Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Pakistan”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources
PubMed2002

Oligocene sivaladapid primate from the Bugti Hills (Balochistan, Pakistan) bridges the gap between Eocene and Miocene adapiform communities in Southern Asia.

A new species of Guangxilemur (Sivaladapidae, Adapiformes) is described from the early Oligocene Chitarwata Formation (Bugti Member) of the Bugti Hills, Sulaiman geological Province, Balochistan, Pakistan. Guangxilemur singsilai n. sp. provides further diagnostic morphological characters from its newly described upper and lower dentitions, confirming its intermediate phylogenetic position between Eocene and Miocene Asian sivaladapid adapiforms. G. singsilai possesses moderately developed shearing and puncturing molar features and maintains lingual cusps on upper molars as in Eocene hoanghoniines; in contrast, it possesses a typical molariform P(4) as in Miocene sivaladapines. The important paleogeographic changes that have affected South Asia during the Tertiary (related to the collision between the Indian and Eurasian Plates) have played a critical role in reforming circulation and climatic differentiation. The presence in Pakistan of an unique and well-diversified Oligocene primate fauna, clearly demonstrates that South Asia maintained favourable environmental conditions during the middle Caenozoic global climatic deterioration that coincides with drastic changes in faunal structure on the whole Holarctic Province, including the extinction of adapiform primates.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

H9N2 subtype influenza A viruses in poultry in pakistan are closely related to the H9N2 viruses responsible for human infection in Hong Kong.

Following the outbreak of H5N1 "bird flu" in Hong Kong in 1997, the isolation of H9N2 subtype viruses from patients in southern China and Hong Kong SAR once again raised the spectre of a possible influenza pandemic. H9N2 viruses have recently been responsible for disease in poultry in various parts of the world and preliminary studies of the H9 haemagglutinin (HA) genes of viruses isolated during 1998 and 1999 in Germany, Iran, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia showed a close relationship to the HA genes of the viruses that infected two children in Hong Kong SAR. Analysis of the complete genome of a Pakistan isolate, A/chicken/Pakistan/2/99, showed that it is closely related in all eight genes (97-99% homology) to the human H9N2 isolates and furthermore that the six genes encoding internal components of the virus are similar to the corresponding genes of the H5N1 viruses that caused 6 (out of 18) fatal cases of human infection. Thus H9N2 viruses similar to those that caused human infections in Hong Kong are circulating more widely in other parts of the world. Whether or not these H9N2 viruses also have features that facilitate avian-to-human transmission is not known. Since avian H9N2 viruses are currently perceived to represent a significant threat to human health it is important to determine whether or not viruses of this subtype circulating in poultry in various parts of the world have the potential to infect people.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

The prevalence, classification and treatment of mental disorders among attenders of native faith healers in rural Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: Although native faith healers are found in all parts of Pakistan, where they practice in harmony with the cultural value system, their practice is poorly understood. This study investigated the prevalence, classification and treatment of mental disorders among attenders at faith healers. METHOD: The work of faith healers with 139 attenders was observed and recorded. The mental status of attenders was assessed using a two-stage design: screening using the General Health Questionnaire followed by diagnostic interview using the Psychiatric Assessment Schedule. RESULTS: The classification used by faith healers is based on the mystic cause of disorders: saya (27%), jinn possession (16%) or churail (14%). Sixty-one percent of attenders were given a research diagnosis of mental disorder: major depressive episode (24%), generalized anxiety disorder (15%) or epilepsy (9%). There was little agreement between the faith healers' classification and DSM-IIIR diagnosis. Faith healers use powerful techniques of suggestion and cultural psychotherapeutic procedures. CONCLUSIONS: Faith healers are a major source of care for people with mental health problems in Pakistan, particularly for women and those with little education. Further research should assess methods of collaboration that will permit people with mental health problems to access effective and culturally appropriate treatment.

Female↗
PubMed2006

Detection of novel Y SNPs provides further insights into Y chromosomal variation in Pakistan.

Biallelic polymorphisms on the Y chromosome have been extensively used to study the history, evolution, and migration patterns of world populations. In this study we screened 8.5 kb of Y chromosomal DNA for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a panel of 95 male individuals belonging to different haplogroups. Five novel Y-SNPs (PK1-5) were identified, four in the Pakistani sample and one in an African sample. The ancestral state of each SNP was determined in two chimpanzee samples and a variety of Pakistani ethnic groups. In addition to these novel Y-SNPs 77 additional markers on the Y chromosome were analyzed to place the SNPs on the phylogenetic tree of Y chromosomal lineages and to further investigate extant human Y chromosomal variation within Pakistan. BATWING analysis gave an estimate of between 2,500 and 7,300 YBP for population expansion in Pakistan which coincides with the period of the Indus Valley civilizations.

Alleles↗
PubMed2005

Diseases caused by Ganoderma spp. on perennial crops in Pakistan.

Ganoderma applanatum (Pres. Wallr) Pat. and G. lucidum (Leyss. ex Fr.) Karst attack species of Pinus, Dalbergia, Artocarpus, Morus, Cedrus, Melia, Quercus, Populus and other trees in Pakistan causing stem, butt and root rot diseases. A research institution to manage the diseases of perennial crops in general and of trees yielding edible oil in particular such as coconut and oil palm needs to be established in Pakistan.

Ecosystem↗
PubMed2006

Clinico-pathological features of bladder carcinoma: experience from a tertiary care hospital of Pakistan.

UNLABELLED: Bladder carcinoma is most common urological malignancy in Pakistan. The objective of the study was to determine the clinico-pathological characteristics of histologically confirmed bladder carcinoma at a tertiary care hospital of South Punjab, Pakistan. METHODS: In two hundreds and twenty one patients (172 male and 49 female) bladder carcinoma was diagnosed from Jan 1998 to June 2005. All patients were evaluated with regards to clinical presentation, cystoscopic findings and histo-pathological data. RESULTS: Male female ratio was 3.5:1. The median age was 58 years (range 18-87 years). 65% men had history of cigarette smoking while 51% women had long history of smokeless tobacco (nasal snuff or chewable) use. Most patients presented with painless hematuria. Primary transitional cell carcinoma was the most common (i.e. 96%) histological variety of bladder carcinoma. 63% patients had muscle invasive disease at the time of presentation. Even in superficial bladder carcinoma, most patients had invasion of lamina propria (pT1 disease). CONCLUSION: More than 90% of primary bladder carcinoma are of transitional cell variety and over 60% having muscle invasive disease at the time of diagnosis. Even in patients with superficial disease, majority (i.e. 98%) have invasion of lamina propria.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

A study of breastfeeding and the return of menses and pregnancy in Karachi, Pakistan.

A longitudinal study of breastfeeding women was conducted to determine whether breastfeeding frequency is associated with the length of postpartum amenorrhea. The data are also conducive to testing the guidelines of the "Bellagio Consensus" (i.e., that there is no more than a 2% chance of pregnancy during breastfeeding in the first six months postpartum in the absence of vaginal bleeding and regular supplements). Twenty-eight breastfeeding women were followed-up weekly in Karachi, Pakistan. The frequency of breastfeeding was found to be a poor correlate of the duration of amenorrhea. Thirty-six percent of the women became pregnant during the study. However, all were having menses and/or giving regular supplements before the estimated date of conception, consistent with the Bellagio Consensus. In countries such as Pakistan, where contraceptive use is low, active promotion is needed to prevent the further decline of breastfeeding in order to retain its contraceptive as well as other maternal and child health benefits.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

West Nile virus in Pakistan. 1. Sero-epidemiological studies in Punjab Province.

Serum samples collected during 1978-79 from residents of the Chiniot and Changa Manga National Forest (CMF) areas of Punjab Province, Pakistan, had over-all neutralizing (N) antibody positive rates for West Nile (WN) virus of 32.8% (n = 192) and 38.5% (n = 239), respectively. Comparison of the age-specific antibody rates indicated that the pattern of exposure to infection was different in the two areas. Samples from a 1968 serosurvey of residents of the CMF area had an age-specific N antibody profile similar to the 1978 CMF sample, but both the over-all N and haemagglutination-inhibition (HI) antibody positive rates were much higher in the 1968 sample. When tested against antigen prepared from the Pakistan I-746 strain of WN virus, the percentage of sera HI antibody positive and the geometric mean titre of the sera were significantly higher than when tested against the Egypt-101 antigen. One of 124 and 11 of 50 sera from the 1978 and 1968 samples from CMF exhibited detectable HI antibody against dengue-3 virus, respectively, indicating cross-reacting flavivirus antibody was present. None of the positive sera had a higher titre against dengue-3 than against WN virus, but four of the 1968 sera reacted to equal titre against both antigens. During the 1978-79 CMF survey, serum samples from domestic and wild animals were tested for WN virus antibody. Of the 317 wild birds captured, 85 were N-antibody positive. The only frequently bled mammal was the Indian cow, from which 21 of 58 samples were positive for WN antibody.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

A sero-epidemiological survey for certain arboviruses (Togaviridae) in Pakistan.

Complement-fixation test reactions to eight viruses of the family Togaviridae were studied in 372 serum samples (157 rodents, 172 domestic animals, 43 humans) from Pakistan. Antibodies to each tested virus were detected. The highest over-all prevalence rates were for West Nile (WN) (7.8%), Japanese encephalitis (JE) (3.2%) and Zika (ZIKA) (2.4%) viruses, followed by Sindbis (SIN), Chikungunya (CHIK), Uganda S (UGS) and Royal Farm (RF) viruses (1.6 to 1.3%). One human serum (male, age 58 years) reacted with Dengue-1 (DEN) virus antigen (titre 1:32). Antibodies to each virus except RF were detected in human sera; antibodies to RF virus were detected only in rodent and domestic animal sera. The roles of rodents in the epidemiology of WN, JE and ZIKA viruses should be investigated. At least six of these eight viruses cause fevers in humans (fevers of unknown origin comprise about one third of the febrile episodes recorded in Pakistan).

Adult↗
PubMed1983

A sero-epidemiological survey for Bunyaviridae and certain other arboviruses in Pakistan.

Complement fixation test reactions to the following viruses were studied in 372 samples (157 rodents, 172 domestic animals, 43 persons) from Pakistan: Bunyaviridae, Phlebovirus: Phlebotomus fever Sicilian (PFS), Phlebotomus fever Naples (PFN), Karimabad (KAR), Salehabad (SAL); Nairovirus: Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF), Hazara (HAZ), Dera Ghazi Khan (DGK), Dhori (DHO); Uukuvirus: Manawa (MWA); "possible members": Bakau (BAK), Bhanja (BHA). Reoviridae, Orbivirus: Wad Medani (WM). Unclassified: Wanowrie (WAN). Four of these viruses are Phlebotomus-borne (PFS, PFN, KAR, SAL). The other nine ar tick-borne. Antibodies against each virus were detected in sera from rodents. Antibodies against PFS, PFN, KAR, CCHF, DGK, BHA, WM and WAN viruses were detected in sera from domestic animals. Antibodies against PFS, CCHF, DGK, DHO, MWA, BHA, and BHA and WAN viruses were detected in human sera. The presence in Pakistan of KAR, DHO, BHA, and WAN viruses is documented for the first time. Over-all prevalence rates were highest for BHA (12.1%) and WM (10.7%) viruses, followed by DGK, CCHF, PFN and PFS (4.0 to 5.4%) and DHO, KAR, WAN, SAL, MWA, BAK and HAZ (0.3 to 2.1%). Epidemiological factors relating to virus circulation and human disease are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Vector incrimination studies and observations on species A and B of the taxon Anopheles culicifacies in Pakistan.

Studies on anopheline mosquitoes in selected villages of Punjab Province, Pakistan have incriminated Anopheles culicifacies species A as the primary malaria vector. Although An. stephensi and An. subpictus showed higher immediate gut infection rates, estimations of relative abundance, age structure and survivorship, and observations of late gut and salivary gland infection rates suggested that neither species was a major vector in these villages. A survey of An. culicifacies populations detected the presence of both species A and B in several localities in Pakistan. Laboratory investigations demonstrated that both species are capable of supporting the extrinsic cycle of Plasmodium vivax. No recombination was observed between X-linked loci in species A/species B hybrid females; however, recombination was observed between loci in chromosome 2. Allelic tests between the X-linked white eye locus in species A and an X-linked white eye mutant in species B showed that the two loci are not allelic.

Alleles↗
PubMed1988

Mothers' concepts of childhood diarrhea in rural Pakistan: what ORT program planners should know.

Diarrhea is the leading cause of infant and child death in Pakistan. Appropriately, the development of oral rehydration therapy (ORT) programs has become a major priority of the Pakistan Ministry of Health and of international funding agencies. Paradoxically, however, there is virtually no published anthropological literature on diarrhea-related traditional health beliefs and practices among the rural and illiterate people who make up 90% of the nation's population. The study reported on here focuses on these matters and suggests important implications for the multimillion-dollar ORT programs currently being launched. Mothers' ethnomedical models of diarrheal disease and concepts of appropriate treatment are discussed, as are practical problems relating to the effective implementation of ORT in such a setting. The results underline the need for anthropological studies as an adjunct to health interventions involving behavioral modification.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Mothers' fear of child death due to acute diarrhoea: a study in urban and rural communities in northern Punjab, Pakistan.

The investigation of cultural models of diarrhoeal illness which are employed by mothers and their emotional responses to children's illnesses is presented in a study of 595 households in urban and rural communities in Punjab, Pakistan. The household survey of mothers of children 0-36 months was complemented with in-depth interviews of a subsample of 70 mothers. Findings indicate that diarrhoea must be regarded not only as a disease but as a symptom belonging to several popular illness categories. Mothers' emotional responses to symptoms are in part shaped by the illness categories to which they assign a child's diarrhoea episode, and maternal fears that symptoms of diarrhoea may be life threatening are associated with previous experiences with death of children, with treatment choices and help-seeking. A significantly higher proportion of mothers who fear diarrhoea to be life threatening to their children than mothers with other concerns choose to use NIMKOL, the Pakistan ORS. The necessity of recognizing the complexity of interpretive and emotional processes which shape the care of children and the home treatment of childhood disease is emphasized.

Attitude to Death↗
PubMed1992

Mother's milk and pseudoscientific breastmilk testing in Pakistan.

In urban squatter settlements and rural villages of Pakistan, human breastmilk is regarded as a potential source of destruction as well as of nurturance. Though it is highly valued as crucial for infant survival, it is also thought susceptible to becoming tainted in many ways: by a 'shadow' from the spirit world; by 'evil eye' or black magic due to others' envy; by the effects of a new pregnancy; by the mother's illness or 'weakness'; by her exposure to excessive cold or heat; by her dietary indiscretions. In any of these circumstances, women may stop breastfeeding to prevent illness in the nursing child. Sometimes the stoppage is temporary, brief, and has no serious consequences. When the mother is pregnant, however, it is permanent. Further, if a child is sickly, cries a great deal, has prolonged diarrhea, or seems reluctant to suck, mothers frequently become alarmed and suspect irreversible breastmilk 'poisoning'. In the latter case, a folk healer has traditionally been consulted to test the milk's quality, but in recent years pathology laboratories have increasingly taken on this function in all of the major cities in Pakistan. Not only does the mother stop breastfeeding while the milk is being tested, but often she is unable or unwilling to resume nursing even if the milk is eventually pronounced safe to drink. This manifestation of inappropriate, child-endangering technology has gained acceptance partly because of maternal anxieties heightened by commercially-driven pressures to be 'modern' and partly because of its congruence with traditional ideas surrounding breastmilk, many of which have classical antecedents.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed1994

Measures of socioeconomic status for child health research: comparative results from Bangladesh and Pakistan.

This paper examines the reliability and validity of several hypothesized indicators of socioeconomic status for use in epidemiologic research, particularly in studies of child health in the less developed world. Population-based surveys of child health and disability were completed in Bangladesh and Pakistan using standard questionnaires designed to measure four domains of household socioeconomic status: wealth, housing, parental education and occupation. Test-retest data indicate moderate to excellent reliability of most of the socioeconomic indicators in both countries. Loadings from factor analyses of the survey data provide further evidence of the reliability of the data, and confirm that the questionnaire measures housing and wealth as distinct domains in both countries. Parental education and occupation are correlated with housing and/or wealth in these data sets. Bivariate logistic regression analyses show that, although 11 of 12 dichotomous indicators of low socioeconomic status constructed from the data are predictive of child death in at least one of the four sub-populations studied (rural and urban Bangladesh, and rural and urban areas of Karachi, Pakistan), no single indicator is predictive of child death in all four sub-populations. These along with multivariate results demonstrate the importance of including multiple measures of distinct domains if the research aims include investigation and/or control of the effects of socioeconomic status on health in diverse populations.

Bangladesh↗
PubMed1996

Scope for fly control as a diarrhoea intervention in Pakistan: a community perspective.

Clinic records show childhood diarrhoea to be an important health problem in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan, particularly during the Spring months when the density of houseflies is highest. Fly control measures during this season may reduce the incidence of diarrhoea. By using participatory research tools during meetings with 61 mothers it was found that diarrhoea was perceived to be the biggest health problem faced by their young children and, after mosquitoes, houseflies were considered to be the biggest insect pest in the domestic environment. It was found, during in-depth interviews with a separate group of mothers, that flies were considered to be the principal cause of diarrhoea. If fly control is shown to reduce childhood diarrhoea then long term community based fly control may be feasible because the community is likely to support efforts resulting in reduced fly density. Treatment of diarrhoea, in the study area, was based on a combination of local remedies and commercially produced drugs. It was found that following an estimated average of 4.2 and 0.8 visits per child year to the local dispenser and specialist, respectively, an estimated average of $9.4 per child year was spent on diarrhoea treatment alone. A reduction in diarrhoea incidence as a result of fly control would result in economic gains over and above health gains. The preliminary results presented in this paper support the need to investigate the impact of fly control on childhood diarrhoea in Pakistan and this would have relevance for other developing countries.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Distribution and circumstances of injuries in squatter settlements of Karachi, Pakistan.

OBJECTIVES: This research was conducted to study incidence, distribution, type, causes, severity and circumstances of injuries among people living in squatter settlements in Karachi, Pakistan. METHODS: Trained interviewers sought a 2 weeks recall for minor injuries for which no health care was sought, 2 months recall for major injuries for which a health provider was consulted and 1 year recall for hospitalization, disability and death from every third household in five squatter settlements in Karachi between May and August 1995. For understanding the injury circumstances 250 in-depth interviews of the injured or the close relatives were also conducted. RESULTS: Among 1182 households, having 9891 residents, 84 minor, 42 major injury episodes, 7 hospitalizations, 0.6 permanent disabilities and 0.3 deaths per 1000 person years were reported. Including all injury episodes, the common types of injury were cutting or piercing (n = 532), falls (n = 382) and burns (n = 235) estimating to 54, 38 and 23 injury episodes per 1000 person years. Injury mainly resulted from a piece of glass (n = 367), falling from height (n = 98) and knife (n = 97) estimating to 37, 10 and 10 injury episodes per 1000 person years, respectively. Fall (n = 32, 3.2/1000 person years) was the major reason for hospitalizations and all permanent disabilities resulted from closed injuries. Medically trained providers were mostly contacted (n = 339, 34/1000 person years), but traditional healers were preferred in bone injury. CONCLUSION: Injuries are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Pakistan and the national health and development agenda should include assessment and prevention of injuries.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Heart disease epidemic in Pakistan: women and men at equal risk.

OBJECTIVE: We conducted this study to determine the prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) and its risk factors in Karachi, Pakistan. BACKGROUND: Migrant South Asians residing in the West have one of the highest rates of CAD in the world. Estimates of disease in nonmigrant populations are conflicting. METHODS: We conducted a population-based cross-sectional survey on 320 randomly selected adults aged > or = 40 years. Coronary artery disease was defined as the composite outcome of (1) abnormalities indicative of definite or probable CAD based on the Minnesota classification of electrocardiogram or (2) past history of heart attack. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of CAD (95% CI) was 26.9% (22.3%-32.0%): 23.7% (17.8%-30.9%) in men vs 30.0% (23.4-37.5%) in women (P = .12). Risks did not differ substantially by age group. The factors (odds ratio, 95% CI) independently associated with CAD were current tobacco use (2.12, 1.21-3.73), systolic blood pressure (1.08, 1.02-1.15, for each 5 mm Hg increase), and proteinuria (2.49, 1.04-5.95). Coronary artery disease odds for women vs men (1.38, 0.84-2.62) increased to 1.60 (0.93-2.75), when adjusted for key risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: One in 4 middle-aged adults in Pakistan has prevalent CAD. Risks are uniformly high in the young and in women. Concerted efforts are needed to prevent the epidemic of cardiovascular disease in South Asia, focusing on hypertension, diabetes, smoking, and dyslipidemia.

Adult↗