Epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and genetic diversity of Nipah virus strains from Bangladesh: 2016-2023.

Objectives: Nipah virus (NiV) causes deadly outbreaks in Bangladesh, with a fatality rate of 71%. Two sublineages, NiV-BD 1 and NiV-BD 2, have been identified. This study aimed to characterize their epidemiologic and clinical diversity.

The reappearance of Chikungunya virus in Bangladesh, 2024.

Objectives: We investigated a new outbreak of Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) in Dhaka and nearby areas of Bangladesh in 2024, examining its epidemiology, clinical features, and genomic characteristics.

Methods: The Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research enrolled suspected Chikungunya cases from October 19 to December 31, 2024. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was performed, and positive cases were followed up via telephone between days 21 and 28.

Near coding-complete genome sequence of 12 dengue serotype 2 viruses from the 2023 outbreak in Bangladesh.

We report the near coding-complete genomes of 12 DENV serotype 2 strains collected during the 2023 dengue outbreak in Bangladesh. Analyses showed that all 12 strains were closely related and belonged to genotype II-Cosmopolitan.

Challenges in the establishment of a biosafety testing laboratory for COVID-19 in Bangladesh.

At the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Bangladesh, there was a scarcity of ideal biocontainment facilities to detect the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a risk group of 3 organisms. Molecular detection of SARS-CoV-2 must be performed in a BSL-2 laboratory with BSL-3-equivalent infection prevention and control practices. Establishing these facilities within a short timeframe proved to be an enormous challenge, including locating a remote space distant from the university campus to establish a laboratory, motivating the laboratory staff to work with a novel pathogen without any prior experience, allocation of funds for essential equipment and accessories, and arrangement of a safe waste management system for environmental hazard reduction.

Acceptance of a Symptom-Based Approach for COVID-19 rtRT-PCR Testing to Conserve Resources in a Lower Middle-Income Setting.

SARS-CoV-2 initially emerged in Wuhan, China in late 2019. It has since been recognized as a pandemic and has led to great social and economic disruption globally. The Reverse Transcriptase Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (rtRT-PCR) has become the primary method for COVID-19 testing worldwide.

Detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in conjunctival swab of a COVID-19 patient: The first report from Bangladesh.

Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RNA (SARS-CoV-2 RNA). It usually manifests by fever and/or respiratory illness. Here, we present a case of COVID-19 patient who initially presented ocular symptoms like redness, itching, and watery discharge.