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Mohammed H Hassan,1 Sawsan Abuhamdah,2,3 Bakheet EM Elsadek,4 Ashraf Abdelwahab,5 Tarek Hamdy Abd-Elhamid,6 Hanan M Fayed,7 Amany Abbass,8 Ahmed Alamir Mahmoud Abdallah,9 Marwa Mohamed,5 Wafaa Mohamed Abd-Elmagid5 1Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, 83523, Egypt; 2College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; 3Department of Biopharmaceutics and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan; 4Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Azhar University, Assiut Branch, Assiut, 71524, Egypt; 5Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Andrology, Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt; 6Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt; 7Department of Chemical and Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, 83523, Egypt; 8Department of Chemical and Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt; 9Medical Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Sohag, EgyptCorrespondence: Mohammed H Hassan, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, 83523, Egypt, Tel +20 109 8473605, Email Mohammedhosnyhassaan@yahoo.com; mohammedhosnyhassaan@med.svu.edu.egIntroduction: Verruca vulgaris is a benign hyperkeratotic proliferation of the epidermis. Few studies look at the differences in serum and tissue macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) levels in verruca vulgaris, as well as its gene polymorphisms that have yet to be explored. The current study provided in-depth evaluation of MIF in serum and tissues of patients with verruca vulgaris, and establishes for the first time the possible association of MIF gene polymorphisms with common warts.Methods: This case-control study included 50 patients who were diagnosed clinically as common warts in comparison with 50 age and sex-matched controls. Clinical examination was done on all included cases. Serum MIF was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), while its tissue expression was analyzed using Western blotting and immunohistochemical techniques for the included participants. Analysis of MIF-173 G˃C single nucleotide polymorphism was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) technique.Results: The overall results revealed significantly lower MIF tissue expression in lesional and perilesional skin biopsies from cases compared to the controls using Western blot and immunohistochemical analysis. Yet, the difference in the serum MIF levels between cases and controls was not significant (p ˃ 0.05). GC genotype of the studied MIF rs755622 G>C SNP could be considered as a protective genetic factor against the occurrence of verruca vulgaris among Egyptians with OR (95% CI) equal 0.444 (0.199– 0.989).Conclusion: MIF and its genetic variants are thought to play a pathogenic role in verruca vulgaris development and recurrence.Keywords: macrophage migration inhibitory factor, MIF rs755622 G>C SNP, common warts, RFLP-PCR, western blot, immunohistochemistry

COVID-19 is an emerging disease all over the world and spreading at an unpredicted rate, resulting in significant influences on global economies and public health. Clinical, laboratory, and imaging characteristics have been partially described in some observational studies. Not enough systematic reviews on predictors of critical illness and mortality in COVID 19 have been published to date. In this review, we had illustrated the prognostic predictors of COVID-19 by gathering published information on the risk factors related to the outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infections.

Ali A Ghweil,1 Heba A Osman,1 Mohammed H Hassan,2 Abeer MM Sabry,3 Reem E Mahdy,4 Ahmed RH Ahmed,5 Ahmed Okasha,6 Ashraf Khodeary,7 Hesham H Ameen8 1Tropical Medicine and Gastroenterology Department, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt; 2Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt; 3Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Helwan University, Helwan, Egypt; 4Internal Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt; 5Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt; 6Radiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt; 7Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt; 8Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University (Assiut Branch), Assiut, EgyptCorrespondence: Mohammed H HassanDepartment of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena 83523, EgyptTel +20 109 847 3605Email mohammedhosnyhassaan@med.svu.edu.egBackground and aim: Gastric carcinomais a frequent neoplasm with poor outcome, and its early detection would improve prognosis. This study was designed to evaluate the possible use of new biomarkers, namely SAA and HMGB1, for early diagnosis of gastric cancer.Methods: A total of 100 patients presenting with gastric symptoms were included. All patients underwent upper endoscopic evaluation, histopathological diagnosis and serum CEA, SAA, and HMGB1 measurements.Results: Patients were classed endoscopically with neoplastic, inflammatory, and normal-appearing gastric mucosa: 50, 25, and 25 patients, respectively. Histologically, half the patients had chronic gastritis and the remaining cases gastric carcinoma of diffuse (n=28) or intestinal (n=22) type. SAA at cutoff of 18.5 mg/L had the best validity to differentiate gastritis from gastric carcinoma, with AUC, sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value (NPV), and positive predictive value (PPV) of 0.99, 98%, 100%, 100%, and 98%, respectively, followed by HMGB1 at cutoff of 14.5 pg/μL, with AUC, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of 0.91, 70%, 96%, 94.6%, and 76.2%, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of serum CEA at cutoff of 2.9 ng/mL to differentiate gastritis from gastric carcinoma were 42%, 72%, 60%, and 55.4%, respectively, with AUC of 0.53. Nonetheless, higher serum levels of both SAA and HMGB1 reflected higher tumor grade (P=0.027 and P=0.016, respectively) and advanced tumor stage (P-OBrk-0.001 for both).Conclusion: Serum levels of both SAA and HMGB1 could be of great value for early diagnosis of gastric carcinoma, comparable to the diagnostic role of serum CEA, which is not valid for early diagnosis of gastric cancer.Keywords: gastric carcinoma, early detection, SAA, HMGB1, CEA

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Asmaa M El-Kady,1 Mostafa I EL-Amir,2 Mohammed H Hassan,3 Khaled S Allemailem,4 Ahmad Almatroudi,4 Alzahraa Abdelraouf Ahmad5 1Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt; 2Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt; 3Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt; 4Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudia Arabia; 5Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, EgyptCorrespondence: Asmaa M El-KadyDepartment of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, EgyptTel +201114229741Email Asmaa.elkady@med.svu.edu.egIntroduction: Schistosomiasis is an important neglected tropical disease (NTD) in several developing countries. Praziquantel is the principle and efficacious chemotherapeutic agent that has been used to treat schistosomiasis for decades. Unfortunately, emerging resistance to praziquantel with accompanying reduced efficacy is reported in some localities. Hence, genetic diversity among parasite populations is of significant interest in assessing the effects of selective pressure generated by praziquantel therapy that might result in encouraging the emergence of new genotypes that are either non-susceptible or drug-resistant. The present study aimed to investigate the genetic diversity of Schistosoma haematobium among human populations using the RAPD technique to help clarify disease epidemiology and transmission.Materials and Methods: S. haematobium eggs were isolated from 50 of 134 patients from four different localities in Qena Governorate, Upper Egypt. These patients complained of terminal hematuria and burning micturition. Samples were used for molecular analysis using RAPD-PCR primers (A02, A07, A09, A10).Results: Twenty S. haematobium isolates (40%) were amplified using the selected RAPD primers. Amplification patterns of these isolates showed distinct variation in the size and number of amplified fragments, indicating high genetic variation among these isolates.Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to characterize the genetic diversity of S. haematobium in human populations in Upper Egypt. Future studies on a larger geographic scale involving many districts in Upper Egypt should be encouraged. Information from such a study would provide better insight into clonal lineages of S. haematobium in this endemic area. In turn, understanding transmission of the parasite may have a major role in establishing control strategies for urogenital schistosomiasis in Upper Egypt.Keywords: Schistosomiasis haematobium, RAPD, Upper Egypt, genetic diversity

Ali A Ghweil,1 Mohammed H Hassan,2 Ashraf Khodeary,3 Ahmed Okasha Mohamed,4 Haggagy Mansour Mohammed,5 Ahmed Alyan Abdelazez,1 Heba Ahmed Osman,1 Shamardan Ezzeldin S Bazeed1 1Department of Tropical Medicine and Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena 83523, Egypt; 2Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena 83523, Egypt; 3Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Sohag 82519, Egypt; 4Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena 83523, Egypt; 5Department of Chest Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena 83523, EgyptCorrespondence: Mohammed H HassanMedical Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, EgyptTel +201098473605Email Mohammedhosnyhassaan@yahoo.comBackground: The risk factors, disease characteristics, severity, and mortality of COVID-19 are unclear, particularly in Egypt.Objective: The objective was to analyze the patients’ characteristics, hematological, biochemical, and chest imaging findings among the cohort of patients with COVID-19 in Egypt and also to shed light on the predictors of COVID-19 severity.Patients and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 66 patients with COVID-19 in Egypt. Medical history, imaging data (CT chest findings), and measured hematological and biochemical parameters at diagnosis were recorded in the form of complete blood counts and differential counts; CRP, ESR, serum ferritin, creatinine, and liver function tests . Results of real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) for detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA at diagnosis and during follow up of these patients were also recorded.Results: The study included 36 patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 and 30 patients with severe/critical infection. There was a significant older age among severe (62.6 years old ± 10.1SD) than mild to moderate infection (55.5 ± 10.1) (p˂0.05). Fever, dry cough, dyspnea, and sore throat malaise were highly frequent among COVID-19 patients, while headache and diarrhea were the least frequently occurring manifestations. All included cases (30 patients, 100%) with severe COVID-19 showed crazy-paving appearance (in the form of reticular and/or interlobular septal thickening) with or without GGO. There were significantly lower mean values of WBCs, lymphocytic count, total protein, and albumin among the severely infected than those who had mild to moderate COVID-19 infection, p˂0.05 for all. Additionally, there were significantly higher mean values of CRP, ESR, ferritin, ALT, and AST among patients with severe/critical COVID-19 when compared with those having mild to moderate COVID-19, p˂0.05 for all.Conclusion: Among the studied demographic, clinical, hematological, biochemical, and imaging data, dyspnea, diabetes mellitus, lymphopenia, raised CRP, ESR, ferritin, ALT, AST, low albumin, and presence of CT chest findings could be considered as predictors for COVID-19 severity using binary logistic regression analysis.Keywords: COVID-19, Egypt, clinical data, hematological parameters, SARS-CoV-2 RNA, biochemical markers, severity