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Maternal and neonatal group B streptococcus colonisation: A systematic review and the meta-analysis of matched-pair studies

Lee KW, Yap SF, Murdan S, Zainudin Z, Abdul Hamid H, Emamjomeh M, et al.

Acta Paediatr, 2024 May;113(5):892-911.
PMID: 38351491 DOI: 10.1111/apa.17152

AIM: To determine the prevalence of group B Streptococcus (GBS) carriage among parturient women and neonates, and the relative risk of vertical transmission, the relative risk of early and late-onset GBS and the pooled incidence of early-late-onset GBS infection.
METHODS: A systematic search of relevant cohort studies from three electronic databases to identify all relevant studies published up to 7 November 2022. The review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Estimates were pooled using random-effects meta-analyses.
RESULTS: A total of 54 articles with 355 787 matched pairs of parturient women and neonates from 30 countries were included in the analysis. The pooled prevalence of GBS colonisation was 17.1% among the pregnant women and 1.0% among neonates. The pooled prevalence of vertical transmission of GBS was 4.5% and the pooled relative risk of GBS colonisation of neonates born to mothers with GBS was 9.9.
CONCLUSION: We support the implementation of targeted intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis for all women who are positive for GBS as well as women with risks factors for early onset GBS in their infants regardless of their GBS colonisation status.
Hydroxyproline determination for initial detection of halal-critical food ingredients (gelatin and collagen)

Yuswan MH, A Jalil NH, Mohamad H, Keso S, Mohamad NA, Tengku Md Yusoff TS, et al.

Food Chem, 2021 Feb 01;337:127762.
PMID: 32777563 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.127762

Gelatin and collagen are considered halal-critical ingredients as they are typically derived from either bovine or porcine animals. Current analytical methods for determining the sources of gelatin and collagen suffer from limitations in terms of robustness and false positives in peptide matching. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the utility of monitoring hydroxyproline, a signature amino acid for gelatin and collagen, for identifying potentially haram foodstuffs. To determine the hydroxyproline profiles among animal- and plant-based samples, one-way univariate analysis of variance followed by pair-wise comparison was used to establish statistical significance. Multivariate chemometric analysis through principal component analysis revealed a discrete distribution pattern among 59 samples due to hydroxyproline variability. Finally, inter- and intra-laboratory comparisons demonstrated the validity and robustness of hydroxyproline determination according to ISO 17025. Thus, this preliminary identification technique will aid the identification of potentially haram foodstuffs.
Fulltext The characteristics and roles of antimicrobial peptides as potential treatment for antibiotic-resistant pathogens: a review

Zainal Baharin NH, Khairil Mokhtar NF, Mohd Desa MN, Gopalsamy B, Mohd Zaki NN, Yuswan MH, et al.

PeerJ, 2021;9:e12193.
PMID: 35003909 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12193

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has become a significant and ever-increasing threat to global public health, increasing both morbidity and mortality rates, and the financial burden on health services. Infection by drug-resistant bacteria is anticipated to contribute to the demise of almost 10 million people by the year 2050 unless a competent and effective response is devised to engage with this issue. The emergence and spread of resistance are commonly caused by the excessive or inappropriate use of antibiotics and substandard pharmaceuticals. It arises when pathogens adapt to different conditions and develop self-defence mechanisms. Currently, novel antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been reported to be the sole cure for some clinical cases of infectious diseases such as sepsis and skin infections, although these agents may, on occasion, require administration together with an adjunctive low-dose antibiotic. Although AMPs are a promising alternative form of anti-microbial therapy and easily applied in the medical sector, they still have limitations that should not be taken lightly. Hence, this review explores the characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of AMPs for their potential in treating antibiotic-resistant pathogens.
Fulltext Antimicrobial susceptibility, serotype distribution, virulence profile and molecular typing of piliated clinical isolates of pneumococci from east coast, Peninsular Malaysia

Dzaraly ND, Mohd Desa MN, Muthanna A, Masri SN, Taib NM, Suhaili Z, et al.

Sci Rep, 2021 Apr 15;11(1):8220.
PMID: 33859249 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87428-z

Pilus has been recently associated with pneumococcal pathogenesis in humans. The information regarding piliated isolates in Malaysia is scarce, especially in the less developed states on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Therefore, we studied the characteristics of pneumococci, including the piliated isolates, in relation to antimicrobial susceptibility, serotypes, and genotypes at a major tertiary hospital on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. A total of 100 clinical isolates collected between September 2017 and December 2019 were subjected to serotyping, antimicrobial susceptibility test, and detection of pneumococcal virulence and pilus genes. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and phylogenetic analysis were performed only for piliated strains. The most frequent serotypes were 14 (17%), 6A/B (16%), 23F (12%), 19A (11%), and 19F (11%). The majority of isolates were resistant to erythromycin (42%), tetracycline (37%), and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (24%). Piliated isolates occurred in a proportion of 19%; 47.3% of them were multidrug-resistant (MDR) and a majority had serotype 19F. This study showed ST236 was the most predominant sequence type (ST) among piliated isolates, which was related to PMEN clone Taiwan19F-14 (CC271). In the phylogenetic analysis, the piliated isolates were grouped into three major clades supported with 100% bootstrap values. Most piliated isolates belonged to internationally disseminated clones of S. pneumoniae, but pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) have the potential to control them.
Fulltext Effectiveness of the Integrated Dengue Education and Learning (iDEAL) module in improving the knowledge, attitude, practice, environmental cleanliness index, and dengue index among schoolchildren: A randomised controlled trial protocol

Dapari R, Muniandy K, Fattah Azman AZ, Abu Bakar S, Mohd Desa MN, Hwa LC, et al.

PLoS One, 2024;19(4):e0302736.
PMID: 38687755 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302736

BACKGROUND: Dengue is a mosquito-borne disease caused by four distinct, closely related dengue viruses (DENV). Global dengue incidence has markedly increased in the past decades. The World Health Organization reported that cases increased from 505,430 in 2000 to 5.2 million in 2019. Similarly, the total dengue cases in Malaysia increased from 7,103 in 2000 to a peak of 130,101 in 2019. Knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) remain the most effective dengue prevention and control tools. Furthermore, school-based health education is key to enhancing knowledge and raising awareness of the seriousness of dengue among schoolchildren and transferring knowledge and practice from classrooms to homes. Thus, it is necessary to plan an integrated module for the primary prevention of dengue infection, specifically among schoolchildren.
AIMS: The present study intends to develop, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of a theory-based integrated dengue education and learning (iDEAL) module in improving the KAP, environmental cleanliness index, and dengue index among schoolchildren in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.
METHODS: This study is a single-blinded, cluster randomised controlled trial to be conducted from 1 September 2023 to 31 August 2025. The study will involve 20 primary and 20 secondary schools in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur. The 1600 participants will be randomly allocated to intervention and control groups based on selected clusters to avoid contamination. A cluster is a comparable school that fulfils the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The intervention group will receive the iDEAL module, while the control group will receive standard education. The iDEAL module will be developed following a systematic procedure and delivered in-person by trained researchers to the participants. The outcome will be measured using validated, self-administered questionnaires at baseline (T0), immediately (T1), one month (T2), and three months (T3) post-intervention to measure the intervention module effectiveness. The data will be analysed using IBM Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 28 and descriptive and inferential statistics. Within-group changes over time will be compared using one-way repeated measure analysis of variance for continuous and normally distributed variables. Within-group analysis of categorical data will use Cochran's Q test. The main effect and interaction between and within the intervention and control groups at T0, T1, T2, and T3 will be tested using the generalised linear mixed model (GLMM). Hypothetically, the KAP, environmental cleanliness index, and dengue index among the intervention group will be significantly improved compared to the control group. The hypothesis will be tested using a significance level with a p-value of 0.05 and a confidence interval of 95%.
CONCLUSIONS: The study protocol outlines developing and testing an iDEAL module for schoolchildren in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, with no socio-demographic differences expected. The intervention aims to improve KAP, environmental cleanliness index, and dengue index, potentially reducing dengue risk. Results could inform public health policies, emphasizing school-based interventions' importance in combating diseases like dengue.