Search

Epidemiological study on strongyloidiasis in humans is currently lacking in Malaysia. Thus, a cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the prevalence of Strongyloides stercoralis infection among the inhabitants of longhouse indigenous communities in Sarawak. A single stool and blood sample were collected from each participant and subjected to microscopy, serological and molecular techniques. Five species of intestinal parasites were identified by stool microscopy. None of the stool samples were positive for S. stercoralis . However, 11% of 236 serum samples were seropositive for strongyloidiasis. Further confirmation using molecular technique on stool samples of the seropositive individuals successfully amplified 5 samples, suggesting current active infections. The prevalence was significantly higher in adult males and tended to increase with age. S. stercoralis should no longer be neglected in any intestinal parasitic survey. Combination of more than 1 diagnostic technique is necessary to increase the likelihood of estimating the 'true' prevalence of S. stercoralis .

Leptospira interrogans serovar Bataviae was recently identified as one of the persistent Leptospira serovars in Malaysia. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of the L. interrogans serovar Bataviae strain LepIMR 22 isolated from kidney of a rodent in Johor, Malaysia., (Copyright © 2016 Amran et al.)

Background: Parecoxib sodium is the first parenteral COX-2 inhibitor used for pain management licensed for postoperative pain. However, no study has assessed the usage of parecoxib for acute traumatic pain in the emergency department (ED). The objective of this study was to investigate a potential alternative analgesic agent in the ED by determining the mean reduction of pain score between acute traumatic pain patients who were administered with intravenous (IV) parecoxib sodium versus IV morphine sulfate. The onset of perceptible analgesic effect and side effects were also evaluated., Methods: A randomized, double-blinded study comparing IV parecoxib 40 mg versus IV morphine at 0.10 mg/kg was conducted in adult patients presented with acute traumatic pain with numeric rating scale (NRS) of 6 or more within 6 hours of injury. Patients were randomized using a computer-generated randomization plan. Drug preparation and dispensing were performed by a pharmacist. Periodic assessment of blood pressure, pulse rate, oxygen saturation, and NRS were taken at 0, 5, 15, and 30 minute intervals after the administration of the study drug. The primary outcome was the reduction of NRS. Side effect and drug evaluation was conducted within 30 minutes of drug administration., Results: There was no statistically significant difference in the reduction of mean NRS between patients in the IV parecoxib group or IV morphine group (P = 0.095). The mean NRS for patients treated with IV morphine were 7.1 at 0 minutes, 4.5 at 5 minutes, 3.1 at 15 minutes, and 2.0 at 30 minutes. Whereas mean NRS for patients who received IV parecoxib were 7.8 at 0 minutes, 5.7 at 5 minutes, 4.7 at 15 minutes, and 3.9 at 30 minutes. The onset of perceptible analgesic effects could be seen as early as 5 minutes. Dizziness was experienced in 42.9% of patients who received IV morphine compared to none in the parecoxib group., Conclusions: There was non-significant trend toward superiority of IV morphine over IV parecoxib. Looking at its effectiveness and the lack of opioid-related side-effects, the usage of IV parecoxib sodium may be extended further to a variety of cases in the ED.

Objective: In 2004, the province of Aceh, Indonesia was rocked by tsunami and in September 2009, West Sumatra, Indonesia was hit by an earthquake. The aim of this study was to determine the long-term psychological impact on the residents inhabiting these regions and to identify factors associated with it., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among the residents. The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) was used to measure their psychological well-being., Results: Out of 200 respondents, 1 in 5 (19%) was found to suffer from a high level of depression, 1 in 2 (51%) had anxiety and 1 in 5 (22%) experienced stress. Factors found to be significantly associated with depression, anxiety and stress were female, young age, unemployed, and single (p<0.05)., Conclusion: The psychological impact following the tsunami persisted in the population after many years post-disaster. It is recommended that the psychological profile of the population be evaluated for the vulnerable group following any natural disaster., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Dengue is the most important mosquito-borne viral disease. No specific treatment or vaccine is currently available; traditional vector control methods can rarely achieve adequate control. Recently, the RIDL (Release of Insect carrying Dominant Lethality) approach has been developed, based on the sterile insect technique, in which genetically engineered 'sterile' homozygous RIDL male insects are released to mate wild females; the offspring inherit a copy of the RIDL construct and die. A RIDL strain of the dengue mosquito, Aedes aegypti, OX513A, expresses a fluorescent marker gene for identification (DsRed2) and a protein (tTAV) that causes the offspring to die. We examined whether these proteins could adversely affect predators that may feed on the insect. Aedes aegypti is a peri-domestic mosquito that typically breeds in small, rain-water-filled containers and has no specific predators. Toxorhynchites larvae feed on small aquatic organisms and are easily reared in the laboratory where they can be fed exclusively on mosquito larvae. To evaluate the effect of a predator feeding on a diet of RIDL insects, OX513A Ae. aegypti larvae were fed to two different species of Toxorhynchites (Tx. splendens and Tx. amboinensis) and effects on life table parameters of all life stages were compared to being fed on wild type larvae. No significant negative effect was observed on any life table parameter studied; this outcome and the benign nature of the expressed proteins (tTAV and DsRed2) indicate that Ae. aegypti OX513A RIDL strain is unlikely to have any adverse effects on predators in the environment.

