Molecular identification of SARS-CoV-2 virus and study ther role of some chemoki̇nes in disease severity

Since cytokines IL-8 (CXCL8), IL-9 (CXCL9) and IP-10 (CXCL10) from the cytokine and chemokine family are significant in SARS and MERS, their importance in SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) infection is still a subject of research. The study was conducted in Kirkuk City at the Al-Shifaa Epidemiology Hospital, which serves as a COVID-19 epidemic center. The research aimed to examine the molecular identification of COVID-19 and the role of circulating levels of CXCL10, CXCL8, and CXCL9 in the severity of the disease in patients with severe respiratory tract infections. Sampling was carried out between November 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022, involving 138 individuals aged 50 years and older, encompassing both sexes, who exhibited symptoms of COVID-19. Additionally, 100 healthy individuals without COVID-19 or any chronic diseases were included as a control group. Nasopharyngeal swabs from all participants were stored in tubes containing Viral Transport Medium for subsequent PCR extraction and amplification tests. Furthermore, blood samples were collected from each patient involved in the study for the detection of CXCL8, CXCL9, and CXCL10 using the ELISA technique. The findings revealed that among the 138 patients, 100 (72.5%) tested positive for COVID-19 through real-time PCR, in stark contrast to the healthy control group (2%). The study indicated that the risk of COVID-19 infection is higher among male individuals aged 60 and older, as well as those who are overweight or obese. Most notably, it was observed that a significant number of obese patients suffered from severe COVID-19 infections. Furthermore, it was found that 25% of COVID-19 patients were smokers, and 27.03% of these smokers experienced severe infections. Moreover, the study highlighted the increased risk of COVID-19 development and complications in individuals with diabetes, respiratory problems, cardiovascular diseases, and chronic kidney diseases. In addition, the study found that the highest average levels of CXCL8, CXCL9, and CXCL10 were observed in COVID-19 cases, particularly in cases of severe infection.