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Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI) was used to assess four plant species, namely Mangifera indica, Artocarpus heterophyllus, Psidium guajava and Sweitenia mahagoni for their response toward air p...

Rotavirus A (RVA) is the primary cause of acute dehydrating diarrhea in human and numerous animal species. Animal-to-human interspecies transmission is one of the evolutionary mechanisms driving rotavirus strain diversity in humans. We screened fresh feces from 416 bats (201 Pteropus medius, 165 Rousettus leschenaultii and 50 Taphozous melanopogon) for RVA using rRT-PCR. We detected a prevalence of 7% (95% CI 3.5–10.8) and 2% (95% CI 0.4–5.2) in P. medius and R. leschenaultii, respectively. We did not detect RVA in the insectivorous bat (T. melanopogon). We identified RVA strains similar to the human strains of G1 and G8 based on sequence-based genotyping, which underscores the importance of including wildlife species in surveillance for zoonotic pathogens to understand pathogen transmission and evolution better.

Pro-Poor Tourism is set up in developing countries as a means to develop the local economy and the living standard of the local people. It promotes the linkages between tourism businesses and poor people, so that poverty is decreased, and poor people are able to involve more effectively in tourism development. Pro-Poor Tourism also provides special importance to involvement of local people of the society and to generate employment opportunities. However, it is observed that studies on Pro-Poor tourism and poverty alleviation have not been thoroughly investigated empirically to explore the real mechanism of tourism development and poverty alleviation for the Cox’s Bazar, Rangamati and Kuakata, in Bangladesh. Thus, the main objective of the present study is to find out the role of pro-poor tourism and poverty alleviation in the context of Bangladesh. An exploratory research approach has been used to find out the main considerable issues of the pro-poor tourism and poverty alleviation. It is found from the in depth interview that the poor people are not much more aware regarding the role of tourism for reducing the poverty. The findings of this study are categorized into five important determinants-Social, Economic, Institutional, Environmental and Visitors which play multiplier role on Pro-Poor Tourism for poverty alleviation. The outcomes of this study could be applied in developing and underdeveloped countries by the policymakers for reducing poverty.

The protection against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants by pre-existing antibodies elicited due to the current vaccination or natural infection is a global concern. We aimed to investigate the rate of SARS-CoV-2 infection and its clinical features among infection-naïve, infected, vaccinated, and post-infection-vaccinated individuals. A cohort was designed among icddr,b staff registered for COVID-19 testing by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR). Reinfection cases were confirmed by whole-genome sequencing. From 19 March 2020 to 31 March 2021, 1644 (mean age, 38.4 years and 57% male) participants were enrolled; where 1080 (65.7%) were tested negative and added to the negative cohort. The positive cohort included 750 positive patients (564 from baseline and 186 from negative cohort follow-up), of whom 27.6% were hospitalized and 2.5% died. Among hospitalized patients, 45.9% had severe to critical disease and 42.5% required oxygen support. Hypertension and diabetes mellitus were found significantly higher among the hospitalised patients compared to out-patients; risk ratio 1.3 and 1.6 respectively. The risk of infection among positive cohort was 80.2% lower than negative cohort (95% CI 72.6–85.7%; p

Epidemiological data of specific respiratory pathogens from the pre-COVID-19 period are essential to determine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on other respiratory infections. In this study, we revealed the pre-COVID-19 molecular epidemiology of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) among children in Bangladesh. We tested 3170 samples collected from 2008 to 2012 for a panel of respiratory viruses; RSV, human metapneumovirus (hMPV), human parainfluenza viruses (hPIV) 1, 2, 3, and adenovirus. Five hundred fifty-five samples (17.5 %) were positive for RSV, including 2.5% having co-infections with other viruses. Genotypic characterization of RSV showed that RSV-A (82%) contributed more acute respiratory infections than RSV-B (18%). Clinical features were similar with RSV-A and RSV-B infections. However, children with RSV-B were more likely to have upper respiratory infections (URI) (10% vs. 29%, p = 0.03). Among RSV-A cases, hospitalization was higher for ON1 cases (25%, ON1 vs. 8%, NA1, p = 0.04), whereas the recovery without a disability was higher among the NA1 cases (56%, ON1 vs. 88%, NA1, p = 0.02). The time to the most recent common ancestor (TMRCA) for RSV in Bangladesh was 1949 for RSV-A and 1944 for RSV-B. This study revealed the genotypic diversity and evolutionary relatedness of RSV strains in Bangladesh and provided pre-COVID molecular epidemiology data to understand better the COVID-19 impact on upcoming RSV epidemiology in Bangladesh.

Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19)—caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)—has spread rapidly around the world. The global shortage of equipment and health care professionals, diagnostic cost, and difficulty in collecting nasopharyngeal swabs (NPSs) necessitate the use of an alternative specimen type for SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis. In this study, we investigated the use of saliva as an alternative specimen type for SARS-CoV-2 detection. Participants presenting COVID-19 symptoms and their contacts were enrolled at the COVID-19 Screening Unit of Dhaka Hospital of the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), from July to November 2020. Paired NPS and saliva specimens were collected from each participant. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was performed to detect SARS-CoV-2. Of the 596 suspected COVID-19-positive participants, 231 (38.7%) were detected as COVID-19 positive by RT-qPCR from at least 1 specimen type. Among the positive cases, 184 (79.6%) patients were identified to be positive for SARS-CoV-2 based on NPS and saliva samples, whereas 45 (19.65%) patients were positive for SARS-CoV-2 based on NPS samples but negative for SARS-CoV-2 based on the saliva samples. Two (0.5%) patients were positive for SARS-CoV-2 based on saliva samples but negative for SARS-CoV-2 based on NPS samples. The sensitivity and specificity of the saliva samples were 80.3% and 99.4%, respectively. SARS-CoV-2 detection was higher in saliva (85.1%) among the patients who visited the clinic after 1 to 5 days of symptom onset. A lower median cycle threshold (CT) value indicated a higher SARS-CoV-2 viral load in NPS than that in saliva for target genes among the positive specimens. The study findings suggest that saliva can be used accurately for diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 early after symptom onset in clinical and community settings. IMPORTANCE As the COVID-19 pandemic erupted, the WHO recommended the use of nasopharyngeal or throat swabs for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 etiology of COVID-19. The collection of NPS causes discomfort because of its invasive collection procedure. There are considerable risks to health care workers during the collection of these specimens. Therefore, an alternative, noninvasive, reliable, and self-collected specimen was explored in this study. This study investigated the feasibility and suitability of saliva versus NPS for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. Here, we showed that the sensitivity of saliva specimens was 80.35%, which meets the WHO criteria. Saliva is an easy-to-get, convenient, and low-cost specimen that yields better results if it is collected within the first 5 days of symptom onset. Our study findings suggest that saliva can be used in low-resource countries, community settings, and vulnerable groups, such as children and elderly people.

We announce the complete genome sequences of 12 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sublineage B.1.617.2 strains (Delta variant) obtained from nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swab samples from 12 pediatric patients in Chittagong, Bangladesh, displaying COVID-19 symptoms. Oxford Nanopore MinION sequencing technology was used to generate the genomic sequences.

Phishing is a fraudulent attempt where attackers trick the victims into disclosing sensitive information under pretenses. This research project aims to develop a Google Chrome extension to detect phishing emails. We firstly collected a number of phishing email samples. Then we used text mining techniques to find out the words that are important in phishing emails. Next, we developed a classifier model that the Chrome extension will use to detect phishing emails using those words. The next step was to test the extension with phishing email samples and standard (non-phishing) email samples. After that, the evaluation metrics were collected. We found our extension was able to identify phishing emails and non-phishing emails with a relatively high degree of accuracy.

The effectiveness of nanoscale zero-valent iron (NZVI) and microscale zero-valent iron (MZVI) in fortifying spinach (Spinacia oleracea) with iron was examined. The changes in uptake of some macro- and microelements essential for plants and humans were also investigated in the presence of NZVI and MZVI. Spinach was grown hydroponically until maturity using three doses of iron (11, 55, 110 mg/L) using NZVI, MZVI, and ferrous sulfate (FeSO4). Spinach produced most biomass when exposed to 55 mg/L NZVI and 110 mg/L MZVI. With the application of 55 mg/L NZVI, the biomass increase in the edible part (the aboveground biomass) was ~ 1.10-fold compared to 110 mg/L MZVI, and ~ 1.57-fold compared to 55 mg/L FeSO4 treatments. There was a 1.15-fold increase in iron content in spinach treated with 55 mg/L NZVI compared to 110 mg/L MZVI and a 1.70-fold increase was seen with 55 mg/L NZVI compared to 55 mg/L FeSO4. NZVI and MZVI also enhanced the plant uptake of some macronutrients (P, K, S, Ca, Mg, Na) and micronutrients (Zn, Mn, Cu, B). Both NZVI and MZVI have the potential for use as nutrient fortifiers in crops.

Accurate and timely diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 is a critical step toward controlling the viral spread, since it facilitates the identification and isolation of infected individuals. Mutations in the primer-/probe-binding sites may lead to false-negative results.

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to estimate 10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk among Bangladeshi rural community residents, using the 2014 WHO/International Society of Hypertension (WHO/ISH) risk prediction charts.Study designCross-sectional population-based study done by local community healthcare workers engaging the lowest level facilities of the primary healthcare system.Setting and participantsA total of 1545 rural adults aged ≥40 years of Debhata upazila of Satkhira district of Bangladesh participated in this survey done in 2015. The community health workers collected data on age, smoking, blood pressure, blood glucose and treatment history of diabetes and hypertension.Primary outcome measuresWe estimated total 10-year CVD risk using the WHO/ISH South East Asia Region-D charts without cholesterol and categorised the risk into low (ResultsThe participants’ mean age (±SD) was 53.9±11.6 years. Overall, the 10-year CVD risks (%, 95% CI) were as follows: low risk (81.6%, 95% CI 78.4% to 84.6%), moderate risk (9.9%, 95% CI 7.4% to 12.1%), high risk (5.8%, 95% CI 4.4% to 7.2%) and very high risk (2.8%, 95% CI 1.5% to 4.1%). In women, moderate to very high risks were higher (moderate 12.1%, high 6.1% and very high 3.7%) compared with men (moderate 7.5%, high 5.5% and very high 1.9%) but none of these were statistically significant. The age-standardised prevalence of very high risk increased from 2.9% (0.7%–5.2%) to 8.5% (5%–12%) when those with anti-hypertensive medication having controlled blood pressure (ConclusionThe very high-risk estimates could be used for planning resource for CVD prevention programme at upazila level. There is a need for a national level study, covering diversities of rural areas, to contribute to national planning of CVD prevention.

