Ammar Adil Rashid SheerAli

Background: Respiratory tract infections RTIs represent a major global health concern, contributing to significant morbidity and mortality, particularly in low-and middle-income countries LMICs. The increasing burden of antimicrobial resistance AMR has further complicated the management of RTIs, limiting available treatment options and increasing healthcare costs. Smoking has been widely recognized as a significant risk factor for RTIs, compromising pulmonary immune defenses and promoting chronic colonization by multidrug-resistant MDR pathogens. However, limited data exist on the interplay between smoking and AMR trends in Iraq, a country experiencing rising antibiotic resistance rates due to unregulated antibiotic use and healthcare disruptions. Objectives: The aim of this study is to Identify and compare the microbial spectrum of respiratory pathogens in smokers and non-smokers with RTI, to analyze antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and assess resistance trends in both groups and to investigate the potential association between smoking and MDR bacterial infections. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Hakeem Hospital, Najaf, Iraq, between May and July 2024. A total of 35 sputum samples were collected from hospitalized and outpatient individuals diagnosed with RTIs. Bacterial and fungal pathogens were identified using culture-based methods and the VITEK 2 automated system. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing AST was performed according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute CLSI 2024 guidelines. Statistical analyses, including Chi-square tests and logistic regression models, were performed using SPSS v.25, with p-values <0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: The most frequently isolated pathogens were Staphylococcus aureus 20%, Pseudomonas aeruginosa 17%, and Streptococcus pneumoniae 14%. MDR prevalence was significantly higher in smokers p = 0.14, though statistical significance was not achieved. Carbapenem resistance was observed in 100% of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii isolates, indicating a major therapeutic challenge. Conclusion: Smokers exhibited significantly higher MDR prevalence, particularly for carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii. Fluoroquinolone resistance was disproportionately higher in smokers, raising concerns about empirical antibiotic choices. © 2025, Egyptian Society for Medical Microbiology (ESMM). All rights reserved.

Lung cancer (LC) is one of the most incident malignancies worldwide. This study investigated the potential role of matrix metalloproteinase9 gene (MMP9) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in Lung cancer patients. The study population was included 75 Iraqi patients with confirmed Lung cancer and 25 healthy people as controls. In this study, the -1562 C/T polymorphism in MMP9 gene was detected by restriction fragment length polymorphism-polymerase chain reaction (RFLP-PCR) technique. The genotype distribution results of the -1562 C/T SNP of MMP9 gene have shown no significant differences (p>0.05) between controls (CC: n= 15, 60%; CT: n=9, 36%; TT: n=1, 4%) and Lung cancer patients (CC: n= 44, 58.66%; CT: n=30, 40%; TT: n=1, 1.34%). Results of the association analysis between genotype distribution of the -1562 C/T SNP of MMP9 gene and clinicopathological criteria of cases such as histological grading, TNM staging and lymph node metastasis, had shown no significant association (p>0.05). While analysis of the association between genotype distribution of the -1562 C/T SNP of MMP9 gene and smoking status among patients were statically significant (p<0.05). These results suggested that the SNP in MMP9 gene was involved in lung cancer progression, tissue invasion and metastasis involvement.

This study was carried out to estimate the prevalence and potential for human infectivity of parasites in Kufa river. Samples were collected from three stations across Kufa river from July (2012) to February (2013) at approximately half monthly intervals. The first two stations represent the location of the most frequent sources for water pollution: Station where sewage and drainage water have discharged and station of slaughterhouse where the animal's residues shed to water. The third station was the place where Najaf city supply with water Liquefaction of water. There was a trend to higher concentration and more frequent incidence of parasites in the spring and fall, but positive samples were found in all seasons. Distribution of parasitic contamination in station one, determining the incidence and prevalence of human enteric protozoan parasites such as Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium parvum , Entamoeba coli, Entamoeba histolytica , Balantidium coli, in different parasitic contaminated samples will provide baseline data against the risk factors associated with waterborne pathogenic protozoa transmission. In the second station worms are the most common distributed parasites which transmitted via water to humans, such as Ascaris lumbricoides, Ancylostoma duodenale, Trichuris trichura, and Taenia saginata, and Fasiola hepatica while the third station were also positive but for protozoa (Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba coli, Entamoeba histolytica and Cryptosporidum parvum). These are water transmitted protozoa.

Over the past few decades, fertility treatments have witnessed a remarkable development, inflammation in the sexual glands attached to some patients in addition to immune disorders in patients, which are among the main causes of delayed pregnancy. A hidden molecular cause of infertility is sperm DNA fragmentation which can be attributed to many cases of infertility. This study aims to correlate the relationship between sperm DNA fragmentation and interleukin 17A in patients who suffer from leukocytospermia. Samples were collected from patients with Leukocytospermia (n=30) and healthy individuals (n=18). The present study showed a significant increase in Interleukin 17A levels in Leukocytospermia patients compared with the control group (mean± Std. Error 356.5± 6.14 & 141.37± 1.32) also significant sperm DNA Fragmentation level was noticeably decreased in Leukocytospermia compare with control group (mean± Std. Error 30.85±1.17 & 79.16±3.24 Consecutive). The results show a negative correlation between the Interleukin 17A level and sperm DNA Fragmentation level in Leukocytospermia patients. The study concluded the inflammation of patients affects an increase in the percentage of abnormal sperm chromatin that was assessed using the aniline blue dye. An increase in the level of pro-inflammatory such as interleukin 17 plays a critical role in the pathogenesis and inflammation, while a negative correlation between (Interleukin 17A level and the sperm DNA Fragmentation level in Leukocytospermia patients.

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is characterized by multiple cases and high rates of morbidity and mortality in individuals with predisposing risk factors. 1- to 50 people who have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 are thought to have developed post- COVID-19 symptoms. Several studies have recently indicated new-onset diabetes associated with COVID-19. Preliminary observations suggest that new-onset diabetes (NOD) after COVID-19 infection is a miracle. Objectives: This study focuses on the chain of events that follow infection with COVID-19. It investigates the effects of infection-related onset diabetes known as newly diagnosed diabetes (NDD). Methodology: This Study included 100 cases of females and males. It was confirmed that all patients were actually infected with Covid-19, which were part of the current prospective experimental study they were divided in three groups, after testing positively by a rapid antigen test or rapid antibody test. During the three-months follow-up, the cases that developed NOPD and NODM as well as the threat factors related to them were evaluated. Results: The first group whose HbA1c levels were examined actually developed diabetes (NOD) as a result of their infection with COVID-19 disease, the second group were in the early stage of diabetes (NOPD); Cases diagnosed with NODM had an HbA1c > 6.4. The HbA1c range of 5.7 to 6.4 was utilized to describe NOPD, whereas the third group that was infected with Covid-19 and after that did not develop any form of diabetes. Conclusion: A considerable proportion of initial non-diabetic cases experienced new-onset hyperglycemia following COVID-19 infection.