Browsing by Author "Sarmad Zahoor"

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    Prevalence and treatment of untypable HCV variants in different districts of Punjab, Pakistan
    (Viral immunology, 2018) Ayesha Zafar; Muhammad Imran; Sarmad Zahoor; Zaheer Hussain Shah; Muhammad Ali; Muhammad Sohail Afzal
    In Pakistan, around 11 million people are infected with, at least, six circulating genotypes and subtypes of hepatitis C virus (HCV). The viral burden is still on rise. HCV genotype determination is necessary to devise appropriate antiviral therapy. Previous reports highlight the prevalence circulating untypable (in diagnostic perspectives) HCV subtype in local Pakistani patients. Present study was designed to investigate the epidemiological distribution of genotypes in different districts of Punjab, Pakistan and focuses on prevalence of diagnostically untypable subtype and its possible antiviral therapy. A total of 8,353 HCV patients were included through 2011 to 2016 for determination of HCV prevalent genotypes in the local community. HCV genotyping was carried out using Ohno et al. method, and five cases of diagnostically untypable patients were treated with interferon-based antiviral regimen to find the possible treatment strategy. Of the 8,353 patients, the genotype 3a (n=6,650, 79.6%) was most significantly prevalent throughout the study period followed by undetermined genotype that is, untypable (n=1,377, 16.5%). The presence of untypable variants suggested that there are some novel or quasi species prevailing among HCV patients in local community. Five HCV patients infected with untypable genotype had been treated effectively with interferon alpha plus ribavirin therapy for 24 weeks at standard doses and achieved sustained virological response. This study highlighted an important aspect of HCV treatment for local Pakistani HCV patients. Untypable HCV variants could be treated with interferon-based antiviral regimens such as 3a genotype. The study raises the need of characterization of diagnostically untypable HCV variant. On the basis of these results, it can be proposed that until the availability of pangenotypic direct-acting antiviral for HCV treatment in Pakistan, interferon-based antiviral regimens will be of choice for majority of patients infected with 3a or untypable genotypes.
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    Recurrence of chikungunya outbreak; an upcoming problem for Pakistan
    (Future Virology, 2018) Muhammad S Afzal; Sarmad Zahoor; Mahvish Kabir; Haroon Ahmed; Sania Munir
    InPakistan,theinitialoutbreakofchikungunyawasreportedinNovember–December2016inthecityofKarachi. Atotal1740peoplewerebroughttohospitalbetweenDecember2016andMarch2017 [1].Recurrenceofinfection was observed again with thousands of cases in April 2017. It is proposed that due to the upcoming rainy season and poor senatory system of the city, reemergence of the Aedes aegypti (A. aegypti) borne viral disease will be highly predictable. During the recent outbreak, the highest numbers of cases were reported from Malir followed by Ibrahim Hyderi, Kemari, Bin Qsim, Kemari and Lyari [2]. In April 2017, a large number of confirmed and suspected cases were reported from the city. According to the Health Department of Sindh, from April 2017 to 5 May 2017, a total of 212 chikungunya cases were confirmed by testing acute-phase samples for presence of viral RNA and convalescent-phase samples for the presence of antibodies. Out of these reported cases, the highest number of patients (131) arrived at Ibrahim Hyderi Hospital, followed by 81 infected patients from Malir and Kemari, whereas only nine were reported from Saudabad [3]. The situation is alarming, considering that 21,000 suspected patients were tested for chikungunya or given symptomatic treatment at hospitals in the city [4]. On 4 May 2017, the WHO shared its findings to the provincial GovernmentthatfiveoutofsixcitydistrictsofKarachiweredisease-infested.Asaresult,itwashighlyrecommended totheGovernmenttotake‘radical’measurestosafeguardthecityfromtheincreasingincidenceofchikungunya [5].
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    A retrospective analysis on the cystic echinococcosis cases occurred in northeastern Punjab province, Pakistan
    (Korean J Parasitol, 2018) Aisha Khan; Sarmad Zahoor; Haroon Ahmed; Uzma Malik; Rabia Amin Butt; Muhammad Sultanul Muzam; Gunyakti Kilinc, Seyma; Noorulain Noor; Saroosh Zahoor; Muhammad Sohail Afzal; Hamza Mansur; Shumaila Irum; Simsek, Sami
    A retrospective study was performed to report the case occurrence of cystic echinococcosis (CE) in three hospitals of north-eastern region in Punjab Province, Pakistan. We reviewed retrospectively the clinical records of patients in 4 hospitals which were diagnosed with CE during 2012-2017. A total of 198 cases, 82 (41.4%) male and 116 (58.6%) females were detected as CE. The most Highest incidence was revealed in.... 21-30 years-old group (24.2%) followed by 41-50 (22.7%), 31-40 (16.2%), 11-20 (13.6%), 51-60 (8.1%), below 10 (5.5%), over 71 (5.1%) and 61-70 year-old group (4.5%). CE was detected in various organs of infected individuals. However, most of CE cases were detected in the liver (47.4%) and lung (18.6%). The present study indicated that CE is more or less prevalent in surveyed areas and one of the most important public health problems in Punjab Province, Pakistan.