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  1. Fulltext Flies specimens collected from Agricultural Park, Teluk Cempedak and Bukit Pelindung in Kuantan, Pahang
    Heo, Chong Chin, Mohamad Abdullah Marwi, Jeffery, John, Ismarulyusda Ishak, Baharudin Omar
    Jurnal Sains Kesihatan Malaysia, 2008;6(2):93-99.
    MyJurnal
    This study was carried out in Agricultural Park, Teluk Cempedak and Bukit Pelindung at Kuantan, Pahang in October 2007. These three areas were different in ecological characteristic, Agricultural Park is a lowland region in Kuantan rural area, Teluk Cempedak is Kuantan’s most famous beach, and Bukit Pelindung is a reserved rainforest which is 200 meters from the sea level. Fly specimens were collected using four different kinds of baits: dry prawn, salted fish, pork and mango. Each of these baits was placed in a plastic container and exposed for one hour to attract flies. Within 5 minutes, flies started swarming around the baits. The flies were more attracted to the pork and salted fish compared to the other two baits. Fifty one flies, one moth (Lepidoptera) and one wasp (Hymenoptera) were collected. In Agricultural Park, two Lucilia cuprina, one Chrysomya megacephala and one Sarcophaga sp. were collected. For Teluk Cempedak beach, there were two Sarcophagids, 31 Chrysomya megacephala, five Musca domestica, one Lucilia cuprina and one moth were caught. Flies collected from Bukit Pelindung included five C.megacephala, two Sarcophagids, one Musca domestica and one wasp. Most C.megacephala were attracted to the pork and salted fish.
  2. Colonization of Rabbit Carcasses by Drain Fly Larvae, Psychoda sp. (Diptera: Psychodidae): The First Report
    Azmiera N, Low VL, Heo CC
    Acta Parasitol, 2021 Jun;66(2):706-709.
    PMID: 33389626 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-020-00313-z
    INTRODUCTION: Psychoda sp. is often collected from patchy habitats such as sewers, drains and decomposing organic matters. The discovery of Psychoda sp. in forensic studies indicated that it might have noteworthy value in assisting death investigations.

    PURPOSE: This study reports on the first finding of Psychoda larvae collected from decomposing rabbit carcasses placed in Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia.

    METHODS: The larvae were first observed on rabbit carcasses and were collected using tweezers and carefully preserved in 70% ethanol. They were subsequently mounted on microscopy slides using Hoyer's medium and identified as Psychoda sp. morphologically. The identification was also confirmed through a DNA barcoding analysis.

    RESULTS: Psychoda sp. larvae were collected on day-10 post-mortem where the rabbit carcasses were at the advanced decay stage of decomposition. The cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene sequences of the larvae had 90% similarity with the Psychoda spp. in the database.

    CONCLUSION: The finding of these larvae on carrion may provide additional valuable insights into forensic entomology and may assist in death investigations.

  3. Fulltext Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) associated with pig carrions in Malaysia
    Heo, Chong Chin, Mohamad Abdullah Marwi, Jeffery, John, Sofian-azirun, M., Chen, Chee Dhang, Wan Omar Abdullah, et al.
    Jurnal Sains Kesihatan Malaysia, 2010;8(1):1-4.
    MyJurnal
    An entomological study was conducted in Tanjung Sepat, Selangor, Malaysia in May until September 2007 revealing five species of butterflies (all from family Nymphalidae) were attracted to pig carcasses placed in an oil palm plantation. Euploea mulciber (Cramer 1777), Hypolimnas bolina (Linnaeus 1758), Elymnias hypermnestra (Linnaeus 1763), Mycalesis mineus (Linnaeus 1758) and Ypthima baldus (Fabricius 1775) came to the carcasses at different stages of decomposition. From this study, we know that nymphalid butterflies are attracted to carcasses but their roles are most probably unimportant in post-mortem estimation.
