Zika virus (ZIKV) is rapidly spreading across the America and its devastating outcomes for pregnant women and infants have driven this previously ignored pathogen into the limelight. Clinical manifestations are fever, joint pain or rash and conjunctivitis. Emergence of ZIKV started with a first outbreak in the Pacific area in 2007, a second large outbreak occurred in the Pacific in 2013/2014 and subsequently the virus spread in other Pacific islands. Threat of explosive global pandemic and severe clinical complications linked with the more immediate and recurrent epidemics necessitate the development of an effective vaccine. Several vaccine platforms such as DNA vaccine, recombinant subunit vaccine, ZIKV purified inactivated vaccine, and chimeric vaccines have shown potent efficacy in vitro and in vivo trials. Moreover, number of drugs such as Sofosbuvir, BCX4450, NITD008 and 7-DMA are ready to enter phase I clinical trial because of proven anti-ZIKV activity. Monoclonal based antibodies offer promise as an intervention effective for use in pregnant women. In this review, we describe the advances in research on ZIKV such as research strategies for the development of antiviral drugs & vaccines, molecular evolution, epidemiology emergence, neurological complications and other teratogenic outcomes as well as pathogenesis.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic rapidly spread globally. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes COVID-19, is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus with a reported fatality rate ranging from 1% to 7%, and people with immune-compromised conditions, children, and older adults are particularly vulnerable. Respiratory failure and cytokine storm-induced multiple organ failure are the major causes of death. This article highlights the innate and adaptive immune mechanisms of host cells activated in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and possible therapeutic approaches against COVID-19. Some potential drugs proven to be effective for other viral diseases are under clinical trials now for use against COVID-19. Examples include inhibitors of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (remdesivir, favipiravir, ribavirin), viral protein synthesis (ivermectin, lopinavir/ritonavir), and fusion of the viral membrane with host cells (chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, nitazoxanide, and umifenovir). This article also presents the intellectual groundwork for the ongoing development of vaccines in preclinical and clinical trials, explaining potential candidates (live attenuated-whole virus vaccines, inactivated vaccines, subunit vaccines, DNA-based vaccines, protein-based vaccines, nanoparticle-based vaccines, virus-like particles and mRNA-based vaccines). Designing and developing an effective vaccine (both prophylactic and therapeutic) would be a long-term solution and the most effective way to eliminate the COVID-19 pandemic.

Adoption of protective behaviours is a significant intervention to deal with the current COVID-19 outbreak, even if we get a cure. This study aimed to investigate the effect of risk perceptions, fear and myths about COVID-19 infection susceptibility on protective behaviors in the Pakistani population. An online survey was conducted in Pakistan with a sample size of N=440. A questionnaire was administered in the Urdu language about people’s perceptions of risk, fear, myths, and protective behaviors about COVID-19 infection. Results revealed that perceptions of risk about COVID-19 infection susceptibility had a significant positive effect on protective behaviours. Fear about COVID-19 was significantly correlated with protective behaviors but was not a significant predictor of protective behaviors. Myths about COVID-19 infection were not a significant correlate of protective behaviors. The present sample was found optimistically biased about the susceptibility for COVID-19 infection. Surprisingly, this study provided significant evidence about the adaptive nature of optimistic bias because optimistic estimates about COVID-19 infection susceptibility were significantly predicting protective behaviors. Further studies are suggested to investigate the adoptive nature of optimistic bias related to COVID-19 infection susceptibility.

Objective: To determine the breadth of Zika virus (ZIKV)-associated brain anomalies in neonates and adults. Methods: Systematic review was conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement using electronic databases ScienceDirect, Pubmed, Medline, Scopus, and Global Health Library. Only those research articles, case studies, case-control studies, case-cohort studies, cross-sectional studies, and organizational survey reports were included in the study that reported any fetal outcomes for pregnant women who had infected with ZIKV during the gestational period and ZIKV-related neurological complications in adults as well. Results: Out of total 72 retrieved articles, 50 met the inclusion criteria. We estimated a significant increase in incidence of neural abnormalities such as Guillain-Barre syndrome and microcephaly in the regions that are experiencing ZIKV outbreaks. Other neurological malformations found in ZIKV patients include hydrancephaly/hydrops fetalis, myasthenia gravis, meningoencephalitis and myelitis. Conclusion: Our systematic analysis provides the broad spectrum of neurological malformations in ZIKV infected patients and these data further support the causal link of ZIKV with neurological disorders.

Zika virus is a new global threat for 2016 that has been swept to almost all Americas and is now posing serious threats to the entire globe. This deadly virus is playing havoc to unborn lives because of its reported association with upsurge of fetal deformation called microcephaly and neuropathic disorders including Guillain-Barré syndrome. Till today, there is no vaccine prospect, antiviral therapy or licensed medical countermeasures to curb the teratogenic outcomes of this destructive viral infection. Diagnosis, treatment, chronicity and pathogenesis are still vague and unsettled. Therefore, this review article addresses all the aspects related to this disease to mitigate the explosive rise in Zika virus infection.

Present research intended to investigate the mediating role of affectivity in the association between Emotional Intelligence (EI) and life satisfaction. Sample of the study was consisted of N=300 medical students. The ability emotional intelligence scale, positive and negative affectivity schedule, and satisfaction with life scale were used to operationalize the constructs of current study. Results of the present study inveterate the proposed hypotheses as life satisfaction had significant positive relationship with positive affect whereas it was significantly and negatively co-related with negative affect. Meditational analysis revealed that EI had significant indirect effect on satisfaction with life through negative and positive affectivity. This study contributed to the literature of association between emotional intelligence and subjective wellbeing in which both component of subjected wellbeing i.e., cognitive component and affective component were studied.