Computational analysis to predict functional role of hsa-miR-3065-3p as an antiviral therapeutic agent for treatment of triple infections: HCV, HIV-1, and HBV.

Background: Triple infection (TI) with HIV-1, HCV, and HBV (TI) is highly prevalent in intravenous drug users (IDUs). These TI patients have a faster progression to AIDS, and even after antiretroviral therapy (ART) the prognosis of their disease is poor. The use of microRNA (miRNA) to silence genes holds potential applications for anti-HCV therapy.

Knowledge, attitudes & practices (KAP) of general practitioners (GPS) regarding sexually transmitted diseases (STDS) and HIV/AIDS in Karachi, Pakistan.

Objective: To evaluate the KAP of GPs in Karachi who treat most of the cases of STDs in their private clinics.

Methods: It was a cross sectional survey conducted by interviewing 103 GPs from different towns of Karachi through an interviewer administered questionnaire based on WHO protocol for control of STDs.

Results: Regarding organisms transmitted through sexual intercourse, 94.

Communicable disease among displaced Afghans: refuge without shelter.

More than 23 years of warfare in Afghanistan has caused over 6 million Afghans to seek asylum in approximately 70 different countries, with most Afghan refugees settling in the developing countries of Pakistan and Iran. In a developing host country, poor sanitation and nutrition, overcrowding and inaccessibility to health care facilities act synergistically to influence morbidity and mortality from infectious disease in the refugee population. In this Science and Society article we discuss the prevalence of transmissible infection, modes of transmission, associated risk factors, and the state of health and health care in the displaced Afghan population.

HIV and homosexuality in Pakistan.

In Pakistan, seven times more men are reported to be infected with HIV than women. Among the Pakistani population, modes of HIV transmission include infection through sexual contact, contaminated blood and blood products, injecting drug use, and mother-to-child transmission. Although most sexual transmission of HIV results from unsafe heterosexual contact, homosexual and bisexual contact also represent important modes of transmission.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in Pakistan.

Crimean-Congo virus, the causative agent of Crimean-Congo Virus Fever (CCVF) is endemic in Pakistan. Cases are documented sporadically ever year, mostly at and around the time of Eid-ul-Adha, an Islamic festival, celebrated on day 10 through 13 of the 12th month of each lunar calendar year. At this time of the year in Pakistan, livestock are brought down to the urban areas from the rural parts of the country.

HIV-1 subtype A infection in a community of intravenous drug users in Pakistan.

Background: Data on the subtypes of HIV in a population help in predicting the potential foci of epidemic, tracking the routes of infection and following the patterns of the virus' genetic divergence. Globally, the most prevalent HIV infection is the HIV-1 subtype C. In Asia, predominant subtypes of HIV-1 are B, C, and CRF-01AE.