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Prevention of Group A streptococcal infection in Malaysia

Jamal F

Family Practitioner, 1988;11(1):73-74.

Group A streptococcus is an important cause of pharyngitis, skin infection and or its non-suppurative sequelae, i.e. rheumatic fever and post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis. The National Streptococcus Reference Laboratory was established in 1982 to collect data on various aspects of this infection.

Matched MeSH terms: Rheumatic Fever
A fever with rash of unknown origin

Scrimgeour H

Malayan Medical Journal, 1932;7:137-40.

Matched MeSH terms: Fever of Unknown Origin
Blackwater fever or Lederer's anaemia?

Landor J

Journal of the Malaya Branch of the British Medical Association, 1937;1:184-87.

Matched MeSH terms: Blackwater Fever
New approach to calculate the denominator for the relative risk equation

Nor Azah Samat, Syafiqah Husna Mohd Imam Ma’arof

Sains Malaysiana, 2016;45:1741-1745.

Disease frequency is used to measure the situation of the disease with reference to the population size and time period
which is in a fractional form. The lower part of the fraction, known as denominator is the important part as it was used
to calculate a rate or ratio. Since the disease frequency is based on a ratio estimator, the results are highly dependent
upon the value of denominator. Therefore, the main aim of this paper was to propose a new method in calculating the
denominator for the relative risk equation with the application to chikungunya disease data from Malaysia. The new
method of calculating the denominator of the relative risk equation includes the use of discrete time-space stochastic
SIR-SI (susceptible-infective-recovered for human population and susceptible-infective for vector population) disease
transmission model instead of the total disease counts. The results of the analysis showed that the estimation of expected
disease counts based on total posterior means can overcome the problem of expected counts estimation based on the total
number of disease especially when there is no observed disease count in certain regions. The proposed new approach to
calculate the denominator for the relative risk equation is suitable for the case of rare disease in which it offers a better
method of expected disease counts estimation.

Matched MeSH terms: Chikungunya Fever
Optimization of osmotic dehydration of Terung Asam (Solanum lasiocarpum Dunal)

Chiu MT, Tham HJ, Lee JS

J Food Sci Technol, 2017 Sep;54(10):3327-3337.
PMID: 28974818 DOI: 10.1007/s13197-017-2785-3

This study was designed to determine the effect of osmotic dehydration (OD) process temperature (35-55 °C), sucrose concentration (40-60% w/w) and immersion time (90-210 min) on the water loss (WL), solid gain (SG), DPPH radical scavenging activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and sensory quality of the dehydrated Terung Asam slices. Response Surface Methodology with Central Composite Design was applied to investigate the influence of these variables on the aforementioned responses. The increase in the levels of these processing parameters increased the WL and SG. The antioxidant activities also increased with sugar concentration, but reduced with immersion time and temperature elevation. About 36-80% of IC50 and 47-72% of FRAP were depleted after osmotic process. The loss of antioxidants was predominantly due to leaching during osmotic treatment rather than hot air drying. Despite the losses of these compounds, osmotic pretreatment was able to improve the sensory quality of the product. The optimum OD process condition was predicted as process temperature 38.1 °C, sucrose concentration 55.6% and osmotic duration 126.3 min.

Matched MeSH terms: Fever
Fulltext Climate Based Predictability of Oil Palm Tree Yield in Malaysia

Oettli P, Behera SK, Yamagata T

Sci Rep, 2018 02 02;8(1):2271.
PMID: 29396527 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20298-0

The influence of local conditions and remote climate modes on the interannual variability of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) total yields in Malaysia and two major regions (Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah/Sarawak) is explored. On a country scale, the state of sea-surface temperatures (SST) in the tropical Pacific Ocean during the previous boreal winter is found to influence the regional climate. When El Niño occurs in the Pacific Ocean, rainfall in Malaysia reduces but air temperature increases, generating a high level of water stress for palm trees. As a result, the yearly production of FFB becomes lower than that of a normal year since the water stress during the boreal spring has an important impact on the total annual yields of FFB. Conversely, La Niña sets favorable conditions for palm trees to produce more FFB by reducing chances of water stress risk. The region of the Leeuwin current also seems to play a secondary role through the Ningaloo Niño/ Niña in the interannual variability of FFB yields. Based on these findings, a linear model is constructed and its ability to reproduce the interannual signal is assessed. This model has shown some skills in predicting the total FFB yield.

