Dr. Abdul Haque (PS, Group Leader)
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Regular Staff:
 
Junior Scientist:  Yasra Sarwar
SSA:    Muhammad Tahir

Temporary Staff:

Tayyaba Ifitkhar  Research Fellow   HEC Project: 498

Students:

Aamir Ali   Ph. D.  (HEC scholar)
Saira Bashir   Ph. D. 
Ayesha Tariq   Ph. D. 
Mashkoor Mohsin  Ph. D.  (HEC scholar)
Amana Afzal   Ph. D.  (HEC scholar)
Azeem Saeed   M. Phil.

Introduction

Our group started its activities in 1997 by research on typhoid Typhoid is a worldwide problem. It is the 4th largest killer disease in Pakistan. Its diagnosis by conventional methods is not satisfactory. We have worked on both the diagnostic and basic molecular aspects of this disease. Our group was initiated in 1997.

NIBGE has the honor to present PCR-based diagnosis of typhoid for the benefit of general public for the first time anywhere in the world.   Three studies were carried out making comparison of PCR-based diagnosis (optimized in our laboratory) with blood culture and Widal test. These studies clearly showed the superiority of PCR in terms of specificity and sensitivity. All these studies have been published in international journals. We are routinely using this method on clinical samples for last 4 years. We proceeded on to develop a multiplex PCR that gives information about efficacy of drugs to be used. This work has been published. We have developed another multiplex PCR directly applicable on blood that can discriminate between  Vi +ve S. Typhi,  Vi -ve S. Typhi, and S. Paratyphi A.

In the field of vaccine development, we were able to show that Vi negative isolates of Salmonella typhi are not artifacts of storage and occur naturally to cause disease so they should be a part of future vaccine planning. We worked in collaboration with Imperial College, London on this project and there is an international publication on this topic. We are in collaboration with International Vaccine Institute, Korea and Sanger Institute, Cambridge as well.  

Although Salmonella has been the major interest of our group, in recent times we have expanded ourselves to include other enteric pathogens such as Shiga Toxin producing E. coli (STEC), rotavirus, Shigella species and intestinal E. coli  causing extraintestinal diseases.

We were the first group in Pakistan to start work on local isolates of STEC which causes diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Our results showed that the prevalence of STEC is significant, in fact the highest reported anywhere in the world.  It was observed that the main serotype responsible for disease in Western countries, O157 is not common in Pakistan. We are continuing advance research in this area in collaboration with Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria.

Another significant area of our interest is to study drug resistance genes/integrons, and virulence factors of enteropathogenic bacteria including Salmonella spp. , Shigella spp., and extraintestinal E.coli. Several Ph. D. and M. Phil. Students are working in this area.

Rotavirus infections are the major cause of diarrheal diseases in infants. We are working a project encompassing major areas of Pakistan for serological and molecular characterization.

Publications:

International: 6  National:  10

Projects:

• Development of Multiple PCR for diagnosis of Salmonella typhi and its drug resistance  (funded by PSF worth 1 million)
  Current status: Completed successfully. Final technical and fiscal reports submitted. 
• Molecular typing of rotavirus infection in local population and development of a relevant multiplex PCR diagnostic procedure  (Higher Education Commission worth 2.5 million)
  Current status: Started on 30. 3. 2007. Procurement and sample collection in progress.

Submitted Projects:

• Preparation of conjugate vaccine for Salmonella   typhi  and Salmonella paratyphi A  ( Ministry of Science and Technology worth 35 million)

Core programs:

• Preparation of conjugate vaccine for Salmonella typhi and Salmonella paratyphi A.
• Detection, molecular analysis and expressional studies of local Vi negative strains of Salmonella typhi.
• Identification of integrons and drug resistance genes in clinical isolates of extraintestinal E.coli.
• Detection of Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli by using  multiplex PCR,
  Molecular typing of rotavirus infection in local population and development of relevant multiplex PCR diagnostic procedure.
• Molecular characterization of local isolates of Shigella species.

Group Projects

Group Publications