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Transmission dynamics and estimates of malaria vectorial capacity for Anopheles balabacensis and An. flavirostris (Diptera: Culicidae) on Banggi island, Sabah, Malaysia

Hii JL, Kan S, Vun YS, Chin KF, Tambakau S, Chan MK, et al.

Ann Trop Med Parasitol, 1988 Feb;82(1):91-101.
PMID: 3041932

Holoendemic malaria transmission in two small isolated forest communities and a coastal village was studied by (1) all night human bait collections of Anopheles species from inside and outside houses and (2) buffalo-biting and CDC light-trapping catches during March and November 1984. During the same period thick and thin blood films were collected from the human population, and spleen rates were determined in children from two to nine years of age. Using both the immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) and the dissection technique, more sporozoite-positive infections were detected in An. balabacensis and An. flavirostris in November than in March. IRMA confirmed the presence of Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites. An average of 76.2% of the An. balabacensis population lived long enough to have reached a point where infectivity with P. falciparum was possible in November. Although fewer than five adult females bit humans per night at any time, a resident could theoretically have received more than 160 infective bites in one year. A high frequency of feeding on humans, coupled with increased anopheline life expectancy, contributed to high estimates of falciparum malaria vectorial capacity (number of infections distributed per case per day); for An. balabacensis (1.44-7.44 in March and 9.97-19.7 in November) and for An. flavirostris (0.19-5.14 in March and 6.27-15.8 in November). These high values may explain the increased malaria parasite rates obtained from at least two forest communities. Correlation between actual and calculated rates of gametocytaemia was poorest in Kapitangan due to inadequate sampling of the human population. In Banggi island, malaria is stable and holoendemic, and the population enjoys a high degree of immunity.
Fulltext Relationships among perceived quality of healthcare services, satisfaction and behavioural intentions of international students in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: a cross-sectional study

Aljaberi MA, Juni MH, Al-Maqtari RA, Lye MS, Saeed MA, Al-Dubai SAR, et al.

BMJ Open, 2018 09 12;8(9):e021180.
PMID: 30209153 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-021180

OBJECTIVE: The current study aimed to investigate the relationships among the perceived quality of healthcare services, satisfaction and behavioural intentions among international students in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
SETTING: A cross-sectional study on public universities in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
PARTICIPANTS: All participants in this study were international students joining public universities in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
PRIMARY INDEPENDENT VARIABLE: Perceived quality of healthcare services measured on a SERVQUAL scale.
PRIMARY DEPENDENT VARIABLE: Participants' satisfaction of healthcare services assessed using five items.
SECONDARY DEPENDENT VARIABLE: Behavioural intentions measured on six items.
RESULTS: Of the 556 international students, 500 (90%) completed the survey. The study used structural equation modelling (SEM) through the AMOS (Analysis of Moment Structures) software to analyse the data. SEM analyses showed that the perceived quality of healthcare services significantly and directly affected satisfaction, with a value of 89% and an effect size of 0.78. It also had a significant indirect impact on the behavioural intentions (0.78) of international students. The results indicated that participants' satisfaction had a statistically significant impact on their behavioural intentions (0.77).
CONCLUSION: Perceived quality of care is an important driver of international students' satisfaction and their behavioural intention with healthcare services. Such relations of effects among the three investigated factors were also positive and significant.
Fulltext Bio-psycho-socio-demographic and Obstetric Predictors of Postpartum Depression in Pregnancy: A prospective Cohort Study

Abdollahi F, Rohani S, Sazlina GS, Zarghami M, Azhar MZ, Lye MS, et al.

Iran J Psychiatry Behav Sci, 2014;8(2):11-21.
PMID: 25053953

OBJECTIVE:
There are various attempts to confirm variables that could predict postpartum depression in advance. This study determined antenatal risk factors for postpartum depression in women at risk of developing this disorder.

METHODS:
A prospective cohort study was conducted with 2279 eligible women who attended at Mazandaran province' primary health centers from 32-42 weeks of pregnancy to eighth postpartum weeks. The women were screened for symptoms of depression using the Iranian version of Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. An Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale score of > 12 indicated possible postpartum depression. Univariate and multiple logistic regression models were used for data analysis.

RESULTS:
A total of 2083women during 32-42 weeks of gestation participated in this study and were followed up to 8-week postpartum. Four hundred and three (19.4%) mothers yielded scores above the threshold of 12. Depression and general health state in pregnancy based on Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (OR = 1.35, CI = 1.3-1.4) and General Health Questionnaire-28 (OR = 1.03, CI = 1.01-1.04), respectively were significant independent antenatal risk factors of depression symptoms at 8-week postpartum. Mothers who lived in nuclear families (OR = 1.38, CI = 1.04-1.84), whose husbands had lower educational status (OR = 0.95, CI = 0.91-0.99), and with delayed prenatal care (OR = 1.01, CI = 1.001-1.03) were more susceptible to postpartum depression.

