ABSTRACT
Background: From the time when the first outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), only a small proportion of infected people developed a severe infection, which is usually a sequel of cytokine overproduction. Genetic variations in the genes of some cytokines can influence the transcription rate of these cytokines. Objective: The going research article tried to evaluate the link between tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-308 gene polymorphism and COVID-19 severity. Materials and Methods: Blood samples were obtained from 60 patients with COVID-19 and verified by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in nasopharyngeal swabs. Patients were categorized into two categories based on the severity of the disease: severe COVID-19 included 30 patients and mild/moderate COVID-19 with 30 patients. The nucleic DNA was obtained from the whole blood, and TNF-α-308G>A polymorphism was genotyped utilizing PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Results: Homozygous (GG) and heterozygous (GA) genotypes were more frequent among severe than among mild cases, although the differences were not significant. At the allelic level, the frequency of a mutant allele (A) was higher in severe than in mild cases with a noticeable distinction (odds ratio = 2.49, 95% confidence interval = 1.1-5.64, P = 0.029). Conclusion: Allele A of TNF-α-308G>A may be deemed a threat for the severity of COVID-19. © 2023 Medical Journal of Babylon.
ABSTRACT
Introduction and Aim: Patients, who are positive for Coronavirus disease 2019 in association with bacterial co-infection may be more severe, the treatment is more problematic, and the treatment cycle is prolonged overall. This study aims to investigate bacterial blood stream infection in Coronavirus disease 2019 using 16S rRNA sequencing methods. Materials and Methods: Two ml leftover blood samples from 50 patients with laboratory confirmed RT-PCR positive for Coronavirus disease 2019, who got admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) in Quarantine Center in Baghdad, Iraqi were enrolled in this clinical case series study. Results: The total of 13 positive sample PCR products were sequenced. The sequencing-based identification of these isolates included: Serratia marcescens, Achromobacter xylosoxidans, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii and Staphylococcus aureus. Conclusion: The significance of considering bacterial blood infection in Coronavirus disease 2019 patients even in the setting of a blood cultures are negative and clinicians ought to know about Serratia marcescens an A. xylosoxidans while treating Coronavirus disease 2019 patients due to resistant pattern to many antimicrobial agents.