Avian influenza viruses (AIV) increase commercial and backyard poultry mortality and morbidity, reduces egg production, and elevates public health risk. Household ducks propagate and transmit HPAI and LPAI viruses between domesticated and wild birds in Southeast Asian countries, including Bangladesh. This study was conducted to identify epidemiological factors associated with AIV infection among household ducks at Chattogram, Bangladesh. We randomly selected and collected blood and oropharyngeal swab samples from 281 households ducks. We evaluated the serum for AIV antibody using cELISA and tested for H5 and H9 subtypes using the HI test. We tested the swabs with real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (rRT-PCR) for M gene, and H5, H9 subtypes. In the duck populations, the household level AIV sero-prevalence was 57.7% (95% CI: 51.6-63.3) and RNA prevalence was 2.4% (95% CI: 1.0-5.0). H5 and H9 subtype sero-prevalence was 31.5% (95% CI: 22.2-42.0) and 23.9% (95% CI: 15.6-33.9). H5 and H9 subtype RNA prevalence were 0% (95% CI: 0.0-1.3) and 2.4% (95% CI: 1.0-5.0). We determined household-level OR (Odds Ratios) for the "combined (mixed materials-mud and concrete or metallic)" category was 2.2 (95% CI: 1.1-4.2) compared with "wooden/bamboo" category (p = 0.02); 2.8 (95% CI: 1.2-6.6) in households with duck plague vaccine coverage compared with no coverage (p = 0.01); and 2.4 (95% CI: 0.6-9.7) in households that threw dead birds in bushes and the roadside compared with households that buried or threw dead birds in garbage pits (p = 0.21). M gene phylogenetic analysis compared M gene sequences to previously reported Bangladeshi H9N2 isolates. The evidence presented here shows AIV circulation in the Chattogram, Bangladesh study areas. AIV reduction can be achieved through farmer education of proper farm management practices.

BACKGROUND : Wilson disease (WD) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutation in the Adenosine Triphosphate 7B (ATP7B) gene. The spectrum of ATP7B mutation varies in different populations. The objective of this study was to identify the mutation in exon 8 and exon 14 of ATP7B gene in Bangladeshi children clinically diagnosed as WD. We also aimed to explore the phenotypic presentation.It was a cross sectional observational study. The study was conducted at the Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh from January 2017 to June 2018. A total of 37 patients diagnosed with WD were enrolled for the study. Venous blood (about 3 mL) was drawn aseptically from each patient into tube containing ethyline diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) and preserved at -30°C for long-term preservation. The peripheral blood leukocytes of the patients and genomic DNAs were extracted. Exons 14 and 8 of ATP7B and their associated splice-site junctions were amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The size and quantity of PCR products were verified by electrophoresis in 1.5% (w/v) agarose gel. 74 (37 × 2) PCR products were sent for Sanger Sequencing. The sequences were analyzed by Chromas version 2.6.6 software and the nucleotide blast was done by National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) nucleoblast. Finally, the sequences were analyzed using AB Applied Bio systems and were matched with the reference sequences using MEGA software.In this study, a single novel homozygous mutation pLeu.1071Val in the exon 14 was found in every (100%) studied child clinically diagnosed with WD. Heterozygous mutation p.Gly1061Glu in exon14 was also found in 6 patients (11%) with WD, which is one of the common mutations in this disease. In exon 8, p.Arg778Leu mutation was detected in one patient (2.7%), which is common in the Chinese and the South Asian populations and was heterozygous. Two novel heterozygous missense mutations p.K785R (2.7%) and p.S744F (2.7%) were also found in two other children in the exon 8.We found three novel mutations in Bangladeshi children with WD, one of which may be tagged as founder mutation for Bangladeshi population. This finding indicates the necessity to study the mutation profiles of the whole ATP7B gene in our population for risk prediction. A further large-scale study will help in the development of a Mutational Data Base of Bangladeshi population with WD.

We report a coding-complete genome sequence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) strain SARS-CoV-2/BGD/GC001, isolated from a Bangladeshi patient with respiratory symptoms. Phylogenetic analysis assigned this strain to lineage B.1.1.7, which presented a total of 36 mutations in the spike and other genomic regions compared to strain Wuhan Hu-1 (GenBank accession number NC_045512.2).

Rodents and shrews live in close proximity to humans and have been identified as important hosts of zoonotic pathogens. This study aimed to detect Group A rotavirus (RVA) and its potential risk factors in rodents and shrews in Bangladesh. We captured 417 small mammals from 10 districts with a high degree of contact between people and domestic animals and collected rectal swab samples between June 2011 and October 2013. We tested the swab samples for RVA RNA, targeting the NSP3 gene segment using real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR). Overall, RVA prevalence was the same (6.7%) in both rodents and shrews. We detected RVA RNA in 5.3% of Bandicota bengalensis (4/76; 95% CI: 1.4–12.9), 5.1% of B. indica (4/79; 95% CI: 1.4–12.4), 18.2% of Mus musculus (4/22; 95% CI: 5.2–40.3), 6.7% of Rattus rattus (6/90; 95% CI: 2.5–13.9), and 6.7% of Suncus murinus (10/150; 95% CI: 3.2–11.9). We found significantly more RVA in males (10.4%; OR: 3.4; P = 0.007), animals with a poor body condition score (13.9%; OR: 2.7; P = 0.05), during wet season (8.3%; OR: 4.1; P = 0.032), and in urban land gradients (10.04%; OR: 2.9; P = 0.056). These findings form a basis for understanding the prevalence of rotaviruses circulating among rodents and shrews in this region. We recommend additional molecular studies to ascertain the genotype and zoonotic potential of RVA circulating in rodents and shrews in Bangladesh.

To date, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has infected over 80 million people globally. We report a case series of five clinically and laboratory confirmed COVID-19 patients from Bangladesh who suffered a second episode of COVID-19 illness after 70 symptom-free days. The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), is a leading public health research institution in South Asia. icddr, b staff were actively tested, treated and followed-up for COVID-19 by an experienced team of clinicians, epidemiologists, and virologists. From 21 March to 30 September 2020, 1370 icddr,b employees working at either the Dhaka (urban) or Matlab (rural) clinical sites were tested for COVID-19. In total, 522 (38%) were positive, 38% from urban Dhaka (483/1261) and 36% from the rural clinical site Matlab (39/109). Five patients (60% male with a mean age of 41 years) had real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) diagnosed recurrence (reinfection) of SARS-CoV-2. All had mild symptoms except for one who was hospitalized. Though all cases reported fair risk perceptions towards COVID-19, all had potential exposure sources for reinfection. After a second course of treatment and home isolation, all patients fully recovered. Our findings suggest the need for COVID-19 vaccination and continuing other preventive measures to further mitigate the pandemic. An optimal post-recovery follow-up strategy to allow the safe return of COVID-19 patients to the workforce may be considered.

BACKGROUND: Globally, noroviruses are recognized as an important cause of acute gastroenteritis (AGE), but data from low and middle-income countries are limited. AIMS: To examine the epidemiology and strain diversity of norovirus infections among children hospitalized for AGE in Bangladesh. METHODS: We implemented active surveillance of children

The coding-complete genome sequence of a coronavirus strain, SARS-CoV-2/human/BGD/G039392/2021, obtained from a symptomatic male patient with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Dhaka, Bangladesh, is reported. The strain G039392 is 99.9% identical to the UK variant B.1.1.7.

The present study, for the first time, evaluated the seasonal variation of PM10-associated bacterial and fungal concentrations at four locations (CARS premises, Doyel Chattar, Postogola, and Chittagong Road) in Dhaka, Bangladesh. In this study, PM10 samples were collected four times on 20.3 × 25.4 cm irradiated glass fibre filter from November 2018 to August 2019. The concentrations of total airborne bacteria (14,073 ± 8,897 CFU/m3) were found to be significantly higher (one-way ANOVA; p < 0.05) in Chittagong Road, which is known for traffic congestion, than that of the other locations. The total airborne bacterial concentrations occurred in the following descending order: winter>spring>summer>rainy. Bacillus spp. and Staphylococcus spp. were found to be the dominant species present in PM10 particles. Based on Pearson correlation analysis and stepwise multiple-regression analysis, relative humidity was found to be the most important variable controlling the concentrations of total airborne bacteria. Common fungi such as Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium and Fusarium genera were identified in the PM10 samples. The highest fungal concentration (1,974 ± 1,173 CFU/m3) was found at Chittagong Road. The total fungal spore concentrations occurred in the following descending order: summer>spring>winter>rainy. From correlation analysis and stepwise regression analysis, the temperature was found to be the most important variable influencing the concentrations of fungi in PM10 samples. A dose-rate estimation study revealed that the children were more vulnerable compared to adults with respect to exposure to bacterial and fungal dose rates. The present study has enormous implications considering the health hazards the bacterial and fungal communities pose to humans.

Background: The human-to-human transmissive nature of SARS-CoV-2 makes Bangladesh, as well as the other South Asian regions, vulnerable to the ongoing pandemic of COVID-19 due to their high population densities. The present study was designed based on the genome wide analysis of Bangladeshi and other South Asian isolates. Complete sequences of SARS-CoV-2 were retrieved from the EpiCoV database in order to identify molecular features demonstrating the evolutionary trail and mutation rate.Result: The complete genome mutation rate of the Bangladeshi isolates was estimated to be 0.49E-3 nucleotide substitutions/site/year. A higher mutation rate was found in the non-structural protein-coding genes at: ORF6 (10.29E-3), ORF7a (31.81E-3), and ORF8 (18.35E-3). In contrast, the mutation rates of the structural protein-coding genes were relatively low at: M (1.14E-3), S (1.47E-3), E (3.35E-3), and N (4.59E-3).Conclusions: A comparison of Bangladeshi and other South Asian isolates demonstrated that there were limited mutational changes in the SARS CoV-2 genome. Knowledge of the Southeast Asian SARS CoV-2 evolutionary genome will help in selecting future vaccine candidates and designing therapeutic drug targets.

The highly pathogenic avian H5N1 influenza viruses have been recognized as a potential pandemic threat to humans, and to the poultry industry since 1997. H5 viruses consist of a high mutation rate, so universal vaccine designing is very challenging. Here, we describe a vaccinomics approach to design a novel multi-epitope influenza vaccine, based on the highly conserved regions of surface glycoprotein, Hemagglutinin (HA). Initially, the HA protein sequences from Bangladeshi origin were retrieved and aligned by ClustalW. The sequences of 100% conserved regions extracted and analyzed to select the highest potential T-cell and B-cell epitope. The HTL and CTL analyses using IEDB tools showed that DVWTYNAELLVLMEN possesses the highest affinity with MHC class I and II alleles, and it has the highest population coverage. The docking simulation study suggests that this epitope has the potential to interact with both MHC class I and MHC class II. The B-cell epitope prediction provides a potential peptide, GAIAGFIEGGWQGM. We further retrieved HA sequences of 3950 avian and 250 human H5 isolates from several populations of the world, where H5 was an epidemic. Surprisingly, these epitopes are more than 98% conserved in those regions which indicate their potentiality as a conserved vaccine. We have proposed a multi-epitope vaccine using these sequences and assess its stability and potentiality to induce B-cell immunity. In vivo study is necessary to corroborate this epitope as a vaccine, however, setting forth groundwork for wet-lab studies essential to mitigate pandemic threats and provide cross-protection of both avian and humans against H5 influenza viruses. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s13205-020-02544-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The governing topic of this article is the design and investigation of a novel negative refractive index (NRI) metamaterial (MTM) in the microwave region. This multi-band MTM is realized by employing a square ring resonator along with two triangular-shaped resonators. Here, the designed unit cell produces double negative (DNG) regions to the extent of 3.6–3.9 GHz, 6.8–7.6 GHz, 10.11–10.4 GHz, and 13.4–13.7 GHz and shows NRI properties in S-, C-, X-, and Ku-bands. Moreover, the design and performance evaluation of the 2×2 and 4×4 array configurations are investigated. Both of the structures create NRI band around S-, C-, X-, and Ku-bands. Also, the proposed MTM has an effective medium ratio of 13.8. The performance of the proposed MTM is validated by the sensor design study. Hence the proposed MTM is assigned for sensing pressure variation, for distinguishing used and unused transformer oil, and also to detect the several chemicals and chemical-water mixtures. The distinctive observation of the sensor study reveals 80 MHz frequency difference between dark and clear oil and more than 340 MHz resonance frequency shifting phenomena in X-bands for chemical sensing applications. Besides pressure sensor study exposes linear shifting of the resonances in S-, C-, X-, and Ku-bands.

In this report we reported the sero-prevalence of West Nile virus among the resident and migratory wild birds from different locations of Bangladesh. 48 birds (48/888, 5.4%, CI 0.04-0.07) were found sero-positive for WNV antibody.

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to estimate the population distribution of 10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk among Bangladeshi adults aged 40 years and above, using the 2019 WHO CVD risk prediction charts. Additionally, we compared the cost of CVD pharmacological treatment based on the total CVD risk (thresholds ≥30%/≥20%) and the single risk factor (hypertension) cut-off levels in the Bangladeshi context.Study designCross-sectional, population-based study.Setting and participantsFrom 2013 to 2014, we collected data from a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of adults aged ≥40 years from urban and rural areas of Bangladesh (n=6189). We estimated CVD risk using the 2019 WHO CVD risk prediction charts and categorised as very low (Primary outcome measuresOur primary outcome was 10-year CVD risk categorised as very low (ResultsThe majority of adults (85.2%, 95% CI 84.3 to 86.1) have a 10-year CVD risk of less than 10%. The proportion of adults with a 10-year CVD risk of ≥20% was 0.51%. Only one adult was categorised with a 10-year CVD risk of ≥30%. Among adults with CVD risk groups of very low, low and moderate, 17.4%, 27.9% and 41.4% had hypertension (blood pressure (BP) ≥140/90) and 0.1%, 1.7% and 2.9% had severe hypertension (BP ≥160/100), respectively. Using the total CVD risk approach would reduce drug costs per million populations to US$144 540 (risk of ≥20%).ConclusionTo reduce healthcare expenditure for the prevention and treatment of CVD, a total risk approach using the 2019 WHO CVD risk prediction charts may lead to cost savings.

An experiment was carried out to study the effects of calcareousness on phosphate sorption indices of soils using three representative calcareous soils, namely Sara (Aquic Eutrochrept), Gopalpur (Aquic Eutrochrept), and Ishurdi (Aeric Haplaquept) series of Bangladesh. Three non-calcareous soils, namely Belabo (Typic dystrudepts), Sonatala (Aeric Endoaquepts) and Ghatail (Aeric Haplaquept) series were also selected for comparison purposes. Phosphate sorption indices of soils were calculated using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. Isotherms were constructed taking one gram of air-dried sieved (< 2 mm) soil into a 50 ml centrifuge tube, and subsequently adding seven initial P concentrations, namely 0, 1, 10, 25, 50, 100 and 150 μg/ml to each centrifuge tube employing a soil/solution ratio of 1 : 20 (w/v). According to the Langmuir equation, the amount of phosphate sorbed followed the order: Sonatala > Ghatail > Sara = Gopalpur > Ishurdi > Belabo. The abundance of amorphous iron rather than the calcareousness was putatively responsible for the high phosphate sorption capacity of soils. Maximum phosphorus buffering capacity (MPBC) of the calcareous soils ranged from 33.4 - 62.8 l/kg. Langmuir and Freundlich equations produced different values for soil P requirements (SPR) at 0.2 and 1.0 mg P/l. Calcareous soils would require 27 - 44 mg P/kg soil to attain 0.2 mg P/l soil solution, which is deemed sufficient for crop growth. The soils would require 32 - 58 mg P/kg soil to reach 1.0 mg P/l soil solution, which is regarded to be safe for soils in terms of susceptibility to P losses. The calculated Langmuir constant b values were higher than the threshold value of 0.07 l/mg for two of the calcareous soils. Therefore, even though the non-calcareous soils sorbed more phosphate, higher bonding energy of P sorption for calcareous soils makes them less vulnerable to loss via surface runoff. Dhaka Univ. J. Biol. Sci. 28(1): 93-110, 2019 (January)

