METHODS: This is a five-year retrospective review on contact sensitisation in adults patch-tested with the European Standard and extended series between 2011 and 2015 in the Department of Dermatology, Hospital Kuala Lumpur.

RESULTS: There were 689 adults (M:F= 1:2.04; mean age 40.5 years) who were patch-tested. The majority (175, 25.4%) were white collar workers and 118 (17.1%) were healthcare workers. The provisional diagnoses of patients included contact dermatitis (80.8%); endogenous eczema (7.9%); hand eczema (3.2%); hand and foot eczema (3.5%); foot eczema (1.4%) and photodermatitis (1.2%). The allergens selected for testing were based on past and present history of exposure. Almost all (688, 99.8%) were patch-tested with the European standard allergens and 466 (67.6%) were tested with the extended series. About three quarter (528, 76.6%) developed at least one positive reaction. The top five most frequent reactions were to nickel sulphate (35.3%); potassium dichromate (16.5%); methylchloroisothiazolinone (12.9%), fragrance mix I (12.6%), and cobalt chloride (10.2%). The commonest sensitisations identified in the extended series were palladium chloride (23/105, 21.9%), stannous chloride (18/85, 21.2%), miconazole (7/44, 15.9%), gold(I)sodium thiosulfate (16/105, 15.2%) and thimerosal (29/202, 14.4%).

METHODS: Ninety five first-time male attendees of the Genito-urinary Medicine Clinic in Hospital Kuala Lumpur were included in this cross-sectional study. The detection of C. trachomatis was achieved through direct fluorescence antibody (DFA) staining of urethral swabs and real-time polymerase chain reaction testing (Xpert® CT/NG assay) on urine specimens. N. gonorrhoeae was detected through Gