Biography:

Dr. Md Kaisar Ali has completed his PhD at the age of 28 years from Southwest University and postdoctoral studies also from Southwest University College of Animal Science and Technology. Dr. Ali published six papers in reputed journals and attended several national and international confrences.

Abstract:

COVID-19 is the most critical global health emergency. Day by day increasing cases and death is the big challenge for the scientific society to stop this infection and discover the proper treatment. From the initial time of COVID-19 infection, large numbers of drugs have been applied for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. But, mostly drug have been failed to achieve the proper treatment, and many drugs showed the severe side effects. SARS-CoV-2 targets the Lungs and causes the sever injury in lung tissues. Moreover, SARS-CoV-2 is capable to survive inside the host macrophages, and spread infection. However, Mycobacterium tuberculosis also targets the lung tissues and initially establishes the niche inside macrophages to establish the infection in the host. We propose that anti-tubercular drugs might be used for the treatment of COVID-19. In this study, we have selected the 1^st line, 2^nd line and 3^rd line anti-tubercular drugs in-silico screened for the SARS-CoV-2. We used the molecular docking approach to anti-tubercular drugs target to the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2. Our result showed that out of 17 anti-tubercular drugs, 8 drugs were predicted the better binding affinity, suggested to be strong interaction. The binding energy of Rifabutin, Rifampicin, Clofazimine, Capreomycin, Levofloxacin, Amoxycillin, Linezoid and Moxifloxacin with RBD was –7.8, –7.7, –7.4, –7.0, –6.6, –6.6, –6.6 and –6.6, respectively. Foremost, Rifabutin predicted the highest interaction with RBD via four hydrogen bonds (range of 3.49 - 5.47 Aº).

Biography:

Rasoolgul Samar has completed his MD from Nangarhar Medical University and MPH from BRAC University, he has completed MPH (Biosecurity) from Massey University, New Zealand. He is the director of Public Health- Logar province, Ministry of Public Health, Afghanistan.

Abstract:

Q-fever (QF) is an endemic zoonotic disease in Afghanistan. In order to better understand risk factors for exposure and the clinical pattern of the disease, a case-control study was conducted in Helmand province.

In 2014, 100 patients presenting with fever of unknown origin (FUO) to a comprehensive health center were identified and enrolled in the study. A standardized questionnaire about exposure to potential Q-fever risk factors was administered to each patient and paired blood specimens (14 days apart) were collected to determine if the patient had been exposed to Coxiella burnetii, the causative agent for Q-fever.

Q-fever exposure status could be determined in 84 of the 100 patients. Of these, 47.6% were positive (cases) and 52.4% were negative (controls). Among the cases, 27.5% were categorised as acutely affected while 72.5%were categorised as chronically affected. There were no detectable differences in the pattern or duration of fever between the acutely and chronically affected patients.

Amongst the 19 risk factor variables that were examined, only gender was significantly associated with QF seropositivity. Females were approximately four times more likely to be a case than  males. In contrast to previously reported risk factors for QF in Afghanistan and other parts of the world, neither routine exposure to livestock nor the presence of rodents in a person’s living compound appeared to be associated with QF seropositivity.

The likelihood of exposure to QF amongst FUO patients was high in this study. In the absence of a national control program for the disease, people in Afghanistan remain at high risk for exposure and further research should be conducted to determine if unique risk factors are present in Helmand that were not identified in this study or if FUO patients are atypical with regard to their exposure to risk factors found to be important in other studies.

Biography:

Pauline Orondo is currently a PhD scholar at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya undertaking her doctoral studies in Moloecular biology and Bioinformatics. She has vast experience and training on malaria vector larval ecology and insecticide resistance in mosquitoes.

Abstract:

Homa Bay County is a semi-arid malaria endemic region with a mixed irrigation system. Malaria vectors comprise An. gambiae s.l. and An. funestus. Malaria control in Kenya primarily relies on insecticide treated nets, however, in 2018 indoor residual spraying (IRS) using Actellic^®300SC an organophosphate was implemented. Malaria vector abundance has since been reduced significantly causing major shift in malaria vector species. Intensive use of insecticide based control measures may have further selected for increased insecticide resistance in the malaria vectors. The objective of the present study was to determine resistance to multiple classes of insecticide in Homa Bay, a county with mixed crop irrigation.This study determined the frequency of knock down resistance (kdr) and insecticide resistance mechanisms in An. arabiensis malaria vector. An. gambiae s.l. larvae were collected in high and low transmission zones, which are approximately 15km apart. These were reared and subjected to standard WHO bioassay test against deltamethrin and melathion. Species identification (n=181) indicated 2.2% An. gambiae s.s. and 97.8% An. arabiensis. An. arabiensis recorded a mortality of 97.9% (n=324) in high transmission zone and 83.9% (n=114) in low transmission zone against deltamethrin, whereas both high (n=104) and low transmission zones (n=103) recorded 100% mortalities against melathion. The frequency of kdr-east was observed to be 0.01 (n=79) and 0.16 (n=72) in high and low transmission zones respectively, while the frequency of kdr-west was 0.09 (n=81) and 0.04 (n=58) in the high and low transmission zones respectively. This suggests heterogeneous distribution of insecticide resistance. The frequency of ACE gene was observed to be zero (0) in both high (n=73) and low transmission zone (n=60). These findings provide important information for selecting appropriate insecticides for malaria vector control in an area with multiple classes of insecticide use.

Biography:

Osagiede Omo Emmanuel obtained MSc. in Conservation Biology, 2013 from A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute (APLORI), University of Jos, Plateau State and BSc. In Zoology, 2009 from Lagos State University, Nigeria. He is a Freelance Ecologist, Conservation Biologist and  an Ornithologist presently consulting for Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) on International Waterbird Census (IWC); Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) - to establish a long term Monitoring and Conservation of bird species in Omo Forest Reserve, Ogun State; Protection of Migratory Water Birds by identifying and reducing treat for effective conservation in five wetlands in Lagos State.

Abstract:

Migratory water birds play essential roles as etiological agents in the dispersion of pathogens between species at breeding, wintering, and stopover places where numerous birds of various species are concentrated. Migratory water birds have been exposed to more diverse environment and suffer more infections than sedentary. The recent worldwide bird flu outbreaks due to H5N1 avian influenza virus which were practically distributed by migratory birds, were reported in Asia and afterwards spread to Russia, Middle East, Europe and Africa. These species have also transmitted Newcastle disease virus, avian pneumovirus, duck plague virus, West Nile virus, equine encephalitis virus and enteropathogens. In Awba dam and International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan, blood and faecal samples, and ectoparasites were collected from a total of 123 captured wild birds. Direct smear and floatation method were used for blood and faecal analysis respectively. Ectoparasites collection were based on dust-ruffling technique method and identified under light microscope. Plasmodium parasites were isolated from five resident bird species and Ixodes species were found in three birds. Resident water birds in Nigeria are at high risk of contracting deadly diseases of many kinds from the migratory water birds which could also affect other vertebrates as well as human beings. To control and circumvent parasites of zoonotic and public health importance, strict biosafety and biosecurity, and constant surveillance of the wetlands which are used by the migratory water birds for feeding and roosting should be employed as tracking strategies of the epidemiology.