BackgroundNoroviruses are the most common cause of epidemic and endemic acute gastroenteritis (AGE) worldwide. The burden of norovirus disease in low-income settings is poorly understood.MethodsWe tested stool samples from children less than 5 years of age with diarrhea who were admitted in a rural hospital in Bangladesh from 2010–2012 and from matched, healthy controls from the same catchment area.ResultsNorovirus was detected in 109 (18%) of 613 children with diarrhea and in 30 (15%) of 206 healthy controls. Most (n = 118; 85%) norovirus infections belonged to genogroup II (GII). Of these, GII.4 viruses were identified in 36 (33%) of the cases and in 6 (21%) of the controls. Other major genotypes included GII.3 (13%), GII.6 (11%), and GII.13 (11%) in the cases and GII.6 (17%) and GII.2 (14%) in the controls. The greatest risk of severe norovirus disease (Vesikari score ≥11) was associated with GII.4 infections. GII.4 viruses were the predominant genotype detected during the winter (55%) and rainy season (23%), while GII.3 (19%) and GII.13 (19%) viruses were the most prevalent genotypes during the summer. Vomiting was significantly associated with GII.4 infections, while longer durations of diarrhea were associated with GI.3 infections.ConclusionsFuture studies are needed to understand the high rates of virus shedding in children without AGE symptoms.

Group A rotavirus causes a substantial proportion of diarrhoea related deaths worldwide among children under five years. We analyzed rotavirus prevalence and genotypes distribution among patients admitted with diarrhoea at icddr,b hospital in Dhaka during 2012–16. Stool specimens (n = 1110) were collected from diarrhoea patients and tested for RVA antigen using enzyme immunoassay. Rotavirus positive samples were G (VP7) and P (VP4) genotyped by RT-PCR and sanger sequencing. Data on clinical manifestations were collected from icddr,b hospital surveillance system. A total of 351 (32%) patients were positive for rotavirus antigen, about half of those were children under two years old. During the study period, G1P[8] (27%) was the most prevalent strain, followed by G12P[8] (15%) and G9[P4] (9%). Mixed G or P genotypes were identified in a substantial proportion (23%) with few strains of rare combinations such as G1P[4], G1P[6], G2P[6], G2P[8], G9P[6]. The genotypic fluctuation was noteworthy; G12P[8] was the major strain in 2012–14 but sharply decreased in 2015–16 when G1P[8] became the most common strain. G3P[8] re-emerged (17%) in 2016 after 11 years. Since the Government of Bangladesh has planned to include rotavirus vaccine in national immunization programme from 2018, our data will provide baseline information on rotavirus genotypes in the pre-vaccination era to observe the selection pressure on genotypes in the post vaccination epoch.

Introduction Noninvasive assessment of esophageal varices (EV) decreases the medical and financial burden related to screening and helps in the management of patients with chronic liver diseases (CLDs). In this study, our aim was to assess the utility of the platelet count/spleen diameter index for the noninvasive evaluation of EV. Materials and methods In this cross-sectional observational study, a total of 100 CLD patients underwent screening endoscopy for EV in Medicine and Gastroenterology Department, Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, Sylhet, Bangladesh. Platelet count/spleen diameter ratio was assessed in all patients and its diagnostic implication was calculated. Results Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed that 45 (45.0%) patients had medium EV followed by 27 (27.0%) that had small EV and 19 (19.0%) patients had large EV. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed using platelet count/spleen index, which gave a cut-off value of >905. The validity of platelet count/spleen index evaluation of CLD was: Sensitivity 92.3%, specificity 66.7%, accuracy 90.0%, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were 96.6 and 46.2% respectively. True positive was 84 cases, false positive 3 cases, false negative 7 cases, and true negative 6 cases. If we consider cut-off value as 909 in the evaluation of EV in CLD, then true positive was 85 cases, false positive 3 cases, false negative 6 cases, and true negative 6 cases. From this, by calculation, sensitivity was 93.4%, specificity 66.7%, accuracy 91%, PPV 96.6%, and NPV 50%. Conclusion The platelet count/spleen index may be proposed to be a safe and reliable mean of screening of EV in CLD patients; however, case-control study would be required to validate this. How to cite this article: Hossain E, Ahammed F, Saha SK, Foez SA, Rahim MA, Noor-e-Alam SM, Abdullah AS. Screening of Esophageal Varices by Noninvasive Means in Chronic Liver Disease. Euroasian J Hepato-Gastroenterol 2018;8(1):18-22.

This study intends to assess the relative financial stability of Islamic banks in Bangladesh using three different Z-Scores as financial stability measures, based on a sample of 29 listed commercial banks (23 conventional and 6 Islamic) in Bangladesh over the period 2005-2016. Apart from the existing measure of financial stability, Z-Score, the paper contributes to the literature by developing an alternative Z-Score based on bank’s loan portfolio infection ratio. We first use pair-wise comparison and find that Islamic banks are financially more stable in two stability measures i.e. Z-Score (based on Capital Adequacy Ratio) and Z-Score (based on Infection Ratio). We then perform static (random effects) and dynamic (GMM) panel data analysis. By controlling for bank-specific, industry-specific and macroeconomic variables in the regressions, we find that Islamic banks are financially more stable in 2 panel regressions of Z-Score (based on Infection Ratio). We also find that the presence of Islamic banks increases the stability of all banks in the system including their conventional peers.

