Saline nasal irrigation and gargling in COVID-19: a multidisciplinary review of effects on viral load, mucosal dynamics, and patient outcomes.

With unrelenting SARS-CoV-2 variants, additional COVID-19 mitigation strategies are needed. Oral and nasal saline irrigation (SI) is a traditional approach for respiratory infections/diseases. As a multidisciplinary network with expertise/experience with saline, we conducted a narrative review to examine mechanisms of action and clinical outcomes associated with nasal SI, gargling, spray, or nebulization in COVID-19.

Background demographics and risk behaviors of injecting drug users in Karachi, Pakistan.

Objective: To find the prevalence of HIV infection and risk behaviors among injecting drug users (IDUs) in Karachi, Pakistan.

Design: A cross-sectional study of IDUs conducted in Karachi, Pakistan from February through June 1996.

Results: Of the 242 IDUs, 11 (4%) refused HIV testing.

Rabies deaths in Pakistan: results of ineffective post-exposure treatment.

Objectives: To estimate the incidence of rabies and the effectiveness of post-exposure treatment (PET) in Pakistan.

Methods: Rabies cases admitted from July 1993 to December 1994 to a public rabies isolation hospital were analyzed. Two samples (one sample each from a separate peripheral site) of a single batch of sheep brain vaccine (SBV) were also tested for potency by the National Institute of Health (NIH) test in May 1997.