Introduction There is a high prevalence of depression in developing countries, and low mental health literacy has been hypothesized as one of the main causes of increasing rates of mental illness in a population. This study aimed to capture an image of the current attitude and perceptions towards victims of clinical depression in Pakistan and to assess the impact of those beliefs. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with 400 people, chosen through non-probability consecutive sampling, from Karachi, Pakistan. A questionnaire was designed to evaluate the overall perception of depression including its causes, manifestations and treatment options. Descriptive statistics were used and p-values less than 0.05 calculated using the chi-square test were considered significant. Results Most of the participants comprehended depression as a natural feeling of sadness rather than a mental disorder. The vast majority cited increased stress (72.2%) and physical/ emotional trauma (51.3%) as the main causes of depression. The most popularly associated symptoms were sadness (53.3%), irritability (53.3%), inability to perform daily tasks (52.8%), and changes in sleeping patterns (52%). Participants believed depression to be best treated by talking to someone trustworthy (59.5%), praying to God (56.5%) and consulting a psychologist/psychiatrist (52.3%). There was a significant association between the participants’ level of education and their perception of clinical depression (p=0.026). Conclusion Our study showed a skewed perception of depression with the majority only acknowledging it as a natural feeling of sadness. However, stress was seen as a major perpetrator and the importance of a good support system was acknowledged by most participants. Level of education was revealed to be the most important factor that influenced these beliefs. Effective community-based programs and policies based on these public views will help develop an accessible and autonomous support system for patients with mental illnesses.

Salmonella typhi is a gram negative, rod shaped bacteria that features a polysaccharide capsule, flagella for motility and fimbria for adhesion to the epithelial cells of intestinal mucosa. The organism is responsible for causing enteric fever and in severe cases it leads to complications such as intestinal perforation which can lead to death. The mainstay of treatment of typhoid fever is antibiotic therapy but unfortunately the emergence of MDR (multidrug resistant) and XDR (extensively drug resistant) strains pose a major threat to the successful treatment of typhoid. Around 200,000 global deaths can be associated with typhoid and most cases are seen in low socioeconomic countries with inadequate healthcare infrastructure particularly those that are densely populated, among them Pakistan is considered as high-risk country according to WHO criteria. Prevention strategies include education of the masses regarding hand hygiene, cleanliness and consumption of clean food and water. In 2019 Pakistan encountered an epidemic of XDR typhoid and to control it, Government introduced typhoid vaccine in its nationwide vaccination program, and is hopeful that it will decrease the burden of disease on state and its citizens.

Background: Since the commencement of the lockdown, universities shifted their teaching online as an all-out effort to prevent transmission of the infection. This confinement has resulted in poor sleep quality (SQ) and low physical activity (PA) levels. The aim of this study is to determine the effects of the lockdown on SQ and PA levels and investigate their association amongst university students.Methods: 404 students filled out an online questionnaire, the International physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ) and the Pittsburgh sleep quality questionnaire (PSQI), which were used to assess both the parameters.Results: The pandemic resulted in participants indulging in reduced PA and poor global PSQI scores. It was found that females had worse global PSQI scores than males. Furthermore, a significant association was analyzed between SQ and PA where it was seen that participants with worse SQ were involved in low PA during lockdown.Conclusions: The lockdown has been an unfamiliar period in which many lifestyle changes were noted. This study bridges the gap existing in the health education sector and increases awareness among young adults regarding healthy lifestyle choices during this pandemic and forthcoming events.