Isolation of Angola-like Marburg virus from Egyptian rousette bats from West Africa.

Marburg virus (MARV) causes sporadic outbreaks of severe Marburg virus disease (MVD). Most MVD outbreaks originated in East Africa and field studies in East Africa, South Africa, Zambia, and Gabon identified the Egyptian rousette bat (ERB; Rousettus aegyptiacus) as a natural reservoir. However, the largest recorded MVD outbreak with the highest case-fatality ratio happened in 2005 in Angola, where direct spillover from bats was not  shown. Here, collaborative studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Njala University, University of California, Davis USAID-PREDICT, and the University of Makeni identify MARV circulating in ERBs in Sierra Leone. PCR, antibody and virus isolation data from 1755 bats of 42 species shows active MARV infection in approximately 2.5% of ERBs. Phylogenetic analysis identifies MARVs that are similar to the Angola strain. These results provide evidence of MARV circulation in West Africa and demonstrate the value of pathogen surveillance to identify previously undetected threats

Rural Women Contribution in Providing and Increasing Domestic Food and Nutrition Security. A Correlational Study of Rural Areas of South Punjab, Pakistan

Women play a crucial role in sustainable rural development and agriculture. Despite suffering severe inequalities, worldwide women are crucial for ensuring security of food. Women have a variety of roles in the food system including as producers, entrepreneurs, leaders, and consumers. It is essential to be taken into consideration when discussing gender equity and gender mainstreaming. Rural women play a significant role in each of the four components of food security: availability, accessibility, utilization, and stability. Therefore, this study explores the different contributions that rural women make as the key contributor of achieving and enhancing domestic food security. Women who currently reside in rural south Punjab, Pakistan, aged 18 to 60, make up the study's population. A well-structured interview schedule was used to obtain primary data from 200 houses in the research area. For the purpose of gathering data, a multistage random sampling technique was used. Dera Ghazi Khan and Jampur were the two randomly chosen districts. Two tehsils were randomly chosen for the second stage. In the third step, five villages were selected at random from each tehsil. The data analysis employed both descriptive statistics and the logit regression model. Results show that women contributed to domestic food security through their involvement in food production and preparation, the purchase of food products for intake and storage. According to empirical findings, 40% of households were food secure while 60% of households experienced food insecurity. The outcome also shows that household food security in the research area was significantly influenced by age, education, income, and household size. Study suggested that women's education, knowledge about food consumption and paid employment status should be improved for increasing domestic food security.KEYWORDSRural women, providing and increasing, domestic food and nutrition security, south Punjab Pakistan.

A Sociological Study on Role of Education in Empowerment of Women: Cross-Sectional Study in Urban Areas of District Faisalabad Punjab, Pakistan

In our civil society, women's education is essential because it contributes significantly to the growth of our nation. Education is crucial because it is a key component of women's autonomy; it empowers women to overcome obstacles, make positive changes in their lives, and, most importantly, foster the growth of their kids. Empowering women means offering them control or authority. It means to advance not just their economic standing but also their cultural, social, economic, and political status. Women faced discrimination and were denied access to fundamental needs, including family matters, health, and education. By empowering women in all areas of life, education can help eliminate these barriers and improve their status. By altering societal attitudes and ideologies, education improves the lives of women. The finest remedy for the development of women is education. The study's primary objective was to investigate role of education in women’s empowerment in district Faisalabad Punjab Pakistan. Cross-sectional surveys were used to get the quantitative data. For the data gathering, a multistage random sampling technique was used. Two hundred women in district Faisalabad between the ages of 18 to 30 years were interviewed using a self-designed interview schedule. Both descriptive and inferential statistical techniques were employed to analysis the data. Empirical results showed that 52% of respondents had graduation level education. 30% of respondents had, to great extent, decision-making power and control over resources. Bivariate analysis showed that education level had a significant and positive association with women’s empowerment. The study recommended that the government should take steps to facilitate women’s equal education and employment opportunities equal to malesKeywords: Role of education, women empowerment, urban area, district Faisalabad

Isolation of Angola-like Marburg virus from Egyptian rousette bats from West Africa.

Marburg virus (MARV) causes sporadic outbreaks of severe Marburg virus disease (MVD). Most MVD outbreaks originated in East Africa and field studies in East Africa, South Africa, Zambia, and Gabon identified the Egyptian rousette bat (ERB; Rousettus aegyptiacus) as a natural reservoir. However, the largest recorded MVD outbreak with the highest case-fatality ratio happened in 2005 in Angola, where direct spillover from bats was not  shown. Here, collaborative studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Njala University, University of California, Davis USAID-PREDICT, and the University of Makeni identify MARV circulating in ERBs in Sierra Leone. PCR, antibody and virus isolation data from 1755 bats of 42 species shows active MARV infection in approximately 2.5% of ERBs. Phylogenetic analysis identifies MARVs that are similar to the Angola strain. These results provide evidence of MARV circulation in West Africa and demonstrate the value of pathogen surveillance to identify previously undetected threats