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is an acute, highly contagious disease responsible for high morbidity and mortality rates in susceptible sheep and goats. Adequate knowledge of the diversity of circulating strains of PPR virus will help livestock authorities choose appropriate vaccines. The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiology of PPR and characterize the strains circulating in Bangladesh. Veterinarians enrolled goats showing signs consistent with PPR, including diarrhoea, fever and respiratory distress, from three veterinary hospitals. Post‐treatment follow up was carried out to ascertain health outcomes of the goats. Faecal and throat swab samples were collected from the goats and tested for PPRV RNA using real‐time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT‐PCR). Nucleotide sequence‐based phylogenetic analyses of two structural genes, the nucleocapsid (N gene), and the haemagglutinin (H gene) were studied to determine the genetic variations of PPRV strains. Of the 539 goats enrolled, 38% (203/539) had detectable RNA for PPRV. We were able to follow up with 91% (184/203) of the PPRV infected goats; 44 of them died (24%). PPRV was more frequently identified in the summer (45%) than in the rainy season (29%) (Odds ratio = 1.9, 95% confidence interval: 1.3–3.1). Bangladeshi strains were phylogenetically similar to the lineage IV PPRV strains; showing particularly strong affiliation with Tibetan and Indian strains. PPR is a common viral infection of the goats in Bangladesh, with a high case‐fatality rate. This study confirms the circulation of lineage IV PPRV in the country with unique amino acid substitutions in N and H proteins and provides baseline data for vaccine development and implementation.

Human adenoviruses (HAdVs) are common cause of nonbacterial acute gastroenteritis worldwide. Limited data exist on HAdVs molecular epidemiology associated with acute gastroenteritis in Bangladesh. We describe the genetic diversity and epidemiology of HAdVs among hospitalized diarrhea patients, including HAdV genotypes, clinical symptoms, and co-infecting enteric pathogens. Stool samples were collected from ongoing diarrhea surveillance during 2012-2015. HAdV was detected using PCR and genotyped by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Detailed socio-demographic and clinical information regarding each individual was recorded such as duration of diarrhea, dehydration status, vomiting, abdominal pain, fever, and severity. Of 871 fecal specimens, HAdV DNA was detected in 93 (10.7%). Among them 56% were co-infected with other known enteric viral and bacterial pathogens and 31.6% had severe gastroenteritis. The majority (55%) of HAdV positives were children

Helicobacter pylori infection is common worldwide and its prevalence is higher in the developing countries. Earlier studies in using urea breath test showed a high prevalence (67%) of H. pylori in early childhood in Bangladesh. Data on H. pylori prevalence using bacterial culture is limited in Bangladesh. The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of H. pylori in Bangladeshi subjects using bacterial culture. We also determined the prevalence of infection among different age groups and find out the correlation between the prevalence of H. pylori and the related sociodemographic parameters. A cross-sectional study was conducted among randomly selected households from a peri-urban community in Dhaka, Bangladesh to get an idea about H. pylori status in the lower socioeconomic area. Sociodemographic and clinical information and stool specimen for screening H. pylori infection by stool antigen test were collected. Gastric biopsy was collected for culture from those positive in stool antigen test. A total of 287 subjects were screened by stool antigen test, of them, 92.7% were positive for stool antigen test. Of 259 stool antigen positive sample, 59.1% (n=153) were H. pylori culture positive. Our data suggest that H. pylori infection is significantly associated with age and smoking habit ( P value

In a group of 22 healthy pigs aged between 4 and 6 months, 2 pigs became ill with high fever, complete anorexia, cough and abnormal swaying movements on 22 June 2015. One of them died on June 24 and the second died on July 3. Shortly after, the remaining pigs also fell ill and died from the same illness by 10 August 2015. We investigated the aetiology, epidemiological and clinical features of the outbreak. We recorded the clinical signs and symptoms for each pig with the date of onset of illness. Veterinarians conducted post‐mortem examinations on the 12 dead pigs, they collected tissue samples from the dead pigs and placed them in a tube containing 1 mL of nucleic acid extraction buffer (lysis buffer). We tested all the tissue samples by real‐time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT‐PCR) to detect classical swine fever virus (CSFV) because the animals’ symptoms matched those of this disease. We also conducted a phylogentic analysis of the nucleotide sequence of the E2 gene segment of CSFV detected in a lung tissue sample. The attack rate (22/22) and the case fatality were 100%. The predominant symptoms of the disease included high fever, cough, diarrhoea and swaying movements of the hind legs prior to death. Of the 12 pigs tissue samples tested, all had evidence of the presence of CSFV RNA by rRT‐PCR. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that the virus belongs to genotype 2.2, which is closely related to CSFV genotype 2.2 reported in India. Our investigation suggests that CSF is circulating in pigs, posing a risk for communities in Bangladesh that rely on pigs for economic income and dietary protein. Future research could focus on estimating the disease and economic burden of CSFV in pig rearing areas to determine if interventions might be warranted or cost‐effective.

Several species of Plasmodium are responsible for causing malaria in humans. Proper diagnoses are crucial to case management, because severity and treatment varies between species. Diagnoses can be made using rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), which detect Plasmodium proteins. Plasmodium falciparum causes the most virulent cases of malaria, and P. falciparum histidine-rich protein 2 (PfHRP2) is a common target of falciparum malaria RDTs. Here we report a case in which a falciparum malaria patient in Bangladesh tested negative on PfHRP2-based RDTs. The negative results can be attributed to a deletion of part of the pfhrp2 gene and frameshift mutations in both pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 gene. This finding may have implications for malaria diagnostics and case management in Bangladesh and other regions of South Asia.

