Seropositivity of human Adenovirus -36 and lymphocyte count in relation with Iraqi Obese patients

Abstract

Background: The complications associated with obesity firstly duo to systemic inflammation that develops within adipose tissue. Adenovirus 36 (Adv36) has been suggested to be an obesity associated virus that regulates the metabolism of adipose tissue. Therefore, this study is aimed to investigate whether there is an association between Adv36 seropositivity and obesity, and whether it correlates with body mass index (BMI) or lymphocyte count.
Methods: Eighty-one subjects were included in the study: 62 with obesity and 19 healthy normal weight controls. Serum antibodies specific for Adv36 were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The clinical data collected comprised age, lymphocyte، body mass index (BMI), and lipid profile. Statistical comparisons were made for Adv36 seropositivity among obese and control groups and the relationships between Adv36 status and BMI, WBC, lymphocyte or lipid indices were analyzed.
Results: In both groups, results showed the overall Ad-36 seroprevalence was negative in non-obese and obese participant. Which revealed no association between Adv36 seropositivity and obesity. Furthermore, no significant correlations were found between Adv36 negative and triglycerides, HDL C, LDL C, BMI, or total cholesterol.
Conclusions: In this cohort, Adv36 was not significantly linked to obesity; these null results may reflect limitations such as small sample size, limited power, or population-specific factors (e.g. environmental, genetic, viral exposure heterogeneity).
While previous studies suggest a possible role of Adv36 in “infect obesity,” our data do not support a connecting or strong association in this population. Larger, studies are suggested to better clarify the relationship between Adv36 infection and obesity development.