A comparative study of serum Zn, Cu, Mg, Mn, Cr, and Fe levels and their association with the vulnerability of Iraqi COVID-19 patients

For the immune system to protect the body from infectious diseases such as COVID-19, it needs the ideal amount of vital trace elements. Trace element levels, especially, zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), chromium (Cr), and iron (Fe) levels, may affect how sensitive an individual is to COVID-19 and other viruses. The current study evaluated the level of those trace elements during stays in the isolation center and investigated their association with vulnerability to COVID-19. A total of 120 individuals, 49 males and 71 females aged between 20 and 60 years, were included in this study. Forty individuals infected with COVID-19, 40 individuals who had recovered from it, and 40 healthy individuals, were all evaluated and studied. By using a flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer, levels of Zn, Cu, and Mg were assessed for all samples, whereas levels of Mn, and Cr were determined by a flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The infected individuals had significantly lower levels of Zn, Mg, Mn, Cr, and Fe than recovered individuals and healthy control individuals (P 0.05), except for Zn (P 0.05). These results show that an imbalance in the levels of essential trace elements could be associated with increasing the risk of COVID-19 infection. However, additional thorough research of greater scope is required considering the severity of the infection.