Seasonal Trends with the Comparison of Venous and Capillary Blood for Diagnosis of Malaria among Children in Karachi, Pakistan.

Background: More than 250 million people are infected by malaria parasites annually while around one million children less than 5 years of age die every year due to malaria. We aimed to assess the seasonal trends and usefulness of capillary and venous blood for rapid diagnosis of malaria.

Methods: This cross-sectional study of 18 months duration was conducted at the National Institute of Child Health (NICH), Karachi.

Comparison of dried blood spots with conventional blood sampling for diagnosis of hepatitis b & c through serological and molecular technique; a pilot study.

Objective: To compare the sensitivity and specificity of dried blood spot with conventional blood sampling for serological and molecular testing of hepatitis B and C viruses.

Methods: The case-control study was conducted at the Pakistan Health Research Council Specialised Centre for Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Karachi, from May,2015 to April,2016 and comprised patients who were hepatitis B surface antigen-positive (group 1), anti-hepatitis C virus positive (group 2), hepatitis B virus deoxyribonucleic acid-positive (group 3), and hepatitis C virus ribonucleic acid-positive (group 4). A group of controls had healthy subjects negative for both hepatitis B and C viruses.

Report - Colonization rates and immune status of children against Streptococcus pneumoniae before the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine.

Pneumococcal infections contribute to high morbidity and mortality in Pakistan. Pneumococcal colonization rates and immune status of children before and after vaccination can serve as an important indicator to determine the success of immunization program. Aim of this study was to determine the pneumococcal colonization rate and immune status of children (<3-years) before the introduction of Pneumococcal immunization in EPI program.

Use of the Health Belief Model for the Assessment of Public Knowledge and Household Preventive Practices in Karachi, Pakistan, a Dengue-Endemic City.

Background: Prevention is most effective in reducing dengue infection risk, especially in endemic countries like Pakistan. Evaluation of public awareness and health beliefs regarding dengue fever (DF) is important for devising disease control strategies. This study assessed dengue knowledge, health beliefs, and preventive practices against DF in different socioeconomic groups of Karachi, Pakistan.

Emerging trends of antimicrobial resistance in Helicobacter pylori isolates obtained from Pakistani patients: The need for consideration of amoxicillin and clarithromycin.

Objective: To present antimicrobial susceptibility profile of helicobacter pylori isolated from gastric biopsies of dyspeptic patients.

Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted from March 2008 to May 2013 at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Karachi, and comprised patients with suspected peptic ulcer disease who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Multiple gastric antral biopsies were taken.

High prevalence of typhoidal Salmonella enterica serovars excreting food handlers in Karachi-Pakistan: a probable factor for regional typhoid endemicity.

Background: Typhoid fever is the persistent cause of morbidity worldwide. Salmonella enterica serovar's carriers among food handlers have the potential to disseminate this infection on large scale in the community. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of typhoidal S.

Is chlorhexidine-gluconate superior than Povidone-Iodine in preventing surgical site infections? A multicenter study.

Objective: To compare the efficacy of povidone-iodine and chlorhexidine gluconate scrubs in preventing surgical site infections.

Methods: The randomised controlled clinical trial was conducted from May 2012 to April 2013 in two public-sector hospitals of Pakistan; one each in Karachi and Islamabad. Patients undergoing clean or clean contaminated surgeries were included and were randomly assigned to one of the two groups: group I comprised patients whose skin was preoperatively disinfected using 10% povidone-iodine, and in group II by 2% chlorhexidine gluconate in 70% alcohol.