Dengue is becoming more common in Pakistan with its alarming spreading rate. A historical review needs to be carried out to find the root causes of dengue dynamics, the factors responsible for its spread and lastly to formulate future strategies for its control. We searched (January, 2015) all the published literature between 1980 and 2014 to determine spread/burden of dengue disease in Pakistan. A total of 81 reports were identified, showing high numbers of dengue cases in 2010, 2011, and 2013. The tendency of dengue to occur in younger than in older age groups was evident throughout the survey period and all four serotypes were recorded, with DENV1 the least common. Most dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) cases fell in the 20-45 years age range. High frequencies tended to be observed first in the Southern coastal region characterized by mild winters and humid warm summers and then the disease progressed towards the lowland areas of the Indus plain with cool winters, hot summers and monsoon rainfall. Based on this survey, new risk maps and infection estimates were identified reflecting public health burden imposed by dengue at the national level. Our study showed that dengue is common in the three provinces of Pakistan, i.e., Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Punjab and Sindh. Based on the literature review as well as on our study analysis the current expansion of dengue seems multifactorial and may include climate change, virus evolution, and societal factors such as rapid urbanization, population growth and development, socioeconomic factors, as well as global travel and trade. Due to inadequate remedial strategies, effective vector control measures are essential to target the dengue vector mosquito where high levels of human-vector contact occur. The known social, economic, and disease burden of dengue is alarming globally and it is evident that the wider impact of this disease is grossly underestimated. An international multi-sectoral response, outlined in the WHO Global Strategy for Dengue Prevention and Control, 2012-2020, is now essential to reduce the significant influence of this disease in Dengue endemic areas. Overall gaps were identified in knowledge around seroprevalence, dengue incidence, vector control, genotype evolution and age-stratified serotype circulation.

Success of sterile insect technique (SIT) is dependent upon the mass rearing and release of quality insects, the production of which is directly related to the suitability of the diet ingredients used. Commercial diets used for small-scale culture of mosquitoes are expensive and thus not feasible for mass production. A series of low cost globally available diet ingredients including, wheat, rice, corn, chickpeas, and beans along with liver, were provided to 4 h larvae (L1) of Anopheles stephensi (Liston) to see their effect on fitness parameters including larval duration, percent emergence, survival, adult wing size and female fecundity. Different quantities of the candidate diet ingredients were then mixed together to work out a combination diet with a balanced nutritive value that can be used for efficient rearing of the mosquito larvae at relatively lower costs. Fastest larval and pupal development and highest survival rates were recorded using a combination diet of bean, corn, wheat, chickpea, rice, and bovine liver at 5 mg/day. The diet is easy to prepare, and much cheaper than the diets reported earlier. The estimated cost of the reported diet is 14.7 US$/ 1.3 kg for rearing one million larvae. A combination diet with ingredients from cereals and legumes mixed with liver is a low cost balanced larval diet with the potential for use in both small scale laboratory rearing and mass production of Anopheles in SIT control programs.

The mass rearing of insects requires a large colony from which individuals can be harvested for sterilization and release. Attention is given to larval food requirements and to handling and rearing conditions to ensure predictability and synchrony of development. Maximizing production requires optimized adult holding to ensure mating success, blood feeding and oviposition. Appropriate egg storage and harvesting is necessary to compensate any unpredicted reduction in egg production.

Nebrodenside A was isolated from the plant Dodonaea viscosa and its chemical structure was elucidated by spectroscopic methods. Molecular docking simulation predicted its strong ability to be tested as a potential anti-inflammatory compound. Carrageen-induced paw model and formalin test were utilized for the assessment of anti-inflammatory and analgesic potential. Nebrodenside A was found to be significantly active in reducing inflammation, when compared with diclofenac as a standard drug. Similarly, the compound also possesses substantial analgesic activity in the formalin-induced writhing test. Thus, nebrodenside A revealed a robust potential to be developed as a possible leading medicinal agent for better management of pain and inflammation.

Background & objectives: Biological approaches for vector mosquito control such as sterile insect technique (SIT) requires sterilization of male mosquitoes through specific radiation doses for sterility induction in males. Under the SIT program, the males used must be compatible with the wild males in vigor, flight and selection of mate. Much of this potential is determined by the diet provided in the larval stages and optimizing the irradiation doses that cause complete sterility but have very minimal effect on the lives of irradiated males. The current study is designed to evaluate gamma radiation doses for inducing sterility in male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes with a genomic background from Pakistan (Swat district) and to assess the effects of radiation exposure on the competency of irradiated males and other life traits of irradiated mosquitoes. Methods: Sterilization of 17-hour-old male pupae (groups of 50 pupa/cup in three replicates) of the Ae. aegypti Swat strain was conducted using radiation doses of 30, 60, 70, 90, and 105 gray (Gy) from (Co⁶⁰) at the Nuclear Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) in Peshawar, Pakistan. Post-irradiated pupae were released in adult cages. Virgin females of the same cohort were released (1:1) to mate with the irradiated males. Mortality, longevity, mating competitiveness of males, and female fecundity were recorded. Results: An average of 71 eggs per female was recorded in control with 86% hatch rate. Individual females mated with a 60 Gy treated males produced 60 ± 0.6 eggs per female with 17% hatch rate, and those mated with 70 Gy males produced 42 ± 0.01 eggs with a nil hatch rate, whereas females mated with males treated with ≥70 Gy doses did not reproduce to next generation. Females in groups of 50 mated with 60, 70 Gy treated males (equal pairs), produced 369±1.3 and 98±0.01 eggs with 15% and zero hatch rate. Significant dose dependent reduction in longevity was observed for >30 Gy doses. The matting competence of irradiated males was about half that of un-irradiated males. Interpretation & conclusion: Aedes aegypti with a Pakistani genomic background treated with a ≥70 Gy dose of gamma radiation induced complete sterility in males and provided the first-step foundation for SIT application in Pakistan. Further extensive studies are required to optimize the SIT techniques so that fully sterile males with very minor quality changes can be produced on large scales for field trials.