Matched MeSH terms: Fever
Fulltext In the finger it lingers

Mohd AW, Mohamad I, Wan Ghazali WS, Johan KB

Malays Fam Physician, 2017;12(2):32-33.
PMID: 29423129 MyJurnal

A previously healthy 80-year-old woman presented with a history of a thorn prick injury over the
distal phalange of her left finger obtained while gardening two months ago. She claimed to have a
non-healing cut with a nodular lesion, which progressively increased in size, extending upwards
towards the region of her left arm. There was no fever or palpable lymph nodes in the axillary region.
She had been prescribed antibiotics from the local hospital but her condition did not improve.

Matched MeSH terms: Fever
Fulltext Prevalence of post-vaccine side effects among COVID-19 immunized community of Southern Pakistan

Qureshi A, Syed Sulaiman SA, Rehman W, Mehmood A, Idrees S, Kumar N

PLoS One, 2023;18(5):e0285736.
PMID: 37220099 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285736

BACKGROUND: The response to the vaccine may vary among individuals. Hence, it is important to know how often individuals experience side effects after immunization against COVID-19.
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the incidence of side effects following COVID-19 vaccination across different vaccine recipients in Southern Pakistan and identify the potential factors associated with these side effects in the population.
METHODS: The survey was conducted across Pakistan through Google-forms Links from August to October 2021. The questionnaire included demographic information and COVID-19 vaccine information. Chi-square (x2) was performed for comparative analysis to check the significance level with P <0.05. The final analysis included 507 participants who had received COVID-19 vaccines.
RESULTS: Of the total 507 COVID-19 vaccines recipients, 24.9% received CoronaVac, 36.5% received BBIBP-CorV, 14.2% received BNT162b2, 13.8% received AZD1222, and 10.7% received mRNA-1273. The most prominent side effects after the first dose were fever, weakness, lethargy, and pain at the site of injection. Moreover, the most commonly reported side effects after the second dose were pain at the injection site, headache, body ache, lethargy, fever, chills, flu-like symptoms, and diarrhea.
CONCLUSION: Our results suggested that the side effects due to COVID-19 vaccination can vary between the first and second doses and type of COVID-19 vaccine. Our findings suggest continuing monitoring of vaccine safety and the importance of individualized risk-benefit assessment for COVID-19 immunization.

Matched MeSH terms: Fever
Clinicopathological Profile of Dengue Infection in a Tertiary Care Centre in Nepal

Thapa B, Pandey A, Gautum S, Kc S, Chhetri PD, Pokhrel E, et al.

J Nepal Health Res Counc, 2023 Jul 20;20(4):859-867.
PMID: 37489668 DOI: 10.33314/jnhrc.v20i4.4172

BACKGROUND: Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral disease with a wide spectrum of presentations ranging from subclinical disease to severe dengue. Dengue is endemic to the Terai of Nepal. Interestingly, an increasing incidence has been reported from hilly areas like Kathmandu valley. This study explored the clinicopathological profile of dengue infection.
METHODS: A total of 84 serologically confirmed dengue cases from September to November 2019 at KIST Medical College were recruited in a cross-sectional study after obtaining ethical approval. Dengue was categorized as dengue without warning signs, dengue with warning signs, and severe dengue. Clinicopathological information was recorded in the proforma by reviewing patients' records. A descriptive statistical tool and chi-square test were carried out.
RESULTS: Out of 84 patients, 76% (64) were dengue without warning signs, 21.4% (18) were dengue with warning signs and 2.4% (2) were severe dengue. About 97.6% (82) presented with fever. During the course of illness, anemia was identified in 38.1% (32), thrombocytopenia in 65.5% (55), hemoconcentration in 6% (5), and leucopenia in 82.1% (69). Similarly, elevated aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase (ALT) was observed in 67.7% (42) and 53.2% (33) respectively. The severity of dengue on presentation to hospital was significantly associated with thrombocytopenia, leucopenia, and elevated ALT. Similarly, the severity during course of illness in hospital was significantly associated with hemoconcentration, thrombocytopenia, leucopenia, and elevated ALT.
CONCLUSIONS: Most common presentation of dengue infection was fever. The most common laboratory abnormalities were leucopenia, thrombocytopenia, hemoconcentration, anemia, and elevated liver enzymes. Awareness of these clinical and laboratory parameters is important for the prompt diagnosis, severity estimation, and overall management of dengue infection.