CONCLUSION:
A comprehensive antenatal assessment focused on psychiatric problems, environmental and obstetric factors would benefit pregnant women in the prevention of postpartum depression.

KEYWORDS:
Cohort Study; Postpartum Depression; Prediction; Risk Factors
A cohort study of health care workers to assess nosocomial transmissibility of Nipah virus, Malaysia, 1999

Mounts AW, Kaur H, Parashar UD, Ksiazek TG, Cannon D, Arokiasamy JT, et al.

J Infect Dis, 2001 Mar 1;183(5):810-3.
PMID: 11181159 DOI: 10.1086/318822

During 1998-1999, an outbreak of Nipah virus encephalitis occurred in Malaysia. To assess the possibility of nosocomial transmission, 338 health care workers (HCWs) exposed and 288 HCWs unexposed to outbreak-related patients were surveyed, and their serum samples were tested for anti-Nipah virus antibody. Needlestick injuries were reported by 12 (3%) HCWs, mucosal surface exposure to body fluids by 39 (11%), and skin exposure to body fluids by 89 (25%). No encephalitis occurred in either group. Three exposed and no unexposed HCWs tested positive by EIA for IgG antibodies. It is likely that these 3 were false positives; no IgM response occurred, and the serum samples were negative for anti-Nipah virus neutralizing antibodies. The risk of nosocomial transmission of Nipah virus appears to be low; however, given the high case-fatality rate and the presence of virus in respiratory secretions and urine of some patients, standard and droplet infection-control practices should be maintained with these patients.
BsmI-ApaI-TaqI TAC (BAt) Haplotype of Vitamin D Receptor Gene Is Associated with Increased Risk of Major Depressive Disorder

Lye MS, Tor YS, Tey YY, Shahabudin A, Loh SP, Ibrahim N, et al.

J Mol Neurosci, 2021 May;71(5):981-990.
PMID: 33034825 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-020-01719-0

Heritability of major depressive disorder (MDD) is between 36 and 44%, suggesting that up to nearly half of the phenotypic variability is attributable to genes. A number of genetic polymorphisms have been shown to predispose certain individuals to depression. Of particular interest are the polymorphisms of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene. Although the VDR gene has been well characterized and a vast number of polymorphisms have been identified, the association between BsmI (rs1544410), ApaI (rs7975232) and TaqI (rs731236) single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), together with their haplotypes, and MDD risk have yet to be established. We conducted a matched case-control study with a total of 600 participants comprising 300 major depressive disorder (MDD) cases and 300 controls matched by age, gender and ethnicity in a 1:1 ratio, in four public hospitals in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. Three adjacent SNPs of the VDR gene-BsmI (rs1544410), ApaI (rs7975232) and TaqI (rs731236)-were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were obtained from conditional logistic regression using Stata 16. Linkage disequilibrium and haplotype association with MDD were analyzed using the online SNPStats program. None of the genotypes of the three SNPs was significantly associated with risk of developing MDD after adjusting for confounding factors. However, the TAC (BAt) haplotype was associated with increased odds of MDD (adjusted OR = 2.17, 95% CI = 1.30-3.61, p = 0.003) using CCT (baT) as reference haplotype. The findings suggest that the BsmI-ApaI-TaqI TAC (BAt) haplotype of the VDR gene increases susceptibility to MDD.
Fulltext Neurodevelopmental outcome of Malaysian very low birth weight infants: predictive value of cranial ultrasound appearances

Ong LC, Boo NY, Chandran V, Zulfiqar A, Zamratol SM, Allison L, et al.

Singapore Med J, 1997 Mar;38(3):108-11.
PMID: 9269376

The aim of the study was to determine the predictive value of cranial ultrasound scans done in the neonatal period for neurodevelopmental outcome of the Malaysian very low birthweight (VLBW, < 1500 grams) infants assessed at 12 months of corrected age. Of the 101 infants studied, 68 (67.3%) were neurodevelopmentally normal at one year of age, 18 (17.8%) had major and 15 (14.9%) had minor neurodevelopmental impairment. Neurodevelopmental outcome was normal in 66/88 (75.0%) infants who did not have severe intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) or periventricular intraparenchymal echo densities (PVE) in the first week of life, and in 57/73 (78.1%) with uncomplicated scans at discharge. In contrast, 11/13 (84.6%) with parenchymal echo densities or severe intraventricular bleed in the early neonatal period and 17/28 (60.7%) with complicated scans at discharge had adverse sequelae. There was a significant association between lesions seen on cranial ultrasound in the neonatal period and subsequent neurodevelopmental impairment. Late neonatal ultrasound scans appear to be a better predictor of short-term neurodevelopmental outcome than early scans.
Fulltext Nipah virus among military personnel involved in pig culling during an outbreak of encephalitis in Malaysia, 1998-1999

Ali R, Mounts AW, Parashar UD, Sahani M, Lye MS, Isa MM, et al.

