignant, benign and normal breast tissues. These findings are the first to demonstrate the correlation between Human cytomegalovirus early and late antigens with Her2/neu overexpression in breast cancer.

Vaccination against novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) become highly recommended. In Iraq, three vaccines are available. They are Pfizer-Biontech, Oxford-AstraZenica, and Sino harm vaccines. A cross-sectional retrospective study was performed to a total of 2399 individual who are vaccinated with one of the available vaccines. People who are infected with Covid-19 before and/or after vaccination of either studied SARS-CoV-2 vaccines were also involved in this study (1175 case). Signs and symptoms have been reported for each of confirmed positive cases of Coronavirus disease. Statistical data analyses were applied to reveal the effect of different SARS-CoV-2 vaccines on the incidence of novel coronavirus disease among Iraqi population. Also, the virulence of novel SARS infection after vaccination was determined in response to sings and symptoms of the disease. Pfizer-BioNTech and Sino pharm vaccines show the least percentage (5.1%; 34 and 6.5%; 13) of disease incidence after first dose of vaccination respectively, while Oxford-AstraZenica show the highest percentage 11.5%; 39. In respect to SARSCoV-2 infection after second dose of vaccination, Pfizer-BioNTech percentage are the least (4.5%), Sinopharm (16.5%) and Oxford-AstraZenica (18.0%). The study concluded that incidence of Covid-19 was decreased after second dose vaccination of Pfizer, Sinopharm and AstraZenica vaccines respectively. Oxford-AstraZenica shows the least efficacy upon incidence of Covid-19 than Pfizer-Biontech and Sinopharm vaccines, after first and second dose vaccination, and severity of the symptoms after second dose vaccination.

Zamzam water provide for billions of muslims and considered as a holy water. In this study, Samples from zamzam water was charecterized chemically and compared with tab and distilled water. In addition to assay the antimicrobial activity. Zamzam water samples were charecterized for physical and chemical constituents and enumerated for total viable count of bacteria and coliform. Antimicrobial activity of zamzam water was studied and MIC, MBC determined. Result showed zamzam water is rich in micro, macroelement and slite salaine, with high electric conductivity (EC 70-80 time) higher than tab and distilled water. The concentartion of sodium, calicium and magnesium are 42.7, 47.7, and 14.4 µg/ml respectively. The bicarbonate concentration was 74.7 µg/ml and hardness 180.7 µg/ml. Also, high concentration of chlorine (70.7 µg/ml) and sulfate (124.4 µg/ml). Result shows that zamzam water samples were free of microorganisms and coliform, showing antimicrobial activity against E.coli. The bacteria was inhibited for growth after 18 hrs. and killed (no growth) after 24 hrs. The concentration of zamzam water 5:5 V:V inhibit the bacterial growth (MIC) and inhibition zone was started to appear between 5:5 and 6:4 V:V zamzam water and distilled water (MBC), and the inhibition zone increased with the increasing in concentration of zamzam water giving 17 mm at 10:0 V:V zamzam water: distilled water.