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Avian influenza A(H9N2) virus isolated from a poultry worker in Pakistan in 2015 was closely related to viruses detected in poultry farms. Observed mutations in the hemagglutinin related to receptor-binding affinity and antigenicity could affect cross-reactivity with prepandemic H9N2 vaccine strains.

Babesiosis is a parasitic infection due to the multiplication of tick borne parasite, Babesia sp., in erythrocytes of host, which includes a wide variety of vertebrates including small ruminants causing decreased livestock output and hence economic losses. The objective of the present study was to establish a PCR based method for the detection of Babesia sp. in small ruminant population in Southern Punjab and to determine the risk factors involve in the spread of babesiosis. A total of 107 blood samples were collected from 40 sheep and 67 goats in seven districts of Southern Punjab from randomly selected herds. Data on the characteristics of the animals and the herd were collected through questionnaires. 36 blood samples (34% of total) produced the DNA fragment specific for 18S rRNA gene of Babesia sp., by PCR amplification, of which 20 were sheep and 16 were goats. Samples from all seven district contained Babesia positive samples and prevalence varied between 18 to 68%. It was observed that male animals (P = 0.009) and young animals under one year of age (P = 0.01) were more prone to the parasite. It was observed that herds consist of more than 15 animals (P = 0.007), composed of mixed species of small ruminants (P = 0.022), associated with dogs (P = 0.003) and dogs having ticks on their bodies (P = 0.011) were among the major risk factors for the spread of babesiosis in small ruminants.

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Eighty four farmed Rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss ranging from 4.8-38.5cm total length and 1.11-725.00g body weight were collected for analyses of its body composition from Trout Hatchery, Masote near Kali Matti, Murree and Madian, Swat. The condition factor value of O. mykiss ranged from 0.831 to 1.607. The mean percentage of water was found 77.82%, for ash 12.77%, for fat 22.79% and for protein content 64.42% in whole dry body weight of O. mykiss. Results showed that there was a strong correlation (P<0.001) in each of these body constituents (water, fat, protein and ash) with body size, weight and condition factor of the fish. Thus, with increasing body size, fat and protein contents increased in greater proportion, while ash and water percentage decreased. An inverse correlation was found in water and ash percentages, whereas percentage fat and protein showed positive correlation with condition factor.

Despite to outbreaks of highly pathogenic beta and alpha coronaviruses including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and human coronavirus, the newly emerged 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) is considered as a lethal zoonotic virus due to its deadly respiratory syndrome and high mortality rate among the human. Globally, more than 3,517,345 cases have been confirmed with 243,401 deaths due to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) caused by COVID-19. The antiviral drug discovery activity is required to control the persistence of COVID-19 circulation and the potential of the future emergence of coronavirus. However, the present review aims to highlight the important antiviral approaches, including interferons, ribavirin, mycophenolic acids, ritonavir, lopinavir, inhibitors, and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to provoke the nonstructural proteins and deactivate the structural and essential host elements of the virus to control and treat the infection of COVID-19 by inhibiting the viral entry, viral RNA replication and suppressing the viral protein expression. Moreover, the present review investigates the epidemiology, diagnosis, structure, and replication of COVID-19 for better understanding. It is recommended that these proteases, inhibitors, and antibodies could be a good therapeutic option in drug discovery to control the newly emerged coronavirus. HIGHLIGHTS COVID-19 has more than 79.5% identical sequence to SARS-CoV and a 96% identical sequence of the whole genome of bat coronaviruses. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), renal failure, and septic shock are the possible clinical symptoms associated with COVID-19. Different antivirals, including interferons, ribavirin, lopinavir, and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) could be the potent therapeutic agents against COVID-19. The initial clinical trials on hydroquinone in combination with azithromycin showed an admirable result in the reduction of COVID-19. The overexpression of inflammation response, cytokine dysregulation, and induction of apoptosis could be an well-organized factors to reduce the pathogenicity of COVID-19.

Sixty six Oreochromis nilotica female (wild) of different body sizes ranging 9.1 -17.9 cm total length and 14.27 -118.43 g body weight for the analysis of body composition parameters in relation to body size and condition factor. It was observed that inverse correlation exist between % water and % fat (wet weight) and % protein (wet weight). Body weight has no influence on % fat and % protein (wet weight). Total length has inverse correlation between % ash (wet weight) and but has positive correlation with % water. Condition factor has positive correlation between % fat (wet weight) and % protein (wet weight).

This study describes the length-weight relationships (LWRs) for Oreochromis niloticus and Notopterus notopterus, collected in 2006 and 2009 respectively from the Indus River, southern Punjab, Pakistan, with W = 0.0393 L 2.72 for O. niloticus and W = 0.0121 L 2.87 for N. notopterus. Negative allometric growth is indicated for both species.