Emerg Infect Dis, 2001 Jul-Aug;7(4):759-61.
PMID: 11592256
Fulltext Parasitic infections among Orang Asli (aborigine) in the Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

Hakim SL, Gan CC, Malkit K, Azian MN, Chong CK, Shaari N, et al.

Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health, 2007 May;38(3):415-9.
PMID: 17877212

In April 2004, an outbreak of acute diarrheal illness occurred among the Orang Asli (aborigine) in the Cameron Highlands, Pahang State, Peninsular Malaysia, where rotavirus was later implicated as the cause. In the course of the epidemic investigation, stool samples were collected and examined for infectious agents including parasites. Soil transmitted helminthes (STH), namely Ascaris lumbricoides (25.7%), Trichuris trichiura (31.1%) and hookworm (8.1%), and intestinal protozoa, which included Giardia lamblia (17.6%), Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar (9.4%), Blastocystis hominis (8.1%) and Cryptosporidium parvum (2.7%), were detected. Forty-four (59.5%) were infected with at least one parasite, 24 (32.4%), 12 (16.2%) and 8 (10.8%) had single, double and triple parasitic infections, respectively. STH were prevalent with infections occurring as early as in infancy. Giardia lamblia, though the most commonly found parasite in samples from symptomatic subjects, was within the normally reported rate of giardiasis among the various communities in Malaysia, and was an unlikely cause of the outbreak. However, heavy pre-existing parasitic infections could have contributed to the severity of the rotavirus diarrheal outbreak.
Fulltext Deaths of children during an outbreak of hand, foot, and mouth disease in Sarawak, Malaysia: clinical and pathological characteristics of the disease. For the Outbreak Study Group

Chan LG, Parashar UD, Lye MS, Ong FG, Zaki SR, Alexander JP, et al.

Clin Infect Dis, 2000 Sep;31(3):678-83.
PMID: 11017815

From April through June 1997, 29 previously healthy children aged <6 years (median, 1.5 years) in Sarawak, Malaysia, died of rapidly progressive cardiorespiratory failure during an outbreak of hand, foot, and mouth disease caused primarily by enterovirus 71 (EV71). The case children were hospitalized after a short illness (median duration, 2 days) that usually included fever (in 100% of case children), oral ulcers (66%), and extremity rashes (62%). The illness rapidly progressed to include seizures (28%), flaccid limb weakness (17%), or cardiopulmonary symptoms (of 24 children, 17 had chest radiographs showing pulmonary edema, and 24 had echocardiograms showing left ventricular dysfunction), resulting in cardiopulmonary arrest soon after hospitalization (median time, 9 h). Cardiac tissue from 10 patients showed normal myocardium, but central nervous system tissue from 5 patients showed inflammatory changes. Brain-stem specimens from 2 patients were available, and both specimens showed extensive neuronal degeneration, inflammation, and necrosis, suggesting that a central nervous system infection was responsible for the disease, with the cardiopulmonary dysfunction being neurogenic in origin. EV71 and possibly an adenovirus, other enteroviruses, or unknown cofactors are likely responsible for this rapidly fatal disease.
Fulltext Profiling lysophosphatidic acid levels in plasma from head and neck cancer patients

Abdul Rahman M, Mohamad Haron DE, Hollows RJ, Abdul Ghani ZDF, Ali Mohd M, Chai WL, et al.

