1.Biomonitoring of Toxic Effects of Pesticides in Occupationally Exposed Individuals.
Muhammad ARSHAD ; Maryam SIDDIQA ; Saddaf RASHID ; Imran HASHMI ; Muhammad Ali AWAN ; Muhammad Arif ALI
Safety and Health at Work 2016;7(2):156-160
BACKGROUND: Workers in pesticide manufacturing industries are constantly exposed to pesticides. Genetic biomonitoring provides an early identification of potential cancer and genetic diseases in exposed populations. The objectives of this biomonitoring study were to assess DNA damage through comet assay in blood samples collected from industry workers and compare these results with those of classical analytical techniques used for complete blood count analysis. METHODS: Samples from controls (n = 20) and exposed workers (n = 38) from an industrial area in Multan, Pakistan, were subjected to various tests. Malathion residues in blood samples were measured by gas chromatography. RESULTS: The exposed workers who were employed in the pesticide manufacturing industry for a longer period (i.e., 13-25 years) had significantly higher DNA tail length (7.04 μm) than the controls (0.94 μm). Workers in the exposed group also had higher white blood cell and red blood cell counts, and lower levels of mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), MCH concentration, and mean corpuscular volume in comparison with normal levels for these parameters. Malathion was not detected in the control group. However, in the exposed group, 72% of whole blood samples had malathion with a mean value of 0.14 mg/L (range 0.01-0.31 mg/L). CONCLUSION: We found a strong correlation (R2 = 0.91) between DNA damage in terms of tail length and malathion concentration in blood. Intensive efforts and trainings are thus required to build awareness about safety practices and to change industrial workers' attitude to prevent harmful environmental and anthropogenic effects.
Blood Cell Count
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Chromatography, Gas
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Comet Assay
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DNA
;
DNA Damage
;
Environmental Monitoring*
;
Erythrocyte Count
;
Erythrocyte Indices
;
Hematologic Tests
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Leukocytes
;
Malathion
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Occupations*
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Pakistan
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Pesticides*
;
Tail
2. Some challenges in progressive control of livestock originated zoonotic diseases in Pakistan-A pilot survey
Furqan AWAN ; Irfan KHATTAK ; Muhammad Hassan MUSHTAQ ; Muhammad Muddassir ALI ; Umair IQBAL
Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine 2014;4(10):821-824
Objective: To document the recent livestock related practices and possible unhygienic ways of pathogen entry. Identification of the potential risk factors for the spread of infection is important to design an evidence-based disease control programme. Methods: Rapid assessment method was adopted and a purposive sample of 60 dairy farmers were interviewed. The following factors were noted for contributing in primary and secondary transmission of zoonotic infections: (i) persons who come in close contact with animals and their secretions, (ii) management strategies of farm animals (sheds and environment), (iii) management practices adopted at farms, (iv) small scale farmers and rural livestock production systems, (v) milk collection systems. Results: This research unveiled the certain routes of zoonotic disease transmission. Certain management practices, precautionary measures and strategies were the pivotal risk factors. Conclusions: The study emphasizes the need to educate the poor livestock keepers.
3.A Longitudinal Survey for Genome-based Identification of SARS-CoV-2 in Sewage Water in Selected Lockdown Areas of Lahore City, Pakistan: A Potential Approach for Future Smart Lockdown Strategy.
Yaqub TAHIR ; Nawaz MUHAMMAD ; Z Shabbir MUHAMMAD ; A Ali MUHAMMAD ; Altaf IMRAN ; Raza SOHAIL ; A B Shabbir MUHAMMAD ; A Ashraf MUHAMMAD ; Z Aziz SYED ; Q Cheema SOHAIL ; B Shah MUHAMMAD ; Rafique SAIRA ; Hassan SOHAIL ; Sardar NAGEEN ; Mehmood ADNAN ; W Aziz MUHAMMAD ; Fazal SEHAR ; Hussain NADIR ; T Khan MUHAMMAD ; M Atique MUHAMMAD ; Asif ALI ; Anwar MUHAMMAD ; A Awan NABEEL ; U Younis MUHAMMAD ; A Bhattee MUHAMMAD ; Tahir ZARFISHAN ; Mukhtar NADIA ; Sarwar HUDA ; S Rana MAAZ ; Farooq OMAIR
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2021;34(9):729-733