The world is suffering from a pandemic of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), and people with diabetes mellitus (DM) are more vulnerable to the serious effects of the COVID-19. This interaction is alarming, considering the high transmission rate of COVID-19 and the global prevalence of DM. Considering the importance of the link between COVID-19 and DM, Bangladesh Diabetic Association has formed a panel of national and international experts in the field of public health, diabetes, and endocrinology to provide some evidence-based guidance for the prevention and care of people with DM during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dromedary camels are bred domestically and imported into Bangladesh. In 2015, of 55 camels tested for Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus in Dhaka, 17 (31%) were seropositive, including 1 bred locally. None were PCR positive. The potential for infected camels in urban markets could have public health implications and warrants further investigation.

Group A rotavirus (RVA) is an important cause of diarrhoea in people, especially children, and animals globally. Due to the segmented nature of the RVA genome, animal RVA strains have the potential to adapt to the human host through reassortment with other co-infecting human viruses. Macaques share food and habitat with people, resulting in close interaction between these two species. This study aimed to detect and characterize RVA in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) in Bangladesh. Faecal samples (N = 454) were collected from apparently healthy rhesus macaques from nine different sites in Bangladesh between February and March 2013. The samples were tested by one-step, real-time, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Four percent of samples (n = 20; 95% CI 2.7%-6.7%) were positive for RVA. RVA positive samples were further characterized by nucleotide sequence analysis of two structural protein gene fragments, VP4 (P genotype) and VP7 (G genotype). G3, G10, P[3] and P[15] genotypes were identified and were associated as G3P[3], G3P[15] and G10P[15]. The phylogenetic relationship between macaque RVA strains from this study and previously reported human strains indicates possible transmission between humans and macaques in Bangladesh. To our knowledge, this is the first report of detection and characterization of rotaviruses in rhesus macaques in Bangladesh. These data will not only aid in identifying viral sharing between macaques, human and other animals, but will also improve the development of mitigation measures for the prevention of future rotavirus outbreaks.

Group A rotavirus (RVA) associated diarrhoea in piglets represents one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in pig farms worldwide. A diarrhoea outbreak occurred among nomadic piglets in north-western district of Bangladesh in February 2014. Outbreak investigation was performed to identify the cause, epidemiologic and clinical features of the outbreak. Rectal swabs and clinical information were collected from diarrhoeic piglets (n = 36). Rectal swabs were tested for RVA RNA by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) using NSP3-specific primers. The G (VP7) and P (VP4) genes were typed by conventional RT-PCR and sanger sequencing and full genome sequences were determined using next-generation sequencing. We found the attack rate was 61% (50/82) among piglets in the nomadic pig herd, and the case fatality rate was 20% (10/50) among piglets with diarrhoea. All study piglets cases had watery diarrhoea, lack of appetite or reluctance to move. A novel RVA strain with a new P[49] genotype combined with G4 was identified among all piglets with diarrhoea. The genome constellation of the novel RVA strains was determined to be G4-P[49]-I1-R1-C1-M1-A8-N1-T7-E1-H1. Genetic analysis shows that the novel G4P[49] strain is similar to Indian and Chinese porcine or porcine-like G4 human strains and is genetically distant from Bangladeshi human G4 strains. Identification of this novel RVA strain warrants further exploration for disease severity and zoonotic potential.

Bangladesh has reported repeated outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5) viruses in poultry since 2007. Because of the large number of live poultry markets (LPM) relative to the population density of poultry throughout the country, these markets can serve as sentinel sites for HPAI A(H5) detection. Through active LPM surveillance during June 2016–June 2017, HPAI A(H5N6) viruses along with 14 other subtypes of influenza A viruses were detected. The HPAI A(H5N6) viruses belonged to clade 2.3.4.4 and were likely introduced into Bangladesh around March 2016. Human infections with influenza clade 2.3.4.4 viruses in Bangladesh have not been identified, but the viruses had several molecular markers associated with potential human infection. Vigilant surveillance at the animal-human interface is essential to identify emerging avian influenza viruses with the potential to threaten public and animal health.

Background: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a potentially blinding disease affecting the retinas in premature infants. In the treatment procedure of ROP, oxygen inhalation as well as the SpO2, PaO2, FiO2 levels analysis are some major concerns.Methods: This was a prospective COHORT study which was conducted at the special care baby unit (SCABU) and intensive care unit (ICU) of Dhaka shishu (children) hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh from July 2012 to December 2014. Total one hundred (100) neonates of both sexes were finalized as the study population. Data were processed and analyzed using statistical software SPSS version 17, EPI info 7.Results: We found statistically significant risk for ROP, RR 3.48 (2.61-4.64) but there was no risk associated with FiO2 (24-32) % or 33-40 % in inhaled air. SpO2 (95-99) % was present in 25 (78.13%) of ROP (positive) neonates and 16 (23.53%) in ROP (negative) neonates. The difference was statistically significant (p150 mm of Hg present in 12 (37.50%) cases of ROP (positive) neonates and 6 (8.82%) in ROP (negative) neonates. The difference was statistically significant (p150) but there was no risk for partial pressure of 70-99 and 100-150 mm of Hg.Conclusions: During oxygen therapy FiO2 value, SpO2 value and more precisely the PaO2 value on neonate should be maintained within a target range.