PeerJ, 2020;8:e9304.
PMID: 32547888 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9304

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) represents a significant world health problem, with approximately 600,000 new cases being diagnosed annually. The prognosis for patients with HNSCC is poor and, therefore, the identification of biomarkers for screening, diagnosis and prognostication would be clinically beneficial. A limited number of studies have used lipidomics to profile lipid species in the plasma of cancer patients. However, the profile and levels of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) species have not been examined in HNSCC. In this study, a targeted lipidomics approach using liquid chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LCMS/MS) was used to analyse the concentration of LPA (16:0 LPA, 18:0 LPA, 18:1 LPA, 18:2 LPA and 20:4 LPA) in the plasma of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), together with healthy controls. The levels of three LPA species (18:1 LPA, 18:2 LPA and 20:4 LPA) were significantly lower in the plasma of OSCC patients, whilst the concentrations of all five LPA species tested were significantly lower in plasma from NPC patients. Furthermore, the order of abundance of LPA species in plasma was different between the control and cancer groups, with 16:0 LPA, 18:0 LPA levels being more abundant in OSCC and NPC patients. Medium to strong correlations were observed using all pairs of LPA species and a clear separation of the normal and tumour groups was observed using PCA analysis. In summary, the results of this study showed that the levels of several LPA species in the plasma of patients with OSCC and NPC were lower than those from healthy individuals. Understanding these variations may provide novel insights into the role of LPA in these cancers.
Risk factors for Nipah virus transmission, Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia: results from a hospital-based case-control study

Amal NM, Lye MS, Ksiazek TG, Kitsutani PD, Hanjeet KS, Kamaluddin MA, et al.

Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health, 2000 Jun;31(2):301-6.
PMID: 11127330

A hospital-based case-control study of viral encephalitis was carried out at Port Dickson Hospital, in the state of Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. Between March and May 1999, 69 clinically diagnosed viral encephalitis cases and 31 controls were interviewed. Job histories on pig farming activities were assessed by a group of epidemiologists and veterinary surgeons. Results show that among clinical cases of viral encephalitis, 52 (75.4%) cases were diagnosed to have Nipah virus infection based on positive serology for antibodies to the cross-reacting Hendra virus antigen. The Nipah virus encephalitis was significantly associated with a history of working in pig farms (p < 0.001, OR = 196.0, 95% CI = 20.4-4741.6), history of contact with animals (p < 0.001, OR = 38.3, 95% CI = 8.2-209.0) and with history of direct contact with pigs (p = 0.002, OR = 34.4, 95% CI = 2.6-1,024.4). The Nipah virus infection was also significantly associated with history of feeding/cleaning pigs (p < 0.001, OR = 102, 95% CI = 11.9-2,271.5). These results provide evidence that involvement in pig farming activities is significantly associated with the risk of getting Nipah virus infection. They are potential risk factors for Nipah virus transmission in the major pig-producing area of Bukit Pelandok, Port Dickson Negeri Sembilan.
Fulltext Screening of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) single nucleotide polymorphisms and plasma BDNF levels among Malaysian major depressive disorder patients

Aldoghachi AF, Tor YS, Redzun SZ, Lokman KAB, Razaq NAA, Shahbudin AF, et al.

PLoS One, 2019;14(1):e0211241.
PMID: 30677092 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0211241

BACKGROUND: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a neurotrophin found in abundance in brain regions such as the hippocampus, cortex, cerebellum and basal forebrain. It has been associated with the risk of susceptibility to major depressive disorder (MDD). This study aimed to determine the association of three BDNF variants (rs6265, rs1048218 and rs1048220) with Malaysian MDD patients.
METHODS: The correlation of these variants to the plasma BDNF level among Malaysian MDD patients was assessed. A total of 300 cases and 300 matched controls recruited from four public hospitals within the Klang Valley of Selangor State, Malaysia and matched for age, sex and ethnicity were screened for BDNF rs6265, rs1048218 and rs1048220 using high resolution melting (HRM).
FINDINGS: BDNF rs1048218 and BDNF rs1048220 were monomorphic and were excluded from further analysis. The distribution of the alleles and genotypes for BDNF rs6265 was in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for the controls (p = 0.13) but was in Hardy Weinberg disequilibrium for the cases (p = 0.011). Findings from this study indicated that having BDNF rs6265 in the Malaysian population increase the odds of developing MDD by 2.05 folds (95% CI = 1.48-3.65). Plasma from 206 cases and 206 controls were randomly selected to measure the BDNF level using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A significant decrease in the plasma BDNF level of the cases as compared to controls (p<0.0001) was observed. However, there was no evidence of the effect of the rs6265 genotypes on the BDNF level indicating a possible role of other factors in modulating the BDNF level that warrants further investigation.
CONCLUSION: The study indicated that having the BDNF rs6265 allele (A) increase the risk of developing MDD in the Malaysian population suggesting a possible role of BDNF in the etiology of the disorder.
Fulltext Predictors of recurrence of major depressive disorder

Lye MS, Tey YY, Tor YS, Shahabudin AF, Ibrahim N, Ling KH, et al.

