KARACHI: New York Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, Bureau of Communicable Disease head Robert Fitzhenry asked Mohammad Ali Jinnah University Faculty of Life Science’ Dead Dr Kamran Azim to provide a copy of his research report on Metagenomic Characterisation of Bacterial Communities in drinking water supply system of Karachi for study.
The said research report has already been published in an international research journal recently. It is further mentioned here that for the preparation of this research report on drinking water, a technology called next-generation DNA sequencing technology was used first time in Pakistan which provides very useful information.
During the study, the researcher Dr Azim and his fellow Faizan Saleem reached on the conclusion that majority of bacterial community found in drinking water supplies to the citizens of Karachi are not harmful to spreading any disease.
It is very interesting to note that research on drinking water through next-generation DNA sequencing technology has been conducted in very few cities of the Asia, US and Europe. Commenting on his research report, Dr Azim said that now it may be used for further research and interrogation activities by our researchers.
He said that particularly environmental study bureaus and water & sewerage departments may obtain very useful information for improvement in their performance.