Social Welfare in the Religions of Subcontinent a Critical Study

Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism are among the major religions of Sub-continent. The present study highlights the fact that public welfare is preached by all of these religions. Giving alms for the sake of public welfare is an important part of various Hindu religious practices. The role of latest reformist movements is also worth mentioning along with the Hindu literature related with social well-being. Arya Sam฀j movement did many activities for the welfare of people. The founder of Buddhism made efforts for the betterment of mankind and used his religion and teachings to propagate public welfare. Buddhism rejected the caste system and played an important and effective role to minimize the sufferings of affected community. In this regard Islam rises to the highest pedestal as the topic of Holy Quran is Man. It focuses not only on the worldly success of man but also his success in the hereafter. Islam has gone a step ahead than other religions as the activities of public welfare are considered worship in it. The rights of human beings are given great importance and they are given no less importance than rights of Allah. Moreover, the Holy Prophet (S. A. W) took noteworthy steps for the welfare of whole mankind without any discrimination and these are highlighted in this paper. Islam also gives lineaments of the methods and modes of public welfare and goes beyond the other Semitic and non-Semitic religions in this regard. This paper explores and highlights the measures taken by the mentioned religions in a comparative manner and also proves that Islamic concept of social welfare is not only limited to human beings but it also enfolds other living beings and even plants. Islam provides a complete road map of public welfare. Islamic society not only progresses financially but it also focuses on spiritual, ideological and social progress. The aim of social welfare cannot be achieved unless equilibrium is maintained between rights and duties. Islam not only stresses on the rights of the weak but also safeguards the rights of the rich.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasmosis, Hematological and Serum Biochemical Profile in Sheep in Multan and Khanewal Districts, Punjab Pakistan .

The present study was conducted to determine the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis, hematological and serum biochemical changes in sheep naturally infected with Toxoplasma gondii and compared between T. gondii positive and negative sheep in Multan and Khanewal districts, Punjab (Pakistan).Blood samples were collected from 500 sheep and T. gondii antibodies were tested by latex agglutination test (LAT) and Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA).Information related to hosts and herds were recorded on questionnaire basis such as gender, age of animals, aborted or non-aborted sheep, cats association with herd, method of disposing aborted fetuses and herd size.The overall prevalence of toxoplasmosis in sheep was 33.6% by latex agglutination test (LAT) and 27.4% by ELISA (P-value = 0.033, OR = 1.341, 95 % CI = 1.023, 1.757).The area wise prevalence of toxoplasmosis was 34.02% and 33. 01 % by LAT (P-value = 0.813, OR = 1.031, 95 % CI = 0.802, 1.324) in Multan and Khanewal and 28.12 % and 26.41 % by ELISA (P-value = 0.672, OR = 1.065, 95 % CI = 0.796, 1.424) in Multan and Khanewal respectively.Difference was statistically non-significant (P>0.05).The seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis was compared between aborted and non-aborted sheep and according to these results infection rate was 51.66% and 31.10% in aborted and non-aborted sheep by LAT (P-value = 0.002, OR = 1.661, 95 % CI = 1.248, 2.211) and 41.66 % and 26.22% in aborted and non-aborted sheep by ELISA (P-value = 0.013, OR = 1.589, 95 % CI = 1.128, 2.238) respectively.Difference was statistically significant (P<0.05) by both techniques.The relationship between sex of sheep and toxoplasmosis showed that infection was 31.37% and 33.85 % by LAT (P-value = 0.722, OR = 0.927, 95 % CI = 0.605, 1.419) in males and females respectively.Similarly prevalence was 19.6 % and 28.28% by ELISA (P-value = 0.188, OR = 0.693, 95 % CI = 0.390, 1.232) in males and females respectively.The prevalence was higher in females than males and difference was statistically non-significant (P>0.05) by both techniques.The prevalence of T. gondii was compared between different age groups and according to these findings infection rate was higher in age group 60-73 months (64.5% and 38.7%) and lowest in age group 4-17 months (26.4% and 22.4%) by LAT (P-value = 0.001) and ELISA (P-value = 0.404).Difference was statistically significant (P<0.05) by LAT and non-significant (P>0.05) by ELISA.Risk factors associated with prevalence of toxoplasmosis in sheep were also studied and according to these results a large flock size, presence of cats, and the aborted fetuses openly left on ground were all statistically significant (P≤0.05) risk factors that were positively associated with prevalence of toxoplasmosis in sheep flocks.Hematological and serum biochemical parameters were studied between T. gondii positive and negative sheep andaccording to these results mean values of haemoglobin, glucose, cholesterol, AST, ALT and LDH were 9.5 ± 2.6 g/dL, 50.6 ± 11.3 mg/dL, 211.6 ± 79.6 mg/dL, 216.4 ± 144.4 U/L, 79.0 ± 64.1 U/L, 613.9 ± 297.2 U/L in T. gondii positive sheep by LAT and 9.9 ± 3.1 g/dL, 52.3 ± 11.3 mg/dL, 198.5 ± 73.6 mg/dL, 209.44 ± 629.3 U/L, 98.7 ± 228.7 U/L, 578.3 ± 292.9 U/L in T. gondii negative sheep respectively.Similarly mean values of haemoglobin, glucose, cholesterol, AST, ALT and LDH were 9.5 ± 2.5 g/dL, 50.6 ± 11.3 mg/dL, 214.6 ± 79.9 mg/dL, 217.3 ± 140.7 U/L, 77.8 ± 66.4 U/L, 606.8± 291.5 U/L in T. gondii positive sheep by ELISA and 9.9 ± 3.1 g/dL, 52.3 ± 11.2 mg/dL, 198.4± 73.8 mg/dL, 209.6 ± 605.1 U/L, 97.6 ± 219.8 U/L, 583.8 ± 295.7 U/L in T. gondii negative sheep respectively.Hemoglobin, glucose and ALT concentration was lower in T. gondii positive sheep as compared to T. gondii negative sheep.Cholesterol, AST and LDH concentration was higher in T. gondii positive sheep than T. gondii negative sheep.Haemoglobin, Glucose, AST, ALT and LDH values varied statistically non-significantly (P>0.05) between T. gondii positive and negative sheep whereas cholesterol level varied statistically significantly (P<0.05) between T. gondii positive and negative sheep. In conclusion, cholesterol level was found higher in sheep infected with toxoplasmosis which may lead to certain complications including coronary artery diseases, myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis, hypertension, hemorrhage and vascular thrombosis in infected sheep.T. gondii is a blood parasite which can cause abortion, fetal death, stillbirth, neonatal death in sheep which can lead toward economic losses such as reduction in fur, wool, meat, milk and other dairy products etc. The results indicated the overall high rates of seroprevalence of T. gondii in sheep that warranted the threat to public health especially farmers and abattoir workers via zoonotic transmission of toxoplasmosis.Keeping in view, the medical and veterinary importance of T. gondii it is recommended that human population (especially farmers and abattoir workers), other livestock species and stray cats present in study area must also be screened for the Toxoplasma infection in the public interest.