  4. A Case of Zoonotic Ancylostoma ceylanicum Infection in a Suburban Area of Selangor, Malaysia
    Heo CC, Rafiz AR, Ngui R
    Acta Parasitol, 2021 Oct 06.
    PMID: 34617193 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-021-00478-1
    INTRODUCTION: The animal hookworm, Ancylostoma ceylanicum, is a dominant hookworm species of dogs and cats. However, it has increasingly been found infecting humans in Southeast Asia.

    PURPOSE: We report an autochthonous case of A. ceylanicum in a suburban area of Selangor, Malaysia. A 66-year-old Indian lady who is an avid gardener presented with chronic diarrhea of 4 months' duration.

    METHODS: The patient was examined clinically and colonoscopy was performed. Adult parasites obtained via colonoscopy were subjected to microscopy and molecular investigations.

    RESULTS: Clinical examinations were unremarkable, and blood investigation revealed normochromic normocytic anemia. Stool occult blood was positive but negative for ova, cyst and adult parasites. Colonoscopy performed showed multiple diverticulae and worm infestation from the terminal ileum to sigmoid colon. Morphological examination on the adult worms showed the specific characteristics of Ancylostoma species. Molecular investigations further confirmed the nematode as Ancylostoma ceylanicum. She was treated with albendazole 400 mg daily for 3 days with symptomatic improvements sustained 3 months later. It is suspected that the patient had ingested or contacted soil contaminated with filariform larvae while gardening.

    CONCLUSION: Information on the A. ceylanicum infection in humans, especially in urban and suburban areas, is limited, necessitating further epidemiological and clinical studies.

  5. Fulltext Human pentastomiasis caused by Armillifer moniliformis in Malaysian Borneo
    Latif B, Omar E, Heo CC, Othman N, Tappe D
    Am J Trop Med Hyg, 2011 Nov;85(5):878-81.
    PMID: 22049042 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.2011.11-0404
    We report a case of visceral pentastomiasis caused by Armillifer moniliformis in a 70-year-old aboriginal farmer from rural Malaysian Borneo. The patient complained of upper abdominal pain, jaundice, and loss of weight. Radiological investigations and subsequent histopathological examination revealed an adenocarcinoma of the pancreas with an adjacent liver nodule containing a nymph of A. moniliformis. This report constitutes the first documented human pentastomid infection in the whole of Malaysia after nearly 40 years, and it is the third description from Malaysian Borneo. Cases of human and animal pentastomiasis in Malaysia are discussed.
  6. Commentary on article: Aerobic microbe community and necrophagous insects associated with decomposition of pig carrion poisoned with lead by Aneyo et al. (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.legalmed.2019.101638)
    Zaini NA, Ivorra T, Azmiera N, Natasha NA, Heo CC
    Leg Med (Tokyo), 2021 02;48:101818.
    PMID: 33271415 DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2020.101818
  7. Fulltext On the occurrence of Musca domestica L oviposition activity on pig carcass in peninsular Malaysia
    Heo CC, Mohamad AM, Jeffery J, Kurahashi H, Omar B
    Trop Biomed, 2008 Dec;25(3):252-3.
    PMID: 19287365
    A forensic entomological study conducted in an oil palm plantation in Tanjung Sepat, Selangor, Malaysia on 3 August 2007 revealed that a housefly, Musca domestica Linnaeus oviposited its eggs on a freshly dead pig. This finding indicated that housefly might play an important role in forensic investigation in determining post-mortem interval (PMI), although it was not yet found in human corpses or any animal carrion. This preliminary paper presented a first record of Musca domestica eggs found on animal carcass in the country.
  8. Ticks and tick-borne pathogens in animals and humans in the island nations of Southeast Asia: A review
    Sharifah N, Heo CC, Ehlers J, Houssaini J, Tappe D
    Acta Trop, 2020 Sep;209:105527.