This was a prospective randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of immunoadsorption (IA) versus conventional PP (PP) as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of severe lupus nephritis (LN). Of 28 patients with biopsy-proven severe LN (ISN/RPS classes III or IV ± V), 14 underwent 36 sessions of PP and the other 41 sessions of IA in addition to our center's standard LN treatment protocol. Three patients in the PP group and 2 in the IA group experienced a transient, marked drop in platelets with the second session. Except for a higher pre treatment mean SLEDAI score in the PP group 17.4 ± 2.0 vs. 13.5 ± 4.8; p = 0.009 and a serum creatinine of 163 ± 7.9 vs. 81.7 ± 10.2; p = 0.33, there were no other baseline differences. Some differences did exist between the two therapies in the immediate post-treatment phase, at 1 and 3 months. Three in IA relapsed, none of PP in third months, whereas two patients relapsed in the PP and none of IA cohorts at 6 months. However, most of these parameters did not differ by 6 months. The pre- and post-therapy SLEDAI scores remained different 12.4 ± 4.5 vs. 9 ± 4; p = 0.04 at 1 month, and at 3 month 13.5 ± 4.7 vs. 7.7 ± 1.1; p = 0.012 but not at 6 months. We conclude that IA and PP were equally well tolerated and efficacious as adjunctive therapy for severe LN., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Chlamydia trachomatis infection is considered to be one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases. It is currently unclear whether chlamydial infection causes pathological conditions of the male accessory glands has consequences for male infertility. To determine the frequency of C. trachomatis Infection among infertile men with leukocytospermia using different diagnostic techniques such as the detection of secretory IgA antibodies (Abs) in seminal plasma by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), plasmid DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct detection of elementary body by flowcytometric analysis in seminal fluid. To assess the relationship between C. trachomatis infection and semen quality hence male infertility. Seventy five infertile male patients with leukocytospermia and 25 apparently healthy age matched fertile men were included as controls. Routine semen analysis and LeucoScreen test were done for each patient and control. Detection of C. trachomatis secretory IgA in seminal plasma by ELISA and detection of plasmid DNA by PCR and elementary body by flowcytometric analysis in semen samples were performed. Primary and secondary infertility were detected in 55 (73.3%) and 20 (26.7%) of patients, respectively. Sperm concentration and sperm motility (A+B) were statistically significant lower in patients with leucocytospermia than control group (P < 0.0001). Sperm concentration in patients with pus cells more than 3 x 10(6)/ml was statistically significant lower than those with pus cells less than 2 x 10(6) /ml. ELISA-detected IgA Abs against C. trachomatis in patients seminal plasma were positive in 20 (26.7%) and equivocal in 5 (6.6%) patients. Flowcytometric analysis of semen sample for C. trachomatis was positive in 35 (46.6%) patients and C. trachomatis plasmid DNA detection by PCR was positive in 23 (30.7%) patients. In conclusions, Detection of C. trachomatis antibodies of IgA type by ELISA in seminal plasma appears to be as specific as PCR in diagnosis of C. trachomatis in seminal fluid. High detection rate of C. trachomatis by flowcytometry was observed. Concerning the effect of C. trachomatis on routine semen characteristics, no significant obvious changes could be detected. Further studies for the assessment of sperm viability and DNA integrity are recommended.

Fifty faecal samples from diarrheic calves between 1 and 6 months old were collected per rectum from 5 farms around Petaling District in Selangor, Malaysia for Cryptosporidium species detection and genotyping investigation. Oocysts were purified using sedimentation and gradient centrifugation, then examined by immunofluorescence assay (IFAT). Genomic DNA was extracted from all samples and nested PCR was performed to amplify the SSU rRNA gene. Eighteen samples (36%) were positive for Cryptosporidium species by PCR. The sequence and phylogenetic analysis of 14 isolates indicated that Cryptosporidium parvum was most common (11 isolates) followed by Cryptosporidium deer-like genotype (3 isolates). The present work reports the first data on Cryptosporidium genotyping from cattle in Malaysia.

The presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in 20 zoo animals of the Xining Zoo, 16 farm yaks and 42 farm goats in Qinghai province, China was investigated by an immunofluorescence test (IFT). The species and/or genotypes were determined by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequence analysis of a fragment of the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene. Cryptosporidium oocysts were found in 16 zoo animals, 2 yaks, and 15 goats by IFT. The IFT positive samples were further investigated by PCR, and 16 of them were found to be positive by that method also. Sequence analysis of the PCR products derived from Cryptosporidium oocysts from Black leopard (Panthera pardus), Heijing He (Grus nigricollis), Barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia), Takin (Budorcas taxicolor), Lesser panda (Ailurus fulgens), and White-eared pheasant (Crossoptilon crossoptilon) fecal samples matched that of Cryptosporidium parvum mouse genotype. Sequence analyses of other PCR products were consistent with cervine genotype Cryptosporidium from Ibex (Capra ibex), a novel Cryptosporidium genotype from a wild yak (Bos mutus), C. bovis-like genotype from one goat sample and also a novel Cryptosporidium genotype from one other separate goat sample. The present work reports the first data on Cryptosporidium infections in animals from the Qinghai province of mountainous central western China and the first findings of the 'cervine' genotype in Capra ibex, C. bovis-like genotype and the new Cryptosporidium spp. in farm goat and in wild yak.