Jabbar Khan

Trend of transfusion transmitted infections frequency in blood donors: provide a road map for its prevention and control

BackgroundTransfusion transmitted infections create significant burden on health care system. Donor selection is of paramount importance because infected individuals serve as an asymptomatic reservoir and a potential source of transmission.MethodsA retrospective study was carried out in healthy blood donors in the Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar, Pakistan over a period of three and a half years i.e., from January 2008 to June 2011, to determine the prevalence of HBV, HCV, HIV and syphilis in order to provide information for relevant polices.ResultsOut of 1,27,828 sample of blood donors, recorded mean prevalence for HBs Ag, anti-HCV, anti-HIV and syphilis was 2.68%, 2.46%, 0.06% and 0.43%, respectively, with an increasing trend in frequencies of transfusion transmitted infections (TTIs).ConclusionsThis study reflects that blood transfusion is one of the leading risk factor of spread of the TTIs, which showed the need and importance of the mandatory screening of these infectious markers in blood donations.

Rising burden of Hepatitis C Virus in hemodialysis patients

AimHigh prevalence of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been reported among the dialysis patients throughout the world. No serious efforts were taken to investigate HCV in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) treatment who are at great increased risk to HCV. HCV genotypes are important in the study of epidemiology, pathogenesis and reaction to antiviral therapy. This study was performed to investigate the prevalence of active HCV infection, HCV genotypes and to assess risk factors associated with HCV genotype infection in HD patients of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well as comparing this prevalence data with past studies in Pakistan.MethodsPolymerase chain reaction was performed for HCV RNA detection and genotyping in 384 HD patients. The data obtained was compared with available past studies from Pakistan.ResultsAnti HCV antibodies were observed in 112 (29.2%), of whom 90 (80.4%) were HCV RNA positive. In rest of the anti HCV negative patients, HCV RNA was detected in 16 (5.9%) patients. The dominant HCV genotypes in HCV infected HD patients were found to be 3a (n = 36), 3b (n = 20), 1a (n = 16), 2a (n = 10), 2b (n = 2), 1b (n = 4), 4a (n = 2), untypeable (n = 10) and mixed (n = 12) genotype.ConclusionThis study suggesting that i) the prevalence of HCV does not differentiate between past and present infection and continued to be elevated ii) HD patients may be a risk for HCV due to the involvement of multiple routes of infections especially poor blood screening of transfused blood and low standard of dialysis procedures in Pakistan and iii) need to apply infection control practice.

PCR/RFLP-Based Analysis of Genetically Distinct Plasmodium vivax Population of Pvmsp-3α and Pvmsp-3β genes in Pakistan

BackgroundPlasmodium vivax is one of the widespread human malarial parasites accounting for 75% of malaria epidemics. However, there is no baseline information about the status and nature of genetic variation of Plasmodium species circulating in various parts of Pakistan. The present study was aimed at observing the molecular epidemiology and genetic variation of Plasmodium vivax by analysing its merozoite surface protein-3α (msp-3α) and merozoite surface protein-3β (msp-3β) genes, by using suballele, species-specific, combined nested PCR/RFLP detection techniques.MethodsA total of 230 blood samples from suspected subjects tested slide positive for vivax malaria were collected from Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan during the period May 2012 to December 2013. Combined nested PCR/RFLP technique was conducted using Pvmsp-3α and Pvmsp-3β genetic markers to detect extent of genetic variation in clinical isolates of P. vivax in the studied areas of Pakistan.ResultsBy PCR, P. vivax, 202/230 (87.82%), was found to be widely distributed in the studied areas. PCR/RFLP analysis showed a high range of allelic variations for both msp-3α and msp-3β genetic markers of P. vivax, i.e., 21 alleles for msp-3α and 19 for msp-3β. Statistically a significant difference (p ≤ 0.05) was observed in the genetic diversity of the suballelic variants of msp-3α and msp-3β genes of P. vivax.ConclusionIt is concluded that P. vivax populations are highly polymorphic and diverse allelic variants of Pvmsp-3α and Pvmsp-3β are present in Pakistan.

Genetic Determinants of β-Thalassemia Intermedia in Pakistan

Abstract This study covers the molecular characterization of clinically diagnosed β-thalassemia intermedia (β-TI) patients in Pakistan. Blood samples of β-TI patients were collected from all four provinces of Pakistan throughout the period of 2011-2013. The study was carried out using allele-specific primers through polymerase chain reaction or sequencing to determine both α- and β-thalassemia (α- and β-thal) mutations, and restriction enzymes for the characterization of β-globin gene arrangements. In a total of 63 patients, the IVS-I-5 (G > C) was the most frequent mutation (33.88%). The codon 30 (G > A) and IVS-II-1 (T > C) mutations were found only in the Punjabi ethnic group, while the codon 30 (G > C) and Hb S (HBB: c.20A > T) mutations were found only in the Pashtoon and Sindhi ethnic groups, respectively. In case of α-globin genotypes, 44 patients were normal (αα/αα), six patients carried the αα/–α3.7 genotype, 12 patients carried the −α3.7/−α3.7 genotype, while one patient had the αα/αααanti 3.7 genotype. We found that haplotype I was the most frequent, mostly associated with the codons 8/9 (+G) mutation, while the Saudi haplotype was found only with Hb S.

Aurora kinase-C-T191D is constitutively active mutant

BackgroundAurora kinases (Aurora-A, B and C) belong to a family of conserved serine/threonine kinases which are key regulators of cell cycle progression. Aurora-A and Aurora-B are expressed in somatic cells and involved in cell cycle regulation while aurora-C is meiotic chromosome passenger protein. As Aurora kinase C is rarely expressed in normal somatic cells and has been found over expressed in many cancer lines. It is suggested that Aurora-C-T191D is not hyperactive mutant.ResultAurora-C-T191D variant form was investigated and compared with wild type. The overexpression of Aurora-C-T191D was observed that it behaves like Aurora-C wild type (aurC-WT). Both Aurora-C-T191D and aurC-WT induce abnormal cell division resulting in centrosome amplification and multinucleation in transiently transfected cells as well as in stable cell lines. Similarly, Aurora-C-T191D and aurC-WT formed foci of colonies when grown on soft agar, indicating that a gain of Aurora-C activity is sufficient to transform cells. Furthermore, we reported that NIH-3 T3 stable cell lines overexpressing Aurora-C-T191D and its wild type partner induced tumour formation when injected into nude mice, demonstrating the oncogenic activity of enzymatically active Aurora kinase C. Interestingly enough tumour aggressiveness was positively correlated with the rate of kinase activity, making Aurora-C a potential anti-cancer therapeutic target.ConclusionThese findings proved that Aurora C-T191D is not hyperactive but is constitutively active mutant.

Occurrence of Giardia in different water sources in district Bannu.

Background: After air, water is one of the greatest significant essentials for life, which is considered as one of the nutrients. Giardia lamblia (G. lamblia) is one of the most common waterborne protozoan parasites, causing diarrheal disease in human beings and animal diseases throughout the world. Material and Methods: A total of 150 containing 1.5 L from each water samples were collected from different water sources of district Bannu from 1 May, 2012 to 30 April, 2013 and for further Original Research Article Khan et al.; BMRJ, 6(2): 119-125, 2015; Article no.BMRJ.2015.064 120 process the samples were brought to the Department of Zoology Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat within 24 hours. Water samples containing different water sources (Tap water, Bore water, Stream water and Pond water) in seven different areas of District Bannu (Pakistan). The water was filtered through Whattman filter paper No. 42 having 2.5μm pore size and the residue was subjected to Microscopy, DNA extraction and PCR was conducted for detection of G. lamblia. To increase the sensitivity of the test a small region (125-bp) of the SSU rRNA was targeted for the PCR amplification. Results: The overall prevalence of G. lamblia in drinking water of district Bannu was 20% microscopically, including 28.33% in Stream water, 12.5% in Tap water, 20% in Tap water and was absent in Bore water. While that of PCR based study the overall prevalence of parasite (G. lamblia) was 24%, including Stream 28.33%, Tap water, 20%, Pond water 26.66% and Bore water 15 %. The highest prevalence of G. lamblia was 25% recorded in Tap water of Basia Khel through microscopic study & that of PCR based study, the highest prevalence was recorded in the Stream water of Bannu City which was 37.5% and P<.05 was considered significant. Conclusion: It was revealed from the current study that G. lamblia is present in water sources in some areas in district Bannu, which may be due to flooding and improper management of water scheme. The study recommended that a proper treatment of water for human consumption is required, especially in Bannu City and Basia Khel in district Bannu.

Retraction: Aurora kinase-C-T191D is constitutively active mutant.

Retraction The editors regretfully retract the article [1] by Jabbar Khan, Sanaullah Khan, Sobia Attaullah, Ijaz Ali, and Shahid Khan (BMC Cell Biology 2012, 13:8) due to significant overlap with previously published article “Overexpression of Active Aurora-C Kinase Results in Cell Transformation and Tumour Formation” by Jabbar Khan, Frederic Ezan, Jean-Yves Cremet, Alain Fautre, David Gilot, Marine Lambert, Christelle Benaud, MarieBerengere Troadec, and Claude Prigent (PLoS ONE 6 (10): e26512. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0026512). We apologise to all affected parties for the inconvenience caused.