    PMID: 32447029 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2020.105527
    Ticks are blood-feeding ectoparasites and major vectors of pathogens that cause infectious diseases in humans and animals worldwide including mammals, birds and reptiles. Despite the growing scientific effort in the 20th century, there is still limited information on ticks and tick-borne pathogens in Southeast Asia, especially concerning medical, veterinary, socioeconomic and agricultural aspects in the island nations. This review provides an overview of the current state of knowledge of ticks and their pathogens in the island nations of Southeast Asia and peninsular Malaysia. We aim to stimulate further research studies on ticks and tick-borne pathogens of human and veterinary importance in this geographical region.
  9. Reporting beetles in a mummified human corpse in Malaysia: Necrobia rufipes (Fabricius, 1781) (Coleoptera: Cleridae) and Dermestes maculatus De Geer, 1774 (Coleoptera: Dermestidae)
    Ivorra T, Rahimi R, Zaini NA, Heo CC
    Leg Med (Tokyo), 2023 May;62:102238.
    PMID: 36913819 DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2023.102238
    This case study reports on two unrecorded Coleopteran species found together on a human corpse in Malaysia. The mummified human remains were discovered in a house in Selangor, Malaysia. The pathologist confirmed that the death was due to a traumatic chest injury. Maggots, beetles, and fly pupal casings were found mainly on the front part of the body. Empty puparia of Diptera were collected during the autopsy and identified later as the muscid Synthesiomyia nudiseta (van der Wulp, 1883) (Diptera: Muscidae). Also, the insect evidence received included larvae and pupae of Megaselia sp. (Diptera: Phoridae). According to the insect development data, the minimum postmortem period was estimated by the time to reach the pupal developmental stage (in days). The entomological evidence included the first record of Dermestes maculatus De Geer, 1774 (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) and Necrobia rufipes (Fabricius, 1781) (Coleoptera: Cleridae), which have not previously been recorded on human remains in Malaysia.
  10. A checklist of the ticks of Malaysia (Acari: Argasidae, Ixodidae), with lists of known associated hosts, geographical distribution, type localities, human infestations and pathogens
    Kazim AR, Houssaini J, Tappe D, Heo CC
    Zootaxa, 2022 Sep 30;5190(4):485-530.
    PMID: 37045359 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5190.4.2
    Studies of ticks in Malaysia from past articles were reviewed, resulting in a list of 47 species belonging to seven genera (Argas, Ornithodoros, Amblyomma, Dermacentor, Haemaphysalis, Ixodes, and Rhipicephalus). The most prevalent genus in Malaysia is Haemaphysalis (20 species), followed by Amblyomma (eight species) and Dermacentor (seven species). Out of 47 species, only 28 have bitten humans, mostly belonging to Haemaphysalis. The most researched tick-borne pathogens in Malaysia are Rickettsia and Anaplasma, and most research was focused on the tropical-lineage brown dog ticks, R. sanguineus sensu lato, and the cattle ticks, Haemaphysalis bispinosa and Rhipicephalus microplus. 18 species were excluded from the list due to lack of definite records or dubious findings: Ornithodoros mimon, O. turicata, Amblyomma breviscutatum, A. clypeolatum, A. integrum, A. maculatum, Dermacentor marginatum, D. taiwanensis, Haemaphysalis birmaniae, H. flava, H. humerosa, H. longicornis, H. punctata, H. sulcata, Ixodes holocyclus, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, R. annulatus and R. bursa. This paper presents the first complete and updated list for Dermacentor and Ixodes tick species in Malaysia since Kohls (1957).
  11. An annotated checklist of the chewing lice (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera, Amblycera, Rhynchophthirina) from domestic and wild mammals in Malaysia
    Kazim AR, Houssaini J, Tappe D, Heo CC
    Zootaxa, 2023 Apr 04;5263(1):40-60.