PLoS One, 2020;15(3):e0230363.
PMID: 32191745 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0230363

A total of 201 patients with major depressive disorder from four hospitals in Malaysia were followed up for 5 years to determine the prognostic factors of recurrent major depressive disorder that could potentially contribute to improving the management of MDD patients. For each individual patient, at the time of recruitment as part of a case-control study, information was collected on recent threatening life events, personality and social and occupational functioning, while blood samples were collected to genotype single nucleotide polymorphisms of vitamin D receptor (VDR), zinc transporter-3 (ZnT3), dopamine transporter-1 (DAT1), brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF), serotonin receptor 1A (HT1A) and 2A (HT2A) genes. Kaplan-Meier and Cox-regression were used to estimate hazard functions for recurrence of major depressive disorder. Individuals with severe MDD in previous major depressive episodes had five and a half times higher hazard of developing recurrence compared to mild and moderate MDD (HR = 5.565, 95% CI = 1.631-18.994, p = 0.006). Individuals who scored higher on social avoidance had three and a half times higher hazard of recurrence of MDD (HR = 3.525, 95% CI = 1.349-9.209; p = 0.010). There was significant interaction between ApaI +64978C>A single nucleotide polymorphism and severity. The hazard ratio increased by 6.4 times from mild and moderate to severe MDD for A/A genotype while that for C/A genotype increased by 11.3 times. Social avoidance and severity of depression at first episode were prognostic of recurrence. Screening for personality factors at first encounter with MDD patients needs to be considered as part of the clinical practice. For those at risk of recurrence in relation to social avoidance, the psychological intervention prescribed should be customized to focus on this modifiable factor. Prompt and appropriate management of severe MDD is recommended to reduce risk of recurrence.
Fulltext Respiratory microorganisms in acute pharyngitis patients: Identification, antibiotic prescription patterns and appropriateness, and antibiotic resistance in private primary care, central Malaysia

Bo ZM, Tan WK, Chong CSC, Lye MS, Parmasivam S, Pang ST, et al.

PLoS One, 2022;17(11):e0277802.
PMID: 36395327 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277802

Acute pharyngitis (AP) is a common reason for private primary care consultations, thus providing an avenue for widespread antibiotic intake among the community. However, there is limited data on the antibiotic prescription appropriateness and resistance information in the Malaysian private primary care setting, therefore, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence of isolated viruses and bacteria, antibiotic resistance patterns, antibiotic prescription patterns and appropriateness by general practitioners (GPs) and factors affecting antibiotic resistance and antibiotic prescription patterns. To investigate, a cross-sectional study was conducted among 205 patients presenting with AP symptoms at private primary care clinics in central Malaysia from 3rd January 2016 to 30th November 2016. Throat swabs were collected from 205 AP patients for two purposes: (i) the detection of four common respiratory viruses associated with AP via reverse-transcription real-time PCR (qRT-PCR); and (ii) bacterial identification using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Bacterial isolates were then subjected to antibiotic susceptibility screening and McIsaac scoring was calculated post-prescription based on GP selection of criteria. Generalized estimating equations analysis with multiple logistic regression was conducted to identify factors associated with presence of virus and antibiotic prescription. The results showed that 95.1% (195/205) of patients had at least one of the four viruses, with rhinovirus (88.5%) being the most prevalent, followed by adenovirus (74.9%), influenza A virus (4.6%) and enterovirus (2.1%). A total of 862 non-repetitive colonies were isolated from the culture of throat swabs from 205 patients who were positive for bacteria. From a total of 22 genera, Streptococcus constitutes the most prevalent bacteria genus (40.9%), followed by Neisseria (20%), Rothia (13.0%), Staphylococcus (11%) and Klebsiella (4.9%). Only 5 patients carried group A beta-hemolytic streptococci (GABHS). We also report the presence of vancomycin-resistant S. aureus or VRSA (n = 9, 10.1%) among which one isolate is a multidrug-resistant methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MDR-MRSA), while 54.1% (n = 111) were found to carry at least one antibiotic-resistant bacteria species. Application of the McIsaac scoring system indicated that 87.8% (n = 180) of patients should not be prescribed antibiotics as the majority of AP patients in this study had viral pharyngitis. The antibiotic prescription appropriateness by applying post-prescription McIsaac scoring was able to rule out GABHS pharyngitis in this sample with a GABHS culture-positive sensitivity of 40% (n = 2/5) and specificity of 90% (180/200). In conclusion, antibiotic-resistant throat isolates and over-prescription of antibiotics were observed and McIsaac scoring system is effective in guiding GPs to determine occurrences of viral pharyngitis to reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescription.

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