Matched MeSH terms: Fever
Increased risk of brucellosis misdiagnosis in regions that lose their endemicity

Bosilkovski M, Khezzani B, Khezzani I, Jakimovski D, Trajanovski D, Poposki K

Trop Biomed, 2023 Mar 01;40(1):76-79.
PMID: 37356006 DOI: 10.47665/tb.40.1.014

Over the last decades, the epidemiology of human brucellosis globally has been subjected to significant changes, with the eradication of many existing endemic hot spots. This paper describes three cases with initial misdiagnosis of brucellosis that were managed during 2011-2017 in Republic of North Macedonia, country that until recently has been declared as endemic region. In spite of the fever, constitutional symptoms, focal disease (spondylitis, pneumonia and orchitis) and previous contact with domestic animals, brucellosis was not initially recognized, and patients were inadequately managed. Brucellosis should be part of differential diagnostic considerations in patients exposed to contacts with animals, with osteoarticular symptoms and signs, constitutional manifestations and different organ involvements in endemic regions where its incidence is diminishing.

Matched MeSH terms: Fever
Clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with mpox during the 2022 mpox outbreak compared with those before the outbreak: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Cho W, Park S, Kim HJ, Lee M, Choi YS, Yeo SG, et al.

Rev Med Virol, 2024 Jan;34(1):e2508.
PMID: 38282393 DOI: 10.1002/rmv.2508

On 23 July 2022, the World Health Organization declared the global mpox outbreak as a public health emergency of international significance. The mpox virus (MPXV) that caused the outbreak was classified as clade IIb, which belongs to the West African clade. However, the relationship between MPXV clades and symptoms, as well as the severity of mpox outcomes, is not fully understood. Thus, we aimed to investigate the global mpox prevalence and the differences in clinical manifestations and outcomes among patients with mpox between pre-outbreak (2003-2021) and the current mpox outbreak. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Google Scholar were searched using the keyword "monkeypox" and "mpox" up to 13 October 2022. A random effects model was used to obtain the pooled prevalence and 95% confidence intervals. This study included 27 articles, and 5698 patients with mpox with 19 distinctive features from 19 countries across five continents were assessed. Patients with mpox during the 2022 mpox outbreak showed mild clinical manifestations and outcomes compared with those before the 2022 mpox outbreak: mild rash (relative ratio [RR]: 5.09, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.52-17.08), fever (0.68, 0.49-0.94), pruritus (0.25, 0.19-0.32), myalgia (0.50, 0.31-0.81), headache (0.56, 0.35-0.88), skin ulcer (0.32, 0.17-0.59), abdominal symptom (0.29, 0.20-0.42), pharyngitis (0.32, 0.18-0.58), nausea or vomiting (0.15, 0.02-0.93), conjunctivitis (0.11, 0.03-0.38), concomitant infection with HIV (1.70, 0.95-3 0.04), and death (0.02, 0.001-0.31). MPXV clade IIb exhibited higher infectivity but may cause mild disease symptoms and low mortality rate. It is important to consider MPXV infection in patients with mpox-related features and/or a history of sexual transmission to prevent the spread of the disease and recognise the current pandemic threat.

Matched MeSH terms: Fever
Selecting the optimal gridded climate dataset for Nigeria using advanced time series similarity algorithms

Tanimu B, Hamed MM, Bello AD, Abdullahi SA, Ajibike MA, Shahid S

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2024 Feb;31(10):15986-16010.
PMID: 38308777 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-32128-0

Choosing a suitable gridded climate dataset is a significant challenge in hydro-climatic research, particularly in areas lacking long-term, reliable, and dense records. This study used the most common method (Perkins skill score (PSS)) with two advanced time series similarity algorithms, short time series distance (STS), and cross-correlation distance (CCD), for the first time to evaluate, compare, and rank five gridded climate datasets, namely, Climate Research Unit (CRU), TERRA Climate (TERRA), Climate Prediction Center (CPC), European Reanalysis V.5 (ERA5), and Climatologies at high resolution for Earth's land surface areas (CHELSA), according to their ability to replicate the in situ rainfall and temperature data in Nigeria. The performance of the methods was evaluated by comparing the ranking obtained using compromise programming (CP) based on four statistical criteria in replicating in situ rainfall, maximum temperature, and minimum temperature at 26 locations distributed over Nigeria. Both methods identified CRU as Nigeria's best-gridded climate dataset, followed by CHELSA, TERRA, ERA5, and CPC. The integrated STS values using the group decision-making method for CRU rainfall, maximum and minimum temperatures were 17, 10.1, and 20.8, respectively, while CDD values for those variables were 17.7, 11, and 12.2, respectively. The CP based on conventional statistical metrics supported the results obtained using STS and CCD. CRU's Pbias was between 0.5 and 1; KGE ranged from 0.5 to 0.9; NSE ranged from 0.3 to 0.8; and NRMSE between - 30 and 68.2, which were much better than the other products. The findings establish STS and CCD's ability to evaluate the performance of climate data by avoiding the complex and time-consuming multi-criteria decision algorithms based on multiple statistical metrics.

Matched MeSH terms: Fever
Fulltext Delineation of B-cell Epitopes of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi Hemolysin E: Potential antibody therapeutic target

Chin CF, Lai JY, Choong YS, Anthony AA, Ismail A, Lim TS

Sci Rep, 2017 05 19;7(1):2176.
PMID: 28526816 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-01987-8

Hemolysin E (HlyE) is an immunogenic novel pore-forming toxin involved in the pathogenesis of typhoid fever. Thus, mapping of B-cell epitopes of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) is critical to identify key immunogenic regions of HlyE. A random 20-mer peptide library was used for biopanning with enriched anti-HlyE polyclonal antibodies from typhoid patient sera. Bioinformatic tools were used to refine, analyze and map the enriched peptide sequences against the protein to identify the epitopes. The analysis identified both linear and conformational epitopes on the HlyE protein. The predicted linear GAAAGIVAG and conformational epitope PYSQESVLSADSQNQK were further validated against the pooled sera. The identified epitopes were then used to isolate epitope specific monoclonal antibodies by antibody phage display. Monoclonal scFv antibodies were enriched for both linear and conformational epitopes. Molecular docking was performed to elucidate the antigen-antibody interaction of the monoclonal antibodies against the epitopes on the HlyE monomer and oligomer structure. An in-depth view of the mechanistic and positional characteristics of the antibodies and epitope for HlyE was successfully accomplished by a combination of phage display and bioinformatic analysis. The predicted function and structure of the antibodies highlights the possibility of utilizing the antibodies as neutralizing agents for typhoid fever.

Matched MeSH terms: Typhoid Fever/drug therapy; Typhoid Fever/immunology*; Typhoid Fever/microbiology
Elizabeth Fee (1946-2018)

Birn AE, Brown TM

Am J Public Health, 2019 Apr 18.
PMID: 30998404 DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2019.305065

Elizabeth Fee was a remarkable and influential public health historian, whose personal and professional trajectories led her to speak truth to and about power in public health, past and present. Born in Northern Ireland in 1946 to Irish-Methodist missionary parents, Liz's childhood brought her into contact with peoples and struggles across the globe. At just five weeks of age, she was whisked away by her parents to civil war-era China, where she lost hearing in one ear from an untreated bout with scarlet fever. In midchildhood, she attended school in Malaysia, after which her family returned to Belfast. There, she came of age amid festering political and religious violence, learning firsthand that history is told and retold by protagonists and witnesses, oppressors and oppressed. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print April 18, 2019: e1-e4. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2019.305065).

Matched MeSH terms: Scarlet Fever
Short-term residual characteristics of ambient-cured green geopolymer mortar exposed to elevated temperatures

Zakka WP, Lim NHAS, Khun MC, Samadi M, Aluko O, Odubela C

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2024 Apr;31(17):25129-25146.
PMID: 38468004 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-32786-0

Every structure might be exposed to fire at some point in its lifecycle. The ability of geopolymer composites to withstand the effects of fire damage early before it is put out is of great importance. This study examined the effects of fire on geopolymer composite samples made with high-calcium fly ash and alkaline solution synthesised from waste banana peduncle and silica fume. A ratio of 0.30, 0.35, and 0.4 was used in the study for the alkaline solution to fly ash. Also used were ratios of 0.5, 0.75, and 1 for silica oxide (silica fume) to potassium hydroxide ratio. The strength loss, residual compressive strength, percentage strength loss, relative residual compressive strength, ultrasonic pulse velocity, and microstructural properties of the thirteen mortar mixes were measured after exposure to temperatures of 200, 400, 600, and 800 °C for 1 h, respectively. The results reveal that geopolymer samples exposed to elevated temperatures showed great dimensional stability with no visible surface cracks. There was a colour transition from dark grey to whitish brown for the green geopolymer mortar and brown to whitish brown for the control sample. As the temperature rose, weight loss became more pronounced, with 800 °C producing the most significant weight reduction. The optimum mixes had a residual compressive strength of 25.02 MPa after being exposed to 200 °C, 18.72 MPa after being exposed to 400 °C, 14.04 MPa after being exposed to 600 °C, and 7.41 MPa after being exposed to 800 °C. The control had a residual compressive strength of 8.45 MPa after being exposed to 200 °C, 6.67 MPa after being exposed to 400 °C, 3.16 MPa after being exposed to 600 °C, and 2.23 MPa after being exposed to 800 °C. The relative residual compressive strength decreases for green geopolymer mortar are most significant at 600 and 800 °C, with an average decrease of 0.47 and 0.30, respectively. The microstructure of the samples revealed various phase changes and new product formations as the temperature increased.

Matched MeSH terms: Fever
Fulltext Typhoid and malaria co-infection - an interesting finding in the investigation of a tropical Fever

Sulaiman W

Malays J Med Sci, 2006 Jul;13(2):64-5.
PMID: 22589607 MyJurnal

Malaysia is endemic for both these diseases and one should not be too surprised when faced with a diagnosis of co-infection of typhoid and malaria, as have been described in India and Canada. Here we describe one such case of Salmonella typhi and Plasmodium vivax infection.

Matched MeSH terms: Typhoid Fever
Genotypic and phenotypic differentiation of Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi B in Malaysia

Thong KL, Ang CP

Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health, 2011 Sep;42(5):1178-89.
PMID: 22299444

Abstract. Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi B is known to cause either paratyphoid fever or gastroenteritis. Differentiation of Salmonella ser. Paratyphi B into biotype Java (d-tartrate fermenting, dT+) and biotype Paratyphi B (d-tartrate non-fermenting, dT) is important for Salmonella epidemiology. This study applied a PCR approach to differentiate the two biotypes to augment the conventional biochemical method and to determine the antibiograms and genomic diversity of Malaysian S. Paratyphi B. Among 100 strains tested (clinical, 86; non-humans, 14), only two clinical strains were confirmed as biotype Paratyphi B as indicated by both lead acetate test and PCR. Antibiotic resistance rates were as follows: streptomycin 18%, sulphonamides 13%, ampicillin 10%, chloramphenicol 4%, tetracycline 3%, cefotaxime 2%, cefpodoxime 2%, ceftazidime 2%, gentamicin 1% and trimethoprim 1%. None showed resistance towards amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, ceftiofur, ciprofloxacin, nalidixic acid and trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole. Seven strains showed multidrug resistance towards 3 or more classes of antimicrobial agents. REP-PCR and PFGE generated 32 and 76 different profiles, respectively. PFGE (D = 0.99) was more discriminative than REP-PCR (D = 0.93) and antimicrobial susceptibility test (D = 0.48) in subtyping the strains. Strains isolated 18 years apart (1982 - 2008) from different localities in Malaysia were clonally related as demonstrated by REP-PCR and PFGE, indicating that these strains were stable and widely distributed. In some clusters, strains isolated from different sources (clinical, food and animal) were grouped together. Thus, biotype Java was the most common biotype of Salmonella ser. Paratyphi B in Malaysia. The PCR approach is highly recommended due to its simplicity, specificity and ease of operation. The level of antimicrobial resistance among Salmonella ser. Paratyphi B remained relatively low in Malaysia but the emergence of resistance to cephalosporins is a cause for concern.

Matched MeSH terms: Paratyphoid Fever/drug therapy; Paratyphoid Fever/genetics; Paratyphoid Fever/microbiology*
Fulltext Retrospective review of dot enzyme immunoassay test for typhoid fever in an endemic area

Jackson AA, Ismail A, Ibrahim TA, Kader ZS, Nawi NM

Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health, 1995 Dec;26(4):625-30.
PMID: 9139364

Typhoid fever remains a common problem in Malaysia, but for its diagnosis both blood culture and the Widal test have drawbacks. A dot enzyme immunoassay (EIA) has been developed which detects IgM and IgG antibodies to a specific 50 kDa outer membrane protein on Salmonella typhi. This study was performed among outpatients attending the university hospital in Kelantan, a state on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia where typhoid is endemic. The dot EIA was done on 149 outpatients of all ages in whom typhoid was suspected. Of these, 60 were not analysable due to insufficient data. The other 89 were retrospectively classed as typhoid (total = 21), or not typhoid (total = 68). The criteria for diagnosis of typhoid was either, blood culture was positive, or with blood culture negative, temperature was at least 38 degrees C and Widal O and/or H titer greater than or equal to 1/160. We then compared the diagnosis with the EIA result. For the result where either IgM or IgG was positive, sensitivity was 90%, specificity 91% and negative predictive value 97%. For IgM positive, specificity was 100%. But the specificity of IgG positive alone was reduced by six false positives, which were probably due to persistence of IgG after acute infection. Other cases were found where IgG positive alone appeared in the first week of typhoid fever, probably due to rapid response in a second or subsequent infection. We also found that IgM-producing patients were significantly younger than those showing IgG alone positive.
Study site: Community Medicine clinic, Accident & emergency department, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM), Kelantan, Malaysia

Matched MeSH terms: Typhoid Fever/diagnosis*; Typhoid Fever/immunology; Typhoid Fever/epidemiology
Fulltext Hypoglossal nerve palsy: a rare consequence of dengue fever

Jaganathan S, Raman R

Neurol India, 2014 Sep-Oct;62(5):567-8.
PMID: 25387641 DOI: 10.4103/0028-3886.144501
Matched MeSH terms: Fever*
Fulltext Sarcocystis nesbitti causes acute, relapsing febrile myositis with a high attack rate: description of a large outbreak of muscular sarcocystosis in Pangkor Island, Malaysia, 2012

Italiano CM, Wong KT, AbuBakar S, Lau YL, Ramli N, Syed Omar SF, et al.

PLoS Negl Trop Dis, 2014 May;8(5):e2876.
PMID: 24854350 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002876

From the 17th to 19th January 2012, a group of 92 college students and teachers attended a retreat in a hotel located on Pangkor Island, off the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Following the onset of symptoms in many participants who presented to our institute, an investigation was undertaken which ultimately identified Sarcocystis nesbitti as the cause of this outbreak.

Matched MeSH terms: Fever/parasitology

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