Study of some immunological indicators for COVID-19 patients in Babylon city

Abstract

COVID-19 has been a global challenge caused by a coronavirus that infects the respiratory system and poses a high risk to life. This study dealt with some immunological indicators associated with this disease. A total of 150 samples was collected from COVID-19 patients (120 samples) and non-infected individuals (30 samples; control group) who were admitted to the Marjan Medical City Hospital in Al-Hilla, Babylon, Iraq for the period from March 1 to August 30, 2022. Of these participants, 65% were men and 35% were women, with ages ranging from 16 to 75 years. The samples were collected under the supervision of specialized doctors, according to the approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Health protocols. The parameters examined in this study included the complete blood count, the red blood cell (RBC) count, the packed cell volume, the haemoglobin levels, the platelet count, the white blood cell (WBC) count, and the levels of immunological indicators such as interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin-17 (IL-17), the tumour necro¬sis factor-alpha (TNF-α), the C-reactive protein (CRP), and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Our results indicate a clear increase in the WBC count, the IL-1β levels, IL-17 levels, the TNF-α levels, the CRP levels, the ESR, and the RBC count, as well as a clear decrease in the lymphocyte count, as a result of COVID-19.