Introduction This study aimed to assess the prevalence, sociodemographic factors, reproductive consequences, and heritable disease burdens associated with consanguineous marriage (CM) in Bangladesh. Methods A total of 7,312 families, including 3,694 CM-families, were recruited from 102 locales of 58 districts of Bangladesh. Using a standard questionnaire, we collected medical history and background sociodemographic data of these families. Family history was assessed by pedigree analysis. Fertility, mortality, secondary sex ratio, selection intensity, lethal equivalents were measured using standard methods. Results The mean prevalence of CM in our studied population was 6.64%. Gross fertility was higher among CM families, as compared to the non-CM families (p < 0.05). The rate of under-5 child (U5) mortality was significantly higher among CM families (16.6%) in comparison with the non-CM families (5.8%) (p < 0.01). We observed a persuasive rise of abortion/miscarriage and U5 mortality rates with the increasing level of inbreeding. The value of lethal equivalents per gamete found elevated for autosomal inheritances as compared to sex-linked inheritance. CM was associated with the incidence of several single-gene and multifactorial diseases, and congenital malformations, including bronchial asthma, hearing defect, heart diseases, sickle cell anemia (p < 0.05). The general attitude and perception toward CM were rather indifferent, and very few people were concerned about its genetic burden. Conclusion This study highlights the harmful consequences of CM on reproductive behavior and the incidence of hereditary conditions. It essences the need for genetic counseling from premarital to postnatal levels in Bangladesh.

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Introduction A massive outbreak of chikungunya virus (CHIKV) occurred in Bangladesh during the period of April-September 2017, and over two million people were at risk of getting infected by the virus. A prospective cohort of viremic patients was constituted and analyzed to define the clinical, hematological, and long-term aspects of this outbreak. Methods A 35-day long comprehensive survey was conducted in two major, neighboring cities, Dhaka and Mymensingh. One-hundred and eighty-seven laboratory-confirmed CHIKV cases were enrolled in the cross-sectional cohort study. Additionally, a smaller group of 48 chikungunya patients was monitored for post-infection effects for 12 months. Results Clinical data revealed that a combination of fever and arthralgia (oligoarthralgia and/or polyarthralgia) was the cardinal hallmark (97.9% of cases) of the infection. Hematological analysis showed that irrespective of age and sex groups, CHIKV patients had a decreased level of hemoglobin (n = 64, p < 0.01) and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (n = 131, p < 0.01). Besides, a significant portion of the patients represented abnormal values for RBC (n = 38, p = 0.0005) and WBC (n = 63, p < 0.01) counts. The post-infection study revealed that children had an early recovery from the infection compared to the adults. Moreover, postinfection weakness, successive relapse of arthralgic pain, and memory problems were the most significant aftereffects, which had an impact on the daily activities of patients.

Bacteriophages (phages), as natural antibacterial agents, are being rediscovered because of the growing threat of multi- and pan-drug-resistant bacterial pathogens globally. However, with an estimated 1031 phages on the planet, finding the right phage to recognize a specific bacterial host is like looking for a needle in a trillion haystacks. The host range of a phage is primarily determined by phage tail fibers (or spikes), which initially mediate reversible and specific recognition and adsorption by susceptible bacteria. Recent significant advances at single-molecule and atomic levels have begun to unravel the structural organization of tail fibers and underlying mechanisms of phage–host interactions. Here, we discuss the molecular mechanisms and models of the tail fibers of the well-characterized T4 phage’s interaction with host surface receptors. Structure–function knowledge of tail fibers will pave the way for reprogramming phage host range and will bring future benefits through more-effective phage therapy in medicine. Furthermore, the design strategies of tail fiber engineering are briefly summarized, including machine-learning-assisted engineering inspired by the increasingly enormous amount of phage genetic information.

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Background: Chikungunya is an arthropod-borne viral disease characterized by abrupt onset of fever frequently accompanied by joint pain, which has been identified in over 60 countries in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe. Methods: Regardless of the availability of molecular knowledge of this virus, no definite vaccine or other remedial agents have been developed yet. In the present study, a combination of B-cell and T-cell epitope predictions, followed by molecular docking simulation approach has been carried out to design a potential epitope-based peptide vaccine, which can trigger a critical immune response against the viral infections. Results: A total of 52 sequences of E1 glycoprotein from the previously reported isolates of Chikungunya outbreaks were retrieved and examined through in silico methods to identify a potential B-cell and T-cell epitope. From the two separate epitope prediction servers, five potential B-cell epitopes were selected, among them “NTQLSEAHVEKS” was found highly conserved across strains and manifests high antigenicity with surface accessibility, flexibility, and hydrophilicity. Similarly, two highly conserved, non-allergenic, non-cytotoxic putative T-cell epitopes having maximum population coverage were screened to bind with the HLA-C 12*03 molecule. Molecular docking simulation revealed potential T-cell based epitope “KTEFASAYR” as a vaccine candidate for this virus. Conclusion: A combination of these B-cell and T-cell epitope-based vaccine can open up a new skyline with broader therapeutic application against Chikungunya virus with further experimental and clinical investigation.

A massive outbreak of Chikungunya occurred in Bangladesh during the period of April-September, 2017 and over two million people were at risk of getting infected by the virus. A prospective cohort of viremic patients was constituted and analyzed to define the clinical, hematological and long-term aspects of this outbreak. A 35-day long comprehensive survey was conducted in two major, neighboring cities, Dhaka and Mymensingh. One-hundred and eighty-seven clinically proven Chikungunya cases were enrolled in the cross-sectional cohort study. Additionally, a smaller group of 48 Chikungunya patients was monitored for postinfection effects for 12 months. Clinical data revealed that a combination of fever and arthralgia (oligoarthralgia and/or polyarthralgia) was the cardinal hallmark (97.9% of cases) of the infection. Hematological analysis showed that, irrespective of age groups, hemoglobin level significantly decreased and erythrocyte sedimentation rate remarkably increased in Chikungunya confirmed patients. However, the majority of the patients had a normal range of whole WBC and platelet counts; RBC counts for mid aged (40 -60 years) and senior (61+ years) patients (especially in the females) were beyond the reference values. The post-infection study revealed that children had an early recovery from the infection compared to the adults.Moreover, post-infection weakness, successive relapse of arthralgic pain and memory problems were the most significant aftereffects, which had an impact on daily activities of patients. This study represents a comprehensive overview of clinical and epidemiological features of the 2017 outbreak of Chikungunya in Bangladesh as well as its chronic outcomes till the 12 th month. It provides insights into the natural history of this disease which may help to improve management of the Chikungunya patients. Clinical and hematological manifestation of Chikungunya Author summeryThe clinical profile, epidemiology and the economic impacts during the acute phase of Chikungunya infection has been studied quite rigorously. However, studies regarding the hematological features and chronic consequences are very limited. In this study, a dataset of 187 clinically proven chikungunya patients were analyzed for the clinical and hematological features at acute phase of the infection. Additionally, the long-term consequences till month 12 after the infection were studied for a smaller group of 48 patients. Clinical data revealed that a combination of fever and joint pain (arthralgia) was the cardinal hallmark in the acute phase of the infection. Hematological analysis showed that, hemoglobin levels of the patients were significantly reduced and erythrocyte sedimentation rate increased remarkably. Also, RBC counts for mid-aged and older patients were beyond the reference values. The post-infection consequence study unveiled that children recovered better from the infection compared to the adults. Further, post-infection weakness, successive relapse of joint pain and memory problems were the most significant...

With the advancements in genetics and genomics in the twenty-first century, genetic services have become an integral part of medical practices in high-income and upper-middle-income countries. However, people living in low and lower-middle-income countries (LICs and LIMCs), including Bangladesh, are rather underprivileged in receiving genetic services. Consequently, genetic disorders are emerging as a significant public health concern in these countries. Lack of expertise, high expense, the dearth of epidemiological data, insufficiently updated medical education system, poor infrastructure, and the absence of comprehensive health policies are the main factors causing people living in these countries not having access to genetic services. In this article, the authors took benefit from their professional experience of practicing medical genetics in the area and reviewed existing literature to provide their opinions. Particularly, it reviews the current knowledge of genetic disorders' burden and their causative factors in Bangladesh. It focuses on why providing genetic services is challenging in the context of the country's cultural and religious sentiment. Finally, it proposes a physician-academician collaborative framework within the existing facility that aims to tackle the challenges. Such a framework could also be useful for other LICs and LMICs to address the challenges associated with providing genetic services.