    PMID: 37045000 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.1.2
    Literature records of chewing lice (Phthiraptera) from mammals in Malaysia were checked and reviewed, resulting in a list of 13 confirmed species belonging to eight genera (Bovicola, Felicola, Gliricola, Gyropus, Haematomyzus, Heterodoxus, Lorisicola, Trichodectes) from four families (Boopiidae, Gyropidae, Haematomyzidae, Trichodectidae) in three suborders (Amblycera, Ischnocera, Rhynchophthirina). We present a checklist of those 13 chewing lice recorded from Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo, including hosts, localities, and literature references. An additional 12 species are listed and discussed as possibly occurring in this country. A host-louse list is also given.
  12. An annotated checklist of sucking lice (Phthiraptera: Anoplura) from domestic and wild mammals in Malaysia, with lists of hosts and pathogens
    Kazim AR, Houssaini J, Tappe D, Heo CC
    Zootaxa, 2022 Dec 02;5214(3):301-336.
    PMID: 37044900 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5214.3.1
    Literature records of sucking lice (Phthiraptera: Anoplura) from Malaysia were checked and reviewed, resulting in a list of 34 established species belonging to 11 genera (Ancistroplax, Atopophthirus, Enderleinellus, Haematopinus, Hamophthirius, Hoplopleura, Linognathus, Neohaematopinus, Pedicinus, Polyplax and Sathrax). Furthermore, three local and six cosmopolitan louse species are regarded as dubious in Malaysia, due to misidentifications or lack of locality records. Also, pathogens known to be associated with the sucking lice are listed. The alarming conservation status of some Malaysian mammalian host species and their sucking lice warrant more research and imminent action to preserve the biodiversity of the country. This paper presents the first complete checklist of anopluran lice from both Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo, including localities, literature references and a host-louse list.
  13. Haemaphysalis wellingtoni (Acari: Ixodidae) from the helmeted guineafowl, Numida meleagris (Galliformes: Numididae): A new tick-host record in Peninsular Malaysia
    Kazim AR, Subramaniam V, Houssaini J, Tappe D, Heo CC
    Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports, 2024 Jan;47:100965.
    PMID: 38199684 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2023.100965
    This paper describes a new tick-host record of Haemaphysalis wellingtoni from the helmeted guineafowl (Numida meleagris) in Peninsular Malaysia. This record is also the first report of a tick infestation from N. meleagris in Asia. A checklist of the tick-guineafowl associations has been designed, resulting in 32 tick species including H. wellingtoni recorded as infesting N. meleagris worldwide. A list of pathogens harboured or transmitted by H. wellingtoni is provided. The status of H. wellingtoni as a true parasite of N. meleagris, and the health threat posed to the guineafowls are discussed in this paper.
  14. Fulltext Autochthonous human schistosomiasis, Malaysia
    Latif B, Heo CC, Razuin R, Shamalaa DV, Tappe D
    Emerg Infect Dis, 2013 Aug;19(8):1340-1.
    PMID: 23876448 DOI: 10.3201/eid1908.121710
  15. Fulltext Detection of sarcocystosis in goats in Malaysia by light microscopy, histology, and PCR
    Kutty MK, Latif B, Muslim A, Hussaini J, Daher AM, Heo CC, et al.
    Trop Anim Health Prod, 2015 Apr;47(4):751-6.
    PMID: 25740651 DOI: 10.1007/s11250-015-0789-4
    A number of methods have been used for the detection of the presence of microsarcocysts in animals, but little information exists on the value between the various methods. This study therefore examined for Sarcocystis spp. using three different methods in 105 samples of skeletal muscle collected from goats slaughtered in an abattoir in Selangor, Malaysia from January to February 2014. Three methods were used, direct light microscopy of squashed fresh muscle tissues; histological examination of fixed, sectioned, and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained samples of muscle; and molecular identification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Of the 105 tissue samples, 55 (52.38 %) were positive by light microscopy (LM), 46 (43.8 %) by histology, and 95 (90.48 %) by PCR. Only 29 (27.6 %) and 5 (4.76 %) samples were positive and negative, respectively, by all three methods. The cysts were elongated to a spindle shape with a mean size of 393.30 × 81.6 μm and containing banana-shaped bradyzoites of size 12.32 × 2.08 μm. The wall of the cyst was radially striated with a thickness of 2.83 μm. Samples were tested for the presence of Sarcocystis-specific 18S rRNA and were identified as Sarcocystis capracanis. Of the three methods used, the PCR test appears to be the most useful method for the diagnosis of sarcocystosis especially for species identification.
  16. The Importance of Habitat in the Ecology of Decomposition on Rabbit Carcasses in Malaysia: Implications in Forensic Entomology
    Silahuddin SA, Latif B, Kurahashi H, Walter DE, Heo CC
    J Med Entomol, 2015 Jan;52(1):9-23.
    PMID: 26336275 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tju001
    The stages of decomposition and the faunal succession on rabbit carcasses in three different habitats, namely jungle, rural, and highland areas, were studied. Three New Zealand White rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) carcasses weighing ∼2 kg were sampled daily until the decomposition process was completed. Representative specimens of adult flies, larvae, pupa, and mites were collected from the carcasses and processed in the laboratory. There were differences in decomposition rate and faunal succession between the carcasses. The fastest rate of decomposition was recorded in rural area, and the slowest rate of decomposition was recorded in highland area. The carcasses exhibited the same pattern of colonization by adult flies, but the dominant species of larvae and adult flies on each carcass in specific habitats were different. The primary species of flies recorded in jungle were Chrysomya megacephala F., Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart), Chrysomya chani Kurahashi, Chrysomya villenuevi Patton, Chrysomya nigripes Aubertin, Chrysomya pinguis (Walker), Hemipyrellia ligurriens (Wiedemann), Hemipyrellia tagaliana (Bigot), Hypopyiopsis fumipennis (Walker), Hypopygiopsis violacea (Macquart), and Hydrotaea spinigera Stein represented by both adults and larvae. Musca domestica L., Atherigona sp., Lioproctia pattoni (Senior-White), Lioproctia saprianovae Pape & Bänziger, and Seniorwhitea princeps (Wiedemann) were represented by adults only. The biodiversity of flies in the rural area were C. megacephala, C. rufifacies, H. ligurriens, Fannia canicularis L., Hydrotaea chalcogaster (Wiedemann), and Hyd. spinigera represented by both adults and larvae, meanwhile M. domestica, Atherigona sp., Boettcherisca peregrina (Robineau-Desvoidy), Parasarcophaga taenionota Wiedemann, Parasarcophaga scopariiformis Senior-White, and S. princeps were represented by adults only. The species of flies collected in the highland area were Lucilia porphyrina (Walker), C. megacephala, C. rufifacies, C. villenuevi, C. pinguis, H. ligurriens, Hyd. spinigera, Hyd. chalcogaster, F. canicularis, and Boettcherisca highlandica Kurahashi & Tan represented by both adults and larvae, whereas C. nigripes, Chrysomya thanomthini Kurahashi & Tumrasvin, M. domestica, Atherigona sp., Parasarcophaga albiceps Meigen, P. taenionota, Sepsidae, Phoridae, and Millichidae were represented by adults only. Faunal succession followed the sequence of dominant flies, i.e., Calliphoridae, Sarcophagidae, Muscidae, Sepsidae, and lastly Stratiomyidae for jungle, or Sepsidae for rural and highland studies. Mites, from suborders Mesostigmata, Prostigmata, Astigmatina, and Oribatida, were also recovered throughout decomposition, which could be used for future implementation in forensic investigations. The data obtained from this study could provide more accurate indicators for local forensic scientists in solving criminal cases especially on the determination of time and primary location of death.
  17. Eristalinus arvorum (Fabricius, 1787) (Diptera: Syrphidae) in Human Skull: A New Fly Species of Forensic Importance
    Heo CC, Rahimi R, Mengual X, M Isa MS, Zainal S, Khofar PN, et al.
    J Forensic Sci, 2020 Jan;65(1):276-282.
    PMID: 31305956 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.14128
    A body of an unknown adult female was found within a shallow burial ground in Malaysia whereas the skull was exposed and visible on the ground. During autopsy examination, nine insect larvae were recovered from the interior of the human skull and subsequently preserved in 70% ethanol. The larvae were greyish in appearance, each with a posterior elongated breathing tube. A week after the autopsy, more larvae were collected at the burial site, and some of them were reared into adults. Adult specimens and larvae from the skull and from the burial site were sequenced to obtain DNA barcodes. Results showed all adult flies reared from the burial site, as well as the larvae collected from the skull were identified as Eristalinus arvorum (Fabricius, 1787) (Diptera: Syrphidae). Here, we report the colonization of E. arvorum larvae on a human corpse for the first time.
  18. Fulltext Hermetia illucens and Hermetia fenestrata (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) Colonization of "Spoiled" Stingless Bee Geniotrigona thoracica (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Hives in Malaysia
    Ivorra T, Hauser M, Low VL, Tomberlin JK, Aliah NAN, Cammack JA, et al.
    Insects, 2020 Oct 27;11(11).
    PMID: 33121084 DOI: 10.3390/insects11110737
    Meliponiculture, the keeping of domesticated stingless bees such as Geniotrigona thoracica (Smith, 1857) (Hymenoptera: Apidae), is an increasingly popular agricultural industry in Malaysia. This study reports the soldier fly (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) species of the genus Hermetia colonizing stingless bee colonies in Malaysia. The larvae were reared in the laboratory to the adult stage and identified through molecular and morphological approaches. Hermetia illucens (Linnaeus, 1758) and Hermetia fenestrata de Meijere, 1904 (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) were identified from the sample provided. Earlier records of stratiomyids in stingless bee nests were misidentified as H. illucens. This paper represents the first identified record of H. fenestrata colonizing a "spoiled" stingless bee colony. In addition, adult and larval morphological differences between both species and the roles of both species in bee nest decomposition are discussed.
  19. Fulltext A new record of Bengalia emarginata Malloch, 1927 (Diptera: Calliphoridae) from Malaysia
    Heo CC, Kurahashi H, Mohamad AM, Jeffrey J, Dhang CC, Zuha RM, et al.
    Trop Biomed, 2008 Dec;25(3):262-3.
    PMID: 19287369
    During a forensic entomological study conducted at an oil palm plantation in Tanjung Sepat, Kuala Langat, Selangor, a Bengalia emarginata Malloch, 1927 (Diptera: Calliphoridae: Calliphorinae: Bengalini) was collected for the first time. Two adults were collected nearby the pig carcass by the first author and identified by the second. Prior to this finding, nine species of Bengalia were recorded from peninsular Malaysia or Borneo. Male of B. emarginata are different from Bengalia varicolor Fabricious by the following characters: Sternite 5 projection rounded with small identation and mid tibia double-fringed in ventral surface.
  20. Fulltext A new record of Fannia prisca Stein, 1918 (Diptera:Fanniidae) from peninsular Malaysia
    Heo CC, Kurahashi H, Nishida K, Tan Siew H, Mohamed Z, Mohamed AM, et al.
    Trop Biomed, 2008 Dec;25(3):254-6.
    PMID: 19287366
    Fannia prisca Stein, 1918 is newly recorded from peninsular Malaysia. This record is based on 4 male specimens from Mount Berembun, Brinchang, Cameron Highland, Pahang state, peninsular Malaysia. It is previously recorded from China, Mongolia, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Bonin Island, Thailand and oriental region. The male of Fannia prisca can be differentiated from male Fannia scalaris by the following features: for F. prisca, mid-coxa without spine; mid-tibia normal or without stout triangular ventral projection; and hind tibia usually with 2 av, while F. scalaris has several stout hook-like spines on the anterior margin; mid-tibia with stout triangular ventral projection and hind tibia usually with 3 av. Both F. prisca and F. scalaris can be differentiated from Fannia leucosticta by looking at its hind tibia, which only has 1 av.
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