Publications by authors named "Zunera Jamal"

Dengue, a mosquito-borne viral disease, poses a significant public health challenge in Pakistan, with a significant outbreak in 2023, prompting our investigation into the serotype and genomic diversity of the dengue virus (DENV). NS-1 positive blood samples from 153 patients were referred to the National Institute of Health, Pakistan, between July and October 2023. Among these, 98 (64.

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In this study, conducted at the National Institute of Health, Islamabad, during an outbreak of human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) from December 2022 to January 2023, the first whole-genome sequences of hRSV isolates from Islamabad, Pakistan, were determined. Out of 10 positive samples, five were sequenced, revealing the presence of two genotypes: RSV-A (GA2.3.

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Hepatitis C virus is a single-stranded RNA based virus which can cause chronic HCV and hepatocellular carcinoma. HCV genotype 3a has relatively higher rate of fibrosis progression, prevalence of steatosis and incidence of HCC. Despite HCVs variation in genomic sequence, the 5' untranslated region containing internal ribosome entry site (IRES) is highly conserved among all genotypes.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The mpox outbreak from 2022-2023 has seen cases across many countries, with this study focusing on the first reported case in Pakistan where mpox was detected alongside varicella zoster virus (VZV).
  • - Four out of 20 suspected mpox cases tested positive, all having traveled from Saudi Arabia, and two of the positive samples were subjected to whole-genome sequencing that revealed notable genetic characteristics of the mpox virus.
  • - The findings underline the need for enhanced surveillance and laboratory capabilities for quick detection of mpox, stressing the importance of using modern techniques like next-generation sequencing for effective public health responses.
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Pakistan, a dengue-endemic country, has encountered several outbreaks during the past decade. The current study aimed to explore the serotype and genomic diversity of dengue virus responsible for the 2022 outbreak in Pakistan. From August to October 2022, NS-1 positive blood samples (n = 343) were collected from dengue patients, among which, (85%; n = 293) were positive based on RT-PCR.

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COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected Pakistan with 1,557,134 cases as of August 4, 2022. However, the data regarding breakthrough infections in Pakistan is scant. Hence, the objective was to analyze SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections with respect to vaccines and variants during the fifth wave in Pakistan.

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