Alphaherpesviruses are widespread in the human population, and include herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and 2, and varicella zoster virus (VZV). These viral pathogens cause epithelial lesions, and then infect the nervous system to cause lifelong latency, reactivation, and spread. A related veterinary herpesvirus, pseudorabies (PRV), causes similar disease in livestock that result in significant economic losses. Vaccines developed for VZV and PRV serve as useful models for the development of an HSV-1 vaccine. We present full genome sequence comparisons of the PRV vaccine strain Bartha, and two virulent PRV isolates, Kaplan and Becker. These genome sequences were determined by high-throughput sequencing and assembly, and present new insights into the attenuation of a mammalian alphaherpesvirus vaccine strain. We find many previously unknown coding differences between PRV Bartha and the virulent strains, including changes to the fusion proteins gH and gB, and over forty other viral proteins. Inter-strain variation in PRV protein sequences is much closer to levels previously observed for HSV-1 than for the highly stable VZV proteome. Almost 20% of the PRV genome contains tandem short sequence repeats (SSRs), a class of nucleic acids motifs whose length-variation has been associated with changes in DNA binding site efficiency, transcriptional regulation, and protein interactions. We find SSRs throughout the herpesvirus family, and provide the first global characterization of SSRs in viruses, both within and between strains. We find SSR length variation between different isolates of PRV and HSV-1, which may provide a new mechanism for phenotypic variation between strains. Finally, we detected a small number of polymorphic bases within each plaque-purified PRV strain, and we characterize the effect of passage and plaque-purification on these polymorphisms. These data add to growing evidence that even plaque-purified stocks of stable DNA viruses exhibit limited sequence heterogeneity, which likely seeds future strain evolution.

Objectives To measure awareness about adverse drug reaction (ADRs) reporting among doctors, pharmacists and nurses and to determine reasons of ADRs under-reporting in Pakistan.MethodsIn present study, a self-administered questionnaire was used to measure the awareness level about ADRs reporting among health care professionals (HCPs) of Pakistan. This was a cross sectional study.ResultsOut of the respondents 51 % were physicians, 29.7 % pharmacists and 19.3 % were nurses. 65.5 % of HCP population observed ADRs, out of which only 57.4 % reported these in their respective hospitals. About 77.3 % of population understood the importance of reporting ADRs while 67.3 % of population agrees that pharmacists are chief personnel for the development of system. 71.8 % of HCPs agrees that ADRs are not reported because Community pharmacy lacks legally qualified pharmacists. Only 14.3 % of HCPs population knows that there is any ADR reporting organization in Pakistan.ConclusionThe study recommends the need of such reporting system and more than half of the studied population agreed that pharmacists are required in developing such system.

The current study evaluated and established the activity of Allium sativum Linn., Aloe barbadensis Mill., and Solanum nigrum Linn. against some common fungal species associated with superficial mycoses. The ethanol and aqueous extracts of these plants were tested to establish the antimycological effects against dermatophytes, saprophytes, and Candida species isolated from infected hospitalized patients. The in vitro antifungal activity was established by observing and measuring the zones of inhibition formed on selective nutrient media. Zones of inhibition were categorized as very high (41-50 mm), high (31-40 mm), medium (21-30 mm), and low (11-20 mm). High zones of inhibition were noted with ethanol extracts of Allium sativum, Aloe barbadensis, and Solanum nigrum.

Melilotus officinalis (L.) Pallas., is used traditionally to treat hypertension and chronic venous insufficiency. The high prevalence of hypertension and the side effects of antihypertensive drugs potentiate us to evaluate Melilotus officinalis. The hypotensive effect of Melilotus officinalis butanolic fraction (MOBF) was investigated in anaesthetized normotensive rats. The doses of 60, 80 and 100 mg/kg, i.v., produced a significant (P<0.05) decrease in blood pressure. The statistically non significant reduction in blood pressure was showed by 20 and 40 mg/kg, i.v. These results suggest that Melilotus officinalis exhibited hypotensive effect in normotensive rats. However further evaluation of compound related activity is required.

The current study evaluated and established the activity of Allium sativum Linn., Aloe barbadensis Mill., and Solanum nigrum Linn. against some common fungal species associated with superficial mycoses. The ethanol and aqueous extracts of these plants were tested to establish the antimycological effects against dermatophytes, saprophytes, and Candida species isolated from infected hospitalized patients. The in vitro antifungal activity was established by observing and measuring the zones of inhibition formed on selective nutrient media. Zones of inhibition were categorized as very high (41-50 mm), high (31-40 mm), medium (21-30 mm), and low (11-20 mm). High zones of inhibition were noted with ethanol extracts of Allium sativum, Aloe barbadensis, and Solanum nigrum.