Association of Renin-Angiotensin Pathway Gene Polymorphisms with COVID-19 Susceptibility and Severity in Moroccans: A Case-Control Study.

Infection by the recent SARS-CoV-2 virus causes the COVID-19 disease with variable clinical manifestations ranging from asymptomatic or mild respiratory symptoms to severe respiratory distress and multiorgan failure. The renin-angiotensin system, responsible for maintaining homeostasis and governing several critical processes, has been considered the main system involved in the pathogenesis and progression of COVID-19. Here, we aimed to assess the possible association between variants in the RAS-related genes and COVID-19 susceptibility and severity in a sample of the Moroccan population. A total of 325 individuals were recruited in this study, with 102 outpatients, 105 hospitalized patients, and 118 healthy controls negative for SARS-CoV-2 infection, and subjected to NGS gene panel sequencing containing eleven RAS pathway genes. A total of 65 functional variants were identified, including 63 missenses, 1 splice, and 1 INDEL. Most of them were rare, with 47 (72%) found in a single individual. According to the common disease/common variant hypothesis, five common candidate variants with MAF > 10% were identified (ACE2 rs2285666, TMPRSS2 rs12329760, AGT rs699 genes, ACE rs4341, and ACE rs4343). Statistical analysis showed that the ACE rs4343 AA genotype was associated with a 2.5-fold increased risk of severe COVID-19 (p = 0.026), and the T genotype of the ACE2 rs2285666 variant showed a borderline association with susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 in males (p = 0.097). In conclusion, our results showed that the RAS pathway genes are highly conserved among Moroccans, and most of the identified variants are rare. Among the common variants, the ACE rs4343 polymorphism would lead to a genetic predisposition for severe COVID-19.

Prevalence and predictive determinants of overweight and obesity in children aged 0-24 months in Morocco: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Preventing overweight and obesity in early childhood is a priority for healthcare systems worldwide due to the harmful effects on health and economy over the medium and long term. Objective: The aim of this study is therefore the identification of the determinants predictive of overweight and obesity during the first 24 months of a child's life. Material and Methods: From May 2021 to January 2022, 1012 mother-child pairs were included in this study and were interviewed at urban and rural health centers in the Skhirat-Temara in Morocco prefecture using a questionnaire. The anthropometric measurements of the children were also taken according to World Health Organization standards. Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity in children aged 0-24 months was 16.5%. This prevalence increased with age (12.5% for the 0-6 months group, and 15.5% and 21.5% respectively for the 7-12 months and 13-24 months groups). Cesarean delivery (aOR=1.78; 95%CI: 1.26-2.51; p=0.001), more than two living siblings in the household (aOR=1.48; 95%CI: 1.03-2.12; p=0.03), male gender (aOR=1.56; 95%CI: 1.10-2.20; p=0.01), and child age (aOR=0.94; 95%: 0.92-0.97; p <0.001) are significant predictors of overweight and obesity. Paternal smoking (aOR=2.16; 95%CI: 1.15- 4.06; p=0.01), short sleep duration (aOR=4.05; 95%CI: 1.27-12.88; p=0.01) in children aged 7-12 months, and combined breastfeeding (aOR=5.88; 95%CI: 2.07-16.72; p<0.001) during the first six months in children aged 13-24 months are also predictive determinants for this problem. Conclusion: The identification of early predictors of overweight and obesity can be used by public health decision-makers as a roadmap for action to prevent and improve health.

COVID-19 in Morocco's region: Observational study of prevalence in symptomatic adults using the PANBIOS® rapid antigen test September 2021.

Background: Rapid antigen tests have emerged to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Rapid diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection is essential to reduce the spread of the disease. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of COVID-19 infection and test the sensitivity and specificity in Temara-Skhirat in symptomatic adults through PANBIOS® test. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted in mid-September 2021. Two investigators conducted data collection from symptomatic adult patients. The diagnostic performance of the PANBIOS®, and the PCR was assessed to calculate sensitivity and the specificity. Results: Among 206 symptomatic participants, the mean age was 38 ± 12 years, and the majority were women (59%). In our population, 80% had benefited from the anti-COVID vaccine. The median duration of symptoms was 4 days; the most common symptoms were fatigue (62%), headache (52%), fever (48%), cough (34%), loss of smell (25%), loss of taste (24%), and sore throat (22%). Results revealed 23% of cases tested positive with PANBIOS® test versus 30% with the PCR test. The calculated medical decision between PCR versus PANBIOS® test showed high specificity of 95.7% and a sensitivity of 69.4%. There was concordance between the PANBIOS® test and the PCR. Conclusion: The prevalence tested remain high, and the sensitivity and specificity of the PANBIOS® versus PCR test are similar to other literatures and close to value described in WHO recommendations. PANBIOS® is a useful test for controlling the spread of COVID-19 allowing identification of active infection.