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BACKGROUND: Arbaeen in Iraq has been one of the largest mass gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic with 14.5 million attendees in 2020. We set out to assess the prevalence of current or past COVID-19 among 2020 Arbaeen participants, and establish associations between COVID-19 test results, symptoms, and known recent exposure. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study involving participants who joined Arbaeen walk in Iraq in October 2020. COVID-19 PCR and/or rapid antibody test were conducted among consented participants. A short questionnaire was administered. Rapid antibody testing was done onsite. Nasal and throat swab samples were transferred to the laboratory for PCR testing. RESULTS: A total of 835 (88.3% male; 11.7% female) participants were recruited. The most common symptom overall was cough (9.6%) followed by sore throat, fever, and loss of taste/smell (6.6%, 5.5%, and 5.0%, respectively). One in five (20.3%) participants reported close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case in the past 14 days. Of the 237 participants with a PCR test, 18 (7.6%) were positive. Of the 765 participants with rapid antibody test, 19.3% tested positive for IgM, 39.3% for IgG, and 16.4% for both. Approximately 40% of the participants had evidence of current or past COVID-19 infection based on antibody and PCR. CONCLUSIONS: The almost 1 in 10 COVID-19 cases within such a multimillion person gathering, illustrates the difficulty in limiting the participation of infectious individuals in religious mass gatherings. There is a pressing need to explore measures to reduce the risk of transmission of infectious diseases at major mass gathering events.
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PURPOSE: The objective of this study is to assess the effect of the candesartan on the progression of atherosclerosis through the downregulation of NF-κß and interference with oxidative pathway. METHODS: Twenty-four rabbits were assigned to three groups: control group fed normal diet; induced untreated group fed 1% cholesterol diet; and treated candesartan group also fed 1% cholesterol diet. Plasma lipid profiles were measured, and ELISA for plasma cytokines and chemokine was performed. Analyses of NF-κß and VCAM-1 were performed using Western blotting with RT-PCR for NF-κB activity at mRNA. Doppler ultrasound was used to evaluate aortic intima-media thickness, and atheroma was detected by H&E staining. Immunofluorescent staining was performed to confirm accumulation of monocytes and PMNs. RESULTS: Candesartan markedly reduced the levels of the plasma lipid profile including total cholesterol [TC], triglycerides [TG], and LDL-C, while significantly elevating levels in the plasma HDL-C, in addition to reducing cytokine (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1ß) and chemokine levels (MCP-1). Also, it decreased the aortic malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration and elevated the aortic glutathione (GSH) level compared with untreated animals (P < 0.05). The triplex Doppler ultrasound study confirmed that the candesartan attenuated intima-media thickness at 6 months of study. All candesartan-treated rabbits showed significantly attenuated atherosclerosis lesions with reduced accumulation of monocytes and had significantly reduced VCAM-1 expression and NF-κß activity. CONCLUSION: Candesartan retards the progression of atherosclerosis via interference with NF-κß and oxidative pathways.
