At the end of 2019, the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged in Wuhan, China, and then spread rapidly across the country and throughout the world. The causative agent is severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2); according to the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses, this virus has a nucleic acid sequence that is different from other known coronaviruses but has some similarity to the beta coronavirus identified in bats. Coronaviruses are a large virus group of enveloped positive-sense single-stranded RNA. They are divided into four genera—alpha, beta, delta, and gamma—and alpha and beta coronaviruses are known to infect humans. Rapid and early diagnosis of COVID-19 is a challenging issue for physicians and other health care personnel. The sensitivity and specificity of the clinical, radiological, and laboratory tests used to diagnose COVID-19 are variable and largely differ in efficacy depending on the patient’s stage of presentation.

BackgroundAsthma is a disease characterized by a chronic inflammation of the airways caused by the interaction of genetic susceptibility with environmental factors. Inflammation and remodeling are critical components of asthma. It is shown that many genes are involved in the pathogenesis of asthma.Aim of studyTo identify/compare the association between HLA-DRB1 alleles and development of asthma in a sample of Iraqi Arab Muslims.Patients and methodsA case-control study (forty patients and forty healthy control) was carried out in Medical city Teaching Hospital, Baghdad-Iraq. The study participants were patients with asthma consulted the hospital from September - 2013 to January - 2015. HLA –DRB1genotyping was done using a panel of sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes (SSOP) using HLA-DRB1amplification and hybridization kits (SSO HLA type DRB1 plus and Mastermix for HLA type DRB1 Amp plus kits -Innogenetics-Belgium) using automated method by AutoLipa – 48Innogenetics-Belgum.ResultsThere was an increased frequency of HLADRB1*03:01:01 in control group compared with patients group (P = 0.009, Odds ratio = 0.1228, 95% CI: 0.0254–0.5930). Other allele like HLA-DRB1* 070101was significantly increased in asthmatic patients in compares with control group (P = 0.005, Odds ratio = 6.641, 95% CI: 1.7319–25.4657).ConclusionsHLA alleles have an effect on development asthma in patients with HLA-DRB1*070101 while HLADRB1* 030101 may have a protective effect in Iraqi Arab Muslims individuals against development of asthma.

Objectives:To investigate the role of Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) Class II DRB1 in susceptibility to psoriasis in Iraqi patients.Methods:A cross-sectional comparative study including 40 patients with psoriasis attending the Department of Dermatology, Al-Kindy teaching hospital in Baghdad, Iraq, between September 2013-2015. Patient selection was carried out by the dermatologists. Ninety healthy individuals were included in the study. Human leukocyte antigen genotyping was carried out by the sequence specific oligonucleotide (SSO) method using Auto LiPA 48 (Innogenetics, Belgium) in the HLA typing research unit of the Al-Kindy College of Medicine, Baghdad, Iraq.Results:There is an increased frequency of HLA-DRB1*0102, *0306 in psoriatic patients with psoriasis p-values=0.001, confidence interval(CI)=2.492-37.487 and odds ratio(OR)=9.666. Human leukocyte antigen-DRB1*1101 is significantly associated with plaque-type psoriasis with p=0.0434, CI=1.04-1.69, and OR=4.2. Human leukocyte antigen-DRB1*0102 is significantly associated with other types of psoriasis with p=0.018, CI=0.0223-0.701, and OR=0.125.Conclusion:Human leukocyte antigen-DRB1*0102 and *0306 are significantly associated with psoriasis. Human leukocyte antigen-DRB1*1101 is significantly associated with plaque-type psoriasis. Human leukocyte antigen-DRB1*0102 is significantly associated with other types of psoriasis rather than plaque-type psoriasis.

Background: Thyroid disease is a common disease in women of the reproductive age. This disease arises due to complex interactions between environmental and genetic factors. However, the interactions between genes and environment are yet well defined. Among the main susceptibility genes that have been identified is the HLA-DQB1 gene locus. The major environmental factors include iodine, medications, infection, smoking, and possibly stress. Aim of study: To ascertain the association between HLA-DQB1 alleles and goitrous thyroid disease in a sample of Iraqi Arab Muslims. Patients and methods: A cross sectional case-control comparative study was carried out. Patients with thyroid disorders who attended this hospital in the period from September 2013 to June 2014 for thyroidectomy were studied. HLA-DQB1genotyping was done using a panel of sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes (SSOP) using HLA-DQB1 amplification and hybridization kits (SSO HLA type DQB1 plus and Mastermix for HLA type DQB1 Amp plus) using automated method by AutoLipa-48. Results: There was an increased frequency of HLADQB1*03:01and 0601 in control group compared with patients group (P=0.005, Odds ratio=0.0164, 95% CI: 0.0009-0.2926) and (P=0.01, Odd ratio=0.1667, 95% CI: 0.0412 to 0.6750) respectively. Other alleles like HLA-DQB1* 0202, 03:02, 0501 and 06:02 were detected in the patients' group but not in controls. Conclusions: HLA alleles have an effect on development thyroid disease. HLADQB1* 0301 and 0601 is a protective in Iraqi Arab Muslims individuals.

Background: Asthma is a disease characterized by a chronic inflammation of the airways caused by the interaction of genetic susceptibility with environmental factors. Inflammation and remodeling are critical components of asthma. It is shown that many genes are involved in the pathogenesis of asthma. Aim of study: To identify/compare the association between HLA-DRB1 alleles and development of asthma in a sample of Iraqi Arab Muslims. Patients and methods: A case-control study (forty patients and forty healthy control) was carried out in Medical city Teaching Hospital, Baghdad-Iraq. The study participants were patients with asthma consulted the hospital from September -2013 to January -2015. HLA -DRB1genotyping was done using a panel of sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes (SSOP) using HLA-DRB1amplification and hybridization kits (SSO HLA type DRB1 plus and Mastermix for HLA type DRB1 Amp plus kits -Innogenetics-Belgium) using automated method by AutoLipa -48Innogenetics-Belgum. Results: There was an increased frequency of HLADRB1*03:01:01 in control group compared with patients group (P = 0.009, Odds ratio = 0.1228, 95% CI: 0.0254-0.5930). Other allele like HLA-DRB1* 070101was significantly increased in asthmatic patients in compares with control group (P = 0.005, Odds ratio = 6.641, 95% CI: 1.7319-25.4657). Conclusions: HLA alleles have an effect on development asthma in patients with HLA-DRB1*070101 while HLADRB1* 030101 may have a protective effect in Iraqi Arab Muslims individuals against development of asthma.