Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases

Abdelhafez, Mohammad;Nasereddin, Abedelmajeed;Shamma, Omar Abu;Abed, Rajaa;Sinnokrot, Raghida;Marof, Omar;Heif, Tariq;Erekat, Zaid;Al-Jawabreh, Amer;Ereqat, Suheir

doi: 10.1155/2023/9551163pmid: 37745867

The clinical course and severity of COVID-19 vary among patients. This study aimed to investigate the potential correlation between the gene polymorphisms of the interferon receptor (<i>IFNAR2</i>) rs2236757 and oligoadenylate synthetase 3 (<i>OAS3</i>) rs10735079 with the risk of COVID-19 infection and its severity among Palestinian patients. The study was conducted between April and May 2021 on 154 participants who were divided into three groups: the control group (RT-PCR-negative, <i>n</i> = 52), the community cases group (RT-PCR-positive, <i>n</i> = 70), and the critically ill cases (ICU group; <i>n</i> = 32). The genotyping of the investigated polymorphisms was performed using amplicon-based next-generation sequencing. The genotypes distribution for the <i>IFNAR2</i> rs2236757 was significantly different among the study groups (<i>P</i> = 0.001), while no statistically significant differences were found in the distribution of genotypes for the <i>OAS3</i> rs10735079 (<i>P</i> = 0.091). Logistic regression analysis adjusted for possible confounding factors revealed a significant association between the risk allele rs2236757A and critical COVID-19 illness <span class="inline_break"><svg xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="25.962pt" style="vertical-align:-2.26807pt" id="M1" height="11.5564pt" version="1.1" viewBox="-0.0498162 -9.28833 25.962 11.5564"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,0,0)"><path id="g113-41" d="M300 -147C201 -63 143 98 143 270S200 602 300 686L282 710C136 610 70 450 70 271V270C70 89 136 -72 282 -170L300 -147Z"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,4.498,0)"><path id="g113-81" d="M600 480C600 590 528 650 384 650H143L137 622C222 614 225 607 210 531L130 127C113 41 106 36 23 28L17 0H294L300 28C204 36 195 42 212 127L243 284L314 263C327 263 339 263 352 264C465 271 600 337 600 480ZM508 481C508 351 402 304 329 304C289 304 265 311 250 317L295 559C302 594 310 606 323 611C335 616 350 619 367 619C455 619 508 573 508 481Z"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,18.331,0)"><path id="g117-91" d="M512 -3V55L134 254V256L512 456V514L75 281V230L512 -3Z"/></g></svg><span class="irelop"/><span class="nowrap"><svg xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="32.714pt" style="vertical-align:-2.26807pt" height="11.5564pt" version="1.1" viewBox="31.7191838 -9.28833 32.714 11.5564"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,31.769,0)"><path id="g113-49" d="M241 635C89 635 35 457 35 312C35 153 89 -12 240 -12C390 -12 443 166 443 312C443 466 390 635 241 635ZM238 602C329 602 354 454 354 312C354 172 330 22 240 22C152 22 124 173 124 313S148 602 238 602Z"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,38.009,0)"><path id="g113-47" d="M113 -12C146 -12 170 11 170 46C170 78 146 103 114 103S58 78 58 46C58 11 82 -12 113 -12Z"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,40.973,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-49"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,47.213,0)"><path id="g113-51" d="M412 140C382 77 369 73 315 73H129L270 222C362 320 402 379 402 466C402 571 322 635 234 635C177 635 130 609 99 576L42 495L64 475C90 514 133 568 201 568C274 568 318 519 318 435C318 349 255 267 193 193C144 135 87 78 32 23V0H405C417 45 427 89 440 131L412 140Z"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,53.453,0)"><path id="g113-54" d="M153 550H386L412 615L406 623H120L82 318C104 327 142 338 184 338C294 338 347 275 347 187C347 112 305 39 221 39C160 39 119 71 97 89C88 97 80 96 71 90C59 80 50 67 49 57C48 45 52 36 66 23C80 9 123 -12 169 -12C221 -11 288 15 342 59C403 109 431 165 431 225C431 308 366 395 238 395C212 395 165 379 127 364L153 550Z"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,59.694,0)"><path id="g113-42" d="M275 270C275 450 212 609 64 710L45 686C145 604 203 442 203 270S147 -63 45 -147L64 -170C213 -68 275 89 275 270Z"/></g></svg>.</span></span> Among all patients, those who carried the rs2236757GA were more likely to have a sore throat (OR, 2.52 (95% CI 1.02–6.24); <i>P</i> = 0.011); the presence of the risk allele rs2236757A was associated with an increased risk to dyspnea (OR, 4.70 (95% CI 1.80-12.27); <span class="inline_break"><svg xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="21.464pt" style="vertical-align:-0.6370001pt" id="M2" height="9.2729pt" version="1.1" viewBox="-0.0498162 -8.6359 21.464 9.2729"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,0,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-81"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,13.833,0)"><use xlink:href="#g117-91"/></g></svg><span class="irelop"/><span class="nowrap"><svg xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="28.182pt" style="vertical-align:-0.6370001pt" height="9.2729pt" version="1.1" viewBox="27.221183800000002 -8.6359 28.182 9.2729"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,27.271,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-49"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,33.511,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-47"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,36.475,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-49"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,42.715,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-49"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,48.955,0)"><path id="g113-50" d="M384 0V27C293 34 287 42 287 114V635C232 613 172 594 109 583V559L157 557C201 555 205 550 205 499V114C205 42 199 34 109 27V0H384Z"/></g></svg>),</span></span> while the rs10735079A carriers were less likely to develop muscle aches (OR, 0.34 (95% CI 0.13–0.88); <i>P</i> = 0.0248) and sore throat (OR, 0.17 (95% CI 0.05–0.55); <span class="inline_break"><svg xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="21.464pt" style="vertical-align:-0.6370001pt" id="M3" height="9.2729pt" version="1.1" viewBox="-0.0498162 -8.6359 21.464 9.2729"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,0,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-81"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,13.833,0)"><use xlink:href="#g117-91"/></g></svg><span class="irelop"/><span class="nowrap"><svg xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="28.182pt" style="vertical-align:-0.6370001pt" height="9.2729pt" version="1.1" viewBox="27.221183800000002 -8.6359 28.182 9.2729"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,27.271,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-49"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,33.511,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-47"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,36.475,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-49"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,42.715,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-49"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,48.955,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-50"/></g></svg>).</span></span> In conclusion, our results revealed that the rs2236757A variant was associated with critical COVID-19 illness and dyspnea, whereas the rs10735079A variant was protective for muscle aches and sore throat.

Ayele, Basha;Beyene, Getenet;Alemayehu, Mekdelawit;Dekebo, Aman;Mekonnen, Zeleke;Nigussie, Gashaw

doi: 10.1155/2023/8277976pmid: 37692062

<i>Background</i>. Shigellosis is the most common cause of epidemic dysentery found worldwide, particularly in developing countries, where it causes infant diarrhea and mortality. The prevalence of <i>Shigella</i> species resistant to commonly used antimicrobial drugs has steadily increased. The purpose of this review is to describe the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) characteristics of <i>Shigella</i> species in East Africa between 2015 and 2022. <i>Methods</i>. Studies were identified using a computerized search of Medline/PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science databases, with a detailed search strategy and cross-checking of reference lists for studies published between 2015 and 2022. Articles presenting data on prevalence and AMR, accessibility of the full-length article, and publication dates between 2015 and 2022 were the eligibility criteria for inclusion in the review. Original research reports written in English were considered. The heterogeneities of the studies were examined, and a meta-analysis was performed to estimate the pooled prevalence and AMR using a random effects model. <i>Results</i>. The pooled prevalence of <i>Shigella</i> species in East Africa was 6.2% (95% CI −0.20–12.60), according to an analysis of 22 studies. <i>Shigella</i> species prevalence was 4.0% in Ethiopia, 14.6% in Kenya, 0.7% in Sudan, 5.2% in South Sudan, and 20.6% in Somalia. The association of <i>Shigella</i> infection significantly varied among the countries (<span class="inline_break"><svg xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="18.973pt" style="vertical-align:-3.42938pt" id="M1" height="11.7782pt" version="1.1" viewBox="-0.0498162 -8.34882 18.973 11.7782"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,0,0)"><path id="g113-113" d="M570 304C570 398 525 448 414 448C385 448 343 445 312 434L329 511L321 518C297 504 262 482 244 460L233 411C195 397 159 381 128 358L135 332C160 347 189 360 224 373L111 -147C97 -210 84 -218 17 -231L13 -257L254 -247L259 -218L233 -216C183 -212 177 -202 189 -142L218 -1C238 -10 266 -12 283 -12C351 3 429 48 483 105C543 168 570 242 570 304ZM482 289C482 161 380 33 304 33C278 33 248 51 233 69L303 396C326 400 352 403 369 403C428 403 482 380 482 289Z"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,11.342,0)"><path id="g117-34" d="M535 323V373H52V323H535ZM535 138V188H52V138H535Z"/></g></svg><span class="irelop"/><span class="nowrap"><svg xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="21.921pt" style="vertical-align:-3.42938pt" height="11.7782pt" version="1.1" viewBox="22.555183800000002 -8.34882 21.921 11.7782"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,22.605,0)"><path id="g113-49" d="M241 635C89 635 35 457 35 312C35 153 89 -12 240 -12C390 -12 443 166 443 312C443 466 390 635 241 635ZM238 602C329 602 354 454 354 312C354 172 330 22 240 22C152 22 124 173 124 313S148 602 238 602Z"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,28.845,0)"><path id="g113-47" d="M113 -12C146 -12 170 11 170 46C170 78 146 103 114 103S58 78 58 46C58 11 82 -12 113 -12Z"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,31.809,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-49"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,38.049,0)"><path id="g113-50" d="M384 0V27C293 34 287 42 287 114V635C232 613 172 594 109 583V559L157 557C201 555 205 550 205 499V114C205 42 199 34 109 27V0H384Z"/></g></svg>).</span></span> Among the antibiotics tested, most <i>Shigella</i> isolates were susceptible to ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, nalidixic acid, and ceftriaxone. Despite the fact that the reports varied in study sites and time, <i>Shigella</i> species were resistant to tetracycline, ampicillin, amoxicillin, chloramphenicol, and co-trimoxazole. <i>Conclusion</i>. The pooled estimate indicates high burden of <i>Shigella</i> infection in East Africa, as well as a high proportion of drug resistance pattern to tetracycline, ampicillin, chloramphenicol, and amoxicillin. Therefore, initiating and scale-up of performing drug susceptibility test for each shigellosis case need to be considered and strengthened.