Результаты поиска

Towards Rabies Elimination in Pakistan: Barriers, Facilitators, and the Role of One Health.

BACKGROUND: Rabies is a neglected zoonotic disease with an estimated 59,000 deaths annually, disproportionately affecting low- and middle-income countries. Pakistan remains a high-burden setting due to weak surveillance, poor intersectoral coordination, and limited public awareness. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the barriers and facilitators to rabies control in Pakistan through the One Health approach, integrating perspectives from both community members and institutional stakeholders. METHODS: This mixed-methods study design was conducted in Karachi, where 385 household respondents…

Evolution and transmission dynamics of wild poliovirus in Pakistan and Afghanistan (2012-2023).

Despite concerted global vaccination efforts, wild poliovirus remains endemic in two countries in 2024, Pakistan and Afghanistan. This study uses phylogeographic analysis of poliovirus genetic and epidemiological data from clinical and wastewater surveillance to identify the causes of poliovirus persistence and routes of spread over the last decade (2012 to 2023). Poliovirus genetic diversity declined after 2020, with one of two major genetic clusters dying out, and recent detections are now closely related genetically. High-risk and hard-to-access regions have sustained polio transmission ove…

Barriers and Facilitators to Timely Diagnosis of Tuberculosis in Children and Adolescents in Karachi, Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) in children and adolescents is often delayed. We conducted a study to understand the barriers and facilitators to the diagnosis of TB in children and adolescents in a not-for-profit private hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. METHODS: We conducted a convergent mixed-methods study comprising quantitative surveys with caregivers of 100 TB patients < 18 years old and 40 semi-structured interviews with caregivers and healthcare providers. RESULTS: Among TB patients whose caregivers were surveyed, 82% were adolescents 10-17 years old. Caregivers reported …

Serological Detection and Risk Analysis of Coxiella burnetii in Rodents of Punjab, Pakistan.

INTRODUCTION: Coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of Q fever, remains poorly understood in Pakistan, despite its clinical relevance in both humans and ruminants. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of C. burnetii in rodents. METHODS: Rodents were captured in urban settings across three districts of Punjab, Pakistan. A total of 300 serum samples were collected from rodents belonging to the Muridae family (n = 268) and the Sciuridae family (n = 32). Samples were screened for C. burnetii antibodies using an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: An overall seroprev…

Women's Knowledge of Local Plants and Their Gastronomic Heritage in Chitral, NW Pakistan.

Women are the "guardians of the kitchen" and central to household food security, yet their role has never been studied across the Hindukush region or Pamiri Knot. This study explores the women's knowledge (specifically from the Khowar (Kho) and Wakhi linguistic groups) of local food systems and determines their role in ensuring household food security and sustainability in the mountain regions of northern Pakistan. Based on in-depth semi-structured interviews with female informants in the Rech and Broghil valleys of upper Chitral, 91 different types of food products were recorded, including wi…

Is Multidimensional Poverty Associated to Dementia Risk? The Case of Older Adults in Pakistan.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Multidimensional poverty is associated with dementia. We aimed at establishing this association in Pakistan. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Punjab and Sindh, Pakistan, between March 30, 2002, and August 22, 2022, among adults aged 50 and older. Multidimensional poverty measures were composed of 6 dimensions and 15 indicators. Poverty was compared between adults with and without dementia using the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale, adjusting for sex, age, marital status, and household size. Associations between dementi…

Investigating the internal structure of multiple mini interviews-A perspective from Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare professionals require many personal attributes in addition to cognitive abilities and psychomotor skills for competent practice. Multiple Mini- Interviews are being employed globally to assess personality attributes of candidates for selection in health professions education at all level of entry; these attributes are namely, communication skills, critical thinking, honesty, responsibility, health advocacy, empathy and sanctity of life. Considering the high stakes involved for students, faculty, institutions and the society, rigorous quality assurance mechanisms similar

Compliance With International Council of Ophthalmology Guidelines for Glaucoma Eye Care in Pakistan.

PRÉCIS: This study demonstrated that the compliance levels with International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO) Guidelines for glaucoma eye care were low for all the elements in both public and private health care settings. PURPOSE: To determine the compliance with the ICO guidelines for glaucoma eye care among Pakistani ophthalmologists and to compare differences among ophthalmologists practicing in public and private health care settings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective chart review, and the records were reviewed according to ICO guidelines. The ICO recommends that each patien…

Prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus in Pakistan: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: A variety of screening tools and criteria are used for the diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). As a result, the prevalence rate of GDM varied from 4.41% to 57.90% among studies from Pakistan. Beside this disagreement, similar multi-centric studies, community surveys and pooled evidence were lacking from the country. Therefore, this first systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to measure the overall and subgroup pooled estimates of GDM and explore the methodological variations among studies for any inconsistency. METHODS: Using the PRISMA guidelines, seventy studie…

Evaluation of the Training Program to Train HIV Treatment Center Staff in Pakistan.

Introduction In Pakistan, HIV training programs, especially for health professionals working in HIV treatment centers, are limited. Consequently, there is little data about HIV awareness among physicians and allied health workers and how it may affect their care for people living with HIV (PLWH). Recently, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (GFATM) grant Principal Recipient UNDP engaged an NGO experienced in HIV/AIDS training, on a competitive basis, to develop a training manual and conduct training of all categories of HIV treatment centers staff. The goal of this study …

Implementation of a clinical breast exam and referral program in a rural district of Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: The role of clinical breast examination (CBE) for early detection of breast cancer is extremely important in lower-middle-income countries (LMICs) where access to breast imaging is limited. Our study aimed to describe the outcomes of a community outreach breast education, home CBE and referral program for early recognition of breast abnormalities and improvement of breast cancer awareness in a rural district of Pakistan. METHODS: Eight health care workers (HCW) and a gynecologist were educated on basic breast cancer knowledge and trained to create breast cancer awareness and condu…

Childhood parental bonding and depression in adulthood: A study of mothers in rural Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: Parent-child relationship quality can have long-term impacts on child mental health into adulthood. The impact of parental behaviors on the future mental health of children has been understudied in South Asia, where parenting approaches differ from the dominant western approaches often represented in the literature. METHODS: Mothers in rural Pakistan (N = 828) reported on their own mothers' parenting behaviors using the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) and were assessed for depression using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders (SCID). The PBI includes scales for wa…

The health and economic burden of dust pollution in the textile industry of Faisalabad, Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: Exposure to dust in textile mills adversely affects workers' health. We collected epidemiological data on textile workers suffering from respiratory diseases and assessed work absence associated with illnesses in Faisalabad, Pakistan. METHODS: We recruited 206 workers using multistage sampling from 11 spinning mills in Faisalabad, Pakistan. The data were collected using 2-week health diaries and face-to-face interviews. The data pertains to socio-demographics, occupational exposures, the state of the workers' health, and other attributes. A theoretical framework of the health prod…

First case of MPox in Pakistan: What can we learn from it?

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: This research paper discusses Pakistan's healthcare systems' challenges in managing the monkeypox outbreak in Pakistan. Monkeypox is a zoonotic viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus. The World Health Organization declared it a global public health emergency due to the surge in cases worldwide. Pakistan reported its first verified case in April 2023, necessitating immediate response. BODY: This correspondence emphasizes on early detection, rapid diagnostic testing, and prompt treatment to limit the virus's transmission. Prevention strategies such as vaccination and t…

Сравнительная геномика и эволюционный анализ штаммов вируса денге, циркулирующих в Пакистане.

Вирус лихорадки денге (ДЕНВ) представляет серьезную угрозу для здоровья населения в тропических и субтропических регионах мира. Несмотря на то, что вирус лихорадки денге (ДЕНВ) обладает значительным генетическим разнообразием и потенциалом развития, в Пакистане отсутствуют всеобъемлющие исследования относительно сравнительной геномики и эволюционной динамики этого вируса. Филиогенетический анализ показал циркуляцию всех четырех серотипов вируса денге (DENV-1, - 2, - 3 и - 4) с преобладающими генотипами III и V в рамках DENV-1, космополитического генотипа в рамках DENV-2, генотипа III в рамках

Совпадение в аннотации оригинала
Dengue fever virus (DENV) poses a significant public health risk in tropical and subtropical regions across the world. Although the dengue fever virus (DENV) exhibits significant genetic diversity and has the potential to evolve, there is a lack of comprehensive research on the comparative genomics and evolutionary dynamics of the virus in Pakistan. Phylogen…

From mosquitoes to menace: Unveiling the dangers of West Nile virus in Pakistan.

Pakistan, a subtropical nation, has seen a rapid rise in Arboviral transmission in the past decade. Environmental hazards such as intense monsoon rains and yearly floods in addition to unsanitary living conditions pose an increased risk of arboviral infections. In recent years, the emergence and spread of West Nile virus (WNV), which can lead to a life-threatening meningoencephalitis, in Pakistan has alarmed the health care authorities of an impending outbreak. Health professionals and policymakers should give paramount importance to prevent its transmission across Pakistan as another arbovira…

Significance of Histopathology of Appendectomy Specimens: Analysis From a Teaching Hospital of Pakistan.

Background Histopathology of a tissue specimen plays a crucial role in formulating the final diagnosis of any disease. It confirms whether the histopathological findings are in correspondence with the clinical diagnosis and thus suggests an optimal management plan. Standard surgical practices guide that every human tissue specimen must undergo postoperative tissue analysis unless indicated otherwise. Objective To determine the significance of histopathology in determining the final diagnosis of appendectomy specimens. Materials and methods This retrospective clinical study conducted in May 202

Alarming rise in HIV cases in Pakistan: Challenges and future recommendations at hand.

BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that suppresses the immune system by reducing the CD4+ T lymphocytes level. It has become a global challenge with fast prevalence ratio. Like other developing countries, Pakistan is also struggling for overcoming this viral disease since very first reported case in 1987. AIM: To update the society on the alarming rise in HIV cases in Pakistan: challenges and future recommendations at hand. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The review paper utilized different search engines such pubmed central, scopus, web of science, google scholar etc. to …