Search

Climate change-induced mega-floods have become increasingly frequent worldwide. The rapid mapping and assessment of flood disasters pose urgent challenges for developing countries with poor data facilities or databases. In this study, the characteristics of the 2022 mega-flood in Pakistan were monitored and analyzed based on multi-resources data. The extent of inundation throughout Pakistan and its impact on farmlands, buildings, and roads were mapped using Synthetic Aperture Radar remote sensing data processing technology. The results showed that a 10-m resolution flooding map could be achieved using the Google Earth Engine platform in a timely manner with reasonable precision. A GIS-based bluespot model was used to evaluate the risk of dam-failure floods. The zone risk distribution map of the dam-failure flood was produced with five risk levels, which contribute to the safety of the key infrastructure for flooding control. The potential influencing factors of snow melting in northern Pakistan induced by heat waves and disasters was detected using Earth observations and long-record historical data. The study provides data-driven approach options for monitoring flood hazards over large areas in emergency using multi-available data sources, where in situ monitoring is difficult. This study not only provided direct data products and risk maps for mega-flooding control in Pakistan, but also proposed five aspects of flood prevention and control recommendations for this region and its neighborhood areas to cope with flood disasters effectively under worsening climate change conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since subgroup J avian leukosis virus (ALV-J) was first isolated in the United Kingdom in 1988, it has seriously hindered the development of the poultry industry worldwide. Although cases of ALV-J infection have been reported as early as 2001 in Pakistan, there was no further research on the isolation and molecular characteristics of ALVs. In the present study, we first isolated two ALVs from suspicious clinical samples that were collected from a desi chicken farm in Pakistan. The results of multiplex PCR and indirect immunofluorescent antibody assays confirmed that the two isolates (PK19FA01 and PK19SA01) belonged to ALV-J. The complete genomes of the two isolates were amplified, sequenced, and systematically analyzed. We found that gp85 of PK19FA01 was more similar to that of the prototype strain HPRS103, whereas gp85 of PK19SA01 was more similar to that of American strains. The two isolates contained an intact E element of 147 residues and had a unique 135 bp deletion in the redundant transmembrane of the 3′ untranslated region. The U3 region of the two isolates was highly homologous to that of American ALV-J strains. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the isolation, complete genome sequencing, and systematic molecular epidemiological investigation of ALV-J in Pakistan. Our findings could enrich epidemiological data and might contributed to more effective measures to prevent and control avian leukosis in Pakistan. • First report of ALV-J strain isolated from chicken in Pakistan. • The first complete genomes of ALV-J were determined in Pakistan and submitted to GenBank. • First systematic molecular epidemiological report of ALV-J in Pakistan. • Possible ALV-J sources analyzed and suggestions for prevention/control proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Global fowl adenovirus infections result in significant poultry industry losses • There is no prior sequence of the entire Pakistani fowl adenovirus 11 genome • An entire Pakistani fowl adenovirus 11 genome was sequenced and showed novel characteristics • PKFAd18 strain, a primary contributor to inclusion body hepatitis in Pakistan, provided valuable information for diagnostics and vaccines of inclusion body hepatitis Inclusion body hepatitis (IBH), hydropericardium syndrome, and gizzard erosion associated with fowl adenovirus (FAdV) infections are reported globally and resulted in significant poultry industry economic losses. In 2018, severe IBH appeared in Pakistan in a 17-week-old layer flock. Subsequently, a FAdV-11 strain (designated as PKFAd18) was isolated from liver samples and identified based on phylogenetic analyses of the serotype-specific L1 region of the capsid hexon gene. There is no complete genome sequence of the Pakistani FAdV-11. This study successfully sequenced the complete genome of PKFAd18. The full genome of PKFAd18 contains 43 840 base pairs (bp) with a G + C content of 53.9 %, which is comparable to other FAdV serotypes. Similar to other FAdV-11 strains, PKFAd18 has only one fiber, while FAdV-1 and FAdV-4 have two fibers. Notably, PKFAd18 showed unique characteristics compared to other FAdV-11 strains. A natural large genomic deletion (1215 bp) appeared in tandem repeat region two, relative to the ON-NP2 strain. Phylogenetic analyses of the PKFAd18 penton gene showed higher homology with FAdV-9, highlighting potential natural recombination between FAdV-11 and FAdV-9. Moreover, the pathogenicity of PKFAd18 studied in specific-pathogen-free chickens showed that PKFAd18 is capable of inducing severe IBH and could be responsible for IBH in Pakistan. Thus, the first complete genome of FAdV-11 in Pakistan was sequenced in this study, which enriches the diversity of knowledge about FAdV-11 and is useful for developing diagnostics and vaccines for IBH induced by FAdV-11 in Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]