Studying the biological and clinical importance of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection

Partner Institutes
University of Birmingham	Aga Khan University

You may be feeling on top of the world today but did you know that your body could be harbouring a viral infection without you even knowing it? Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a species of virus that is present in more than 70% of the adult world population. An unusual characteristic of the virus is that it never clears from the host following the infection. In a normal, healthy adult, it poses no danger. However, chronic CMV infection in older people leads to a decrease in the ability of the immune system to fight other, more dangerous infections. Moreover, CMV is one of the infections mostly easily passed on to fetuses and can prove fatal for newborns.

The Aga Khan University, Pakistan and the University of Birmingham, UK are studying the biological and clinical importance of CMV to determine its prevalence in several districts of Karachi. The research will study a cross-sectional rural/urban population from all socio-economic classes and collect blood samples to determine the presence of CMV. The aim is to design interventions that will boost the body’s immune system to fight the virus, which in turn will help combat other diseases such as Hepatitis C and cancer.

The partnership will develop a short course in virology for the mutual benefit of both universities. Faculty and student exchange is also a major component of this project. A PhD student from the Aga Khan University was placed at the University of Birmingham for research while leading cancer specialist Dr. Paul Moss from the University of Birmingham delivered seven lectures in Pakistan to an audience of health practitioners, researchers and students. The partners plan to hold workshops in both countries and disseminate the findings of their research to a wider audience.

Lessons learnt:

• This project has helped us in finding answers to some of the health related problems particularly those which are also marred by social aspects found in the low income group particularly in the peri-urban population.
• The project has also given us experience in how sharing of the knowledge and skills in the form of training graduate students can help us developing research skills in the area of health and higher education.

Challenges faced:

• The security situation is Pakistan and particularly Karachi was a major challenge in delivering this project.
• Identifying and recruiting study participants to do upper strata of the socioeconomic group as well as lower economic group, has been a challenge.

Impact:

• The major benefit of this project would be the enhancement of the understanding about the correct status of cytomegalovirus (CMV) in the local population, mainly so because such a large number participants with demographical data has not been studied for the assessment of the status of this particular virus.
• This study would lead to the initiation of further projects in this area and would also assist in finding the association between the CMV infection with hepatitis C virus infection which is a much greater and complex problem in the context of Pakistan.

Key contacts:

Prof. Paul Moss, University of Birmingham

p.moss@bham.ac.uk, www.bham.ac.uk

Prof. Anwar Ali Siddiqui , Aga Khan University

anwar.siddiqui@aku.edu, www.aku.edu

Developing strategies to monitor pollution levels in River Indus

Partner Institutes
Newcastle University	Government College University, Faisalabad

The mighty Indus, which once nurtured one of the greatest ancient civilisations, is now rated the tenth most threatened river in the world. Climate change and unchecked pollution have caused toxin levels to rise dangerously; a fact that does not bode well for a country whose economy is based on agriculture. But the Indus is more than just a water resource for farmers – it is one of the major sources of drinking water for the villages that surround it as well as a vital support structure for local industry.

Having been nurtured by it for centuries, it is now an important responsibility for the region to protect the Indus from total extinction. The INSPIRE collaboration between the Government College University, Faisalabad and Newcastle University, UK aims to monitor the levels of pollution in the Indus using fish as an indicator. Aquatic animals, particularly fish, accumulate metal toxins in their bodies and hence are an excellent gauge of pollution in their external environment.

By devising strategies to minimise toxin levels in the Indus, the project will greatly improve the quality of life in the surrounding communities, where contaminated water is one of the major causes of disease. Moreover, they will be able to reap economic benefits from farming fish that is safe for consumption.

The partnership hopes to involve the local and national governments to devise a comprehensive awareness campaign to control river pollution and help save one of the country’s greatest natural resources.

Lessons learnt:

In the study area water pollution is increasing through municipal and industrial wastes and return-agriculture flows through drainage structures, so there is a great need of minimising the pollution in this area. The growing agricultural crops in the surrounding area of the River Indus are a source of pollution which is threatening the aquatic life including fish.

Challenges faced:

The agricultural farmers working in the areas are used to cropping around the River Indus for many years are less willing to change their agricultural practices. It will take time to convince and train them about the hazardous effects of the pesticides and insecticides.

Impact:

This project will have long term impact on reducing aquatic pollution by creating awareness in the community about the hazardous effects of pollutants on fish growth and production. This may increase the economy of rural community and ultimately of country and help in reducing poverty in rural communities. At the end of INSPIRE project 50 staff members of both genders will be trained in aquatic genotoxicological research and more trained staff will be available at general and public level for fish farming and educating agricultural farmers about the hazardous and genotoxic effects of pollutants on aquatic fauna and flora including Fish. The findings of this project will be published in various reputed International Journals which will be the intellectual property of both HEIs.

Key contacts:

Dr. Abdul Shakoor Chaudhry, Newcastle University
a.s.chaudhry@newcastle.ac.uk, www.newcastle.ac.uk

Dr. Farhat Jabeen, Government College University, Faisalabad
farjabeen2004@yahoo.co.in, www.gcuf.edu.pk