Publications by authors named "K Afshan"

Background: Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) is a congenital onset severe form of inherited retinal dystrophy (IRD) and a common cause of pediatric blindness. Disease-causing variants in at least 14 genes are reported to predispose LCA phenotype. LCA is inherited as an autosomal recessive disease.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Ascariasis, caused by the parasitic roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides, is a major public health issue, especially in developing nations such as Pakistan. It impacts millions, causing significant morbidity through starvation, stunted growth in children, and a variety of gastrointestinal issues. The taxonomy of the Ascaris genus, notably the distinction between A.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Strongyloides nematodes are livestock parasites, and Strongyloides papillosus infecting ruminant livestock can cause disease. Recent genomic analysis of several Strongyloides species is now facilitating population genomic analyses of natural Strongyloides infections, for example finding that Strongyloides ratti in wild UK rats exists as an assemblage of long-lived, asexual lineages.

Methods: Here we have initiated an investigation into the population genomics of S.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This study presents a comprehensive investigation into the evolutionary trajectories of Rhipicephalus ticks (Ixodidae) through the interpretation of molecular phylogenetics, elucidating their chromatographic spectrum. The use of advanced chromatographic tools in this study explored the dynamics chemical profiling, providing valuable insights into the evolutionary history and ecological adaptations. Prevalence of Rhipicephalus ticks was 4.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Dicrocoelium lancet flukes significantly affect livestock production, and co-infections with multiple species are common, but research methods for studying these complexes are limited.
  • This study applied a new metabarcoding deep amplicon sequencing technique to investigate four Dicrocoelium species in sheep and goats, confirming their co-existence and differentiation at the molecular level.
  • The analysis identified that 98% of the flukes were D. dendriticum, indicating a predominance of this species in specific regions of Pakistan, along with insights into genetic relationships among the Dicrocoelium species.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF