WORLD JOURNAL OF ADVANCE
HEALTHCARE RESEARCH

Mohsen Abdul Khadhur Al-Zubaidi, Seyed Masoud Hosseini*, Mohsen Abdul Nemah Al-Roudhan and Maather Baqer Hussein Al-Harmooshee

ABSTRACT

Background and Objectives: Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is the most common cause of congenital malformations worldwide. There is no vaccine or specific drug therapy to prevent congenital HCMV infection. Congenital transmission of HCMV during pregnancy is a major concern, as it causes a wide range of clinical outcomes in fetuses and infants, ranging from asymptomatic infection to severe malformations. Vertical transmission of HCMV, which results in congenital HCMV infection (cHCMV), can have disabling and potentially fatal effects on the fetus or newborn. The increased risk of vertical transmission is thought to be due to reactivation or reinfection of HCMV during pregnancy. In this study, we focused on the genomic sequencing and viral dendritic branching of HCMV-infected pregnant women in Diwaniyah City. Material and Methods: 600 blood samples were collected from pregnant women in different hospitals and private clinics in Diwaniyah Governorate during the period from December 2021 to June 2022, and information about the pregnant women's ages (28-45) and their place of residence (urban or rural) was collected. All samples were tested for the presence of both IgG and IgM antibodies against HCMV using rapid test and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Materials and Methods: Six hundred blood samples were collected from pregnant women from various hospitals and private clinics in Diwaniyah Governorate during the period from December 2021 to June 2022. Information was collected on the pregnant women's ages (18–45 years) and place of residence (urban or rural). All samples were tested for the presence of IgG and IgM antibodies against human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) using rapid tests and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results showed a high positive rate for IgG (96.2%) and IgM (1.8%) antibodies using ELISA. 11 Samples positive for IgM antibodies were tested using polymerase chain reaction (RT PCR). Results: Phylogenetic tree: Human betaherpesvirus 5 (HCMV) UL7 and UL8 gene isolates from Iraq showed 100% similarity to Iranian isolates. This indicates a close genetic relationship between HCMV strains found in Iraq and those in Iran, especially in the UL7 and UL8 gene regions. This high level of similarity (100%) could have important implications for understanding HCMV transmission dynamics in the region. This suggests common transmission pathways between the two countries, Iraq and Iran. The genetic similarity between the Ul7 and Ul8 genes of the Iraqi isolates compared to various global strains appears to be high. The reported high similarity percentages indicate that these Iraqi isolates share significant genetic heritage with European, African, and Asian isolates, suggesting potential evolutionary links or common origin. The Iraqi genomes showed 98.03% to 97.54% similarity to European, African, and Asian isolates. The similarity percentage was high (98.03%) with Belgian isolates, indicating a close genetic relationship. It also showed a similarity of 97.78% with isolates from Germany, the Netherlands, China, and Zambia, and 97.54% with isolates from the United States and the United Kingdom.