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Expanding urbanization, socioeconomic factors, and agricultural activities have led to contamination of the natural water resources in Iraq. The objective of this study was to assess the riverbank filtration (RBF) process in purifying the water of Al-Kufa River from pathogens. The riverbank filtration is a natural approach that helps in the enhancement of the quality of river water, and it is a relatively cost-effective, and sustainable process. This study utilized microbiological approaches to monitor the water quality of wells in comparison with river water. In Al-Kufa district of Al-Najaf governorate in Iraq, eight wells were constructed at different locations adjacent to Al-Kufa River. Total plate count, coliform count, fungal count, and fecal coliform count were among the microbiological parameters tested. The findings of the current study showed a difference in the pathogen count between the wells and river water, but the riverbank filtration process did not meet the World Health Organization guidelines. From this, we concluded that, if the pumping well is continuously running, RBF as a preliminary treatment of surface water would be a promising and potentially viable application in purifying water supply. Finally, in future RBF process is supposed to be taken into consideration to protect the security of water supply from waterborne pathogens.

The present study was performed to assess the presence of Enterobacteriaceae in raw meat in Iraq using cultivation and the VITEK®2 compact system. A total of 20 chicken raw meat samples were randomly purchased from butchers and local meat retailers located in Najaf, Iraq. Five bacterial isolates were recovered from these samples. Proteus mirabilis (70%) was found to be the most abundant, followed by Enterobacter cloacae complex (15%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella enterica subsp. diarizonae (10%), and Enterobacter aerogenes (5%). The discovery of Salmonella enterica ssp. diarizonae in local chicken meat is the first of its kind in Iraq. Moreover, the presence of several Enterobacteriaceae in locally produced retail raw chicken meat raises concerns about the possibility of cross-contamination with other food items. Also enhances the danger of human infection from eating raw or undercooked meat. To lessen the danger of infection, veterinarians and public health authorities must coordinate and take synchronized action.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in COVID-19 patients treated at AL-Saddar Teaching Hospital (Najaf, Iraq). Methods and Results: The study population consisted of 190 patients treated at AL-Saddar Teaching Hospital (Najaf, Iraq) between June 1 and August 20, 2022. Clinical signs, lung abnormalities, and a positive result from real-time PCR for nasopharyngeal swab samples have all been used to identify infection. Clinical and laboratory information on the patients was gathered for the investigation. A comparative analysis was conducted between patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) (n=67) and without AKI (n=123). The patients without acute kidney injury (AKI) frequently left the hospital in better health (80.9%), and they did not require dialysis, compared to 22.4% of those who had AKI. The percentage of patients in each group admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) significantly differed with respect to KI: 46.3% with AKI and 15.4% without AKI (P

Background: In addition to human cells, healthy gums contain a variety of bacteria, fungi, and protozoa that may contribute to unhealthy sites. The effect of pathogens lysis or other immune cell lysis needs to be clarified in order to expand the current pathophysiological pattern of periodontitis. The purpose of this study was to survey the prevalence of E. gingivalis among patients with periodontitis and healthy individuals in order to support public health action. In addition, we investigated the relationship between the incidence rate and some parameters, such as patient age and gender. Methods and Results: This study enrolled 51 subjects divided into two groups: The case group involved 31 patients (15 females and 16 males) with periodontal disease; the control group included 20 people (10 females and 10 males) with healthy oral cavities. Biofilm and saliva samples were collected and examined for the presence of E. gingivalis. A total of 22(71.0%) patients of various ages with periodontal disease were infected with E. gingivalis. Male patients were more likely to have the amoeba than female patients. E. gingivalis was also found in the control group, albeit at a lower frequency (P=0.005). Conclusion: Infections with E. gingivalis should be considered as a potential pathological factor associated with the development of periodontal diseases. More research should be conducted to determine whether E. gingivalis is the primary cause of tissue destruction and disease progression, or if it is acting synergistically with the current pathogenic bacteria that should be investigated further.