Exploring the use of COVID-19 antigen rapid diagnostic tests among displaced populations in Iraq: findings from a pilot project in four IDP camps.

Background: IOM piloted the use of Ag RDTs for COVID-19 in Iraq, in collaboration with FIND, the Global Alliance for Diagnostics, to facilitate access to testing and understand barriers and opportunities for testing in a displacement context. The purpose was to (i) evaluate the performance metrics of the Sure Status COVID-19 Antigen Card Test in this population; (ii) compare Ag RDT results across high- and low-probability cases, vaccination status, and symptom severity; and (iii) report participant perspectives on Ag RDT use for COVID-19 and other diseases.

Methods: Secondary analysis was conducted using de-identified cross-sectional data collected from November 2022-March 2023 in four IDP camps in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

Cervical cancer risk in association with TNF-alpha gene polymorphisms in Bangladeshi women.

Background: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) is among the vital pro-inflammatory cytokines that potentially exerts a significant influence on the immune response, hence potentially regulating the advancement of cervical lesions.

Objective: Our study objective was to examine the relationship between two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs1799724 and rs1800629) of TNF-α and the risk of cervical cancer in women from Bangladesh.

Methods: We recruited 133 patients with cervical cancer and 126 healthy individuals for this study.

The relation between interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 serum levels and the severity of acquired aplastic anemia in adult patients: A single center study.

Aplastic anemia is a lethal bone marrow disease with a heterogeneous etiological background. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-8 were shown to affect the proliferation and differentiation of primitive hematopoietic cells. They may serve as potential markers for the assessment of severity/prognosis of aplastic anemia.

Interleukin gene polymorphisms and alopecia areata: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease which results in non-scarring hair loss on the scalp or any surface with hair. Several genetic polymorphisms of the interleukin genes have been linked with this disease but the results are inconsistent. This systematic review and meta-analysis were done to find the association between rs3118470, rs2275913, rs3212227, and rs10889677 of the IL2RA, IL17A, IL12B, and IL23R genes, respectively, of the interleukin family with alopecia areata.

Association of CD58 rs12044852 and rs2300747 polymorphisms with the risk of multiple sclerosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Multiple sclerosis is a serious neurodegenerative disorder that causes disability in young adults. Genetic predisposition of multiple sclerosis is well documented and several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the CD58 were found to be associated with this disease. This systematic review and meta-analysis were done with the aim of finding the association between CD58 gene SNPs (rs12044852 and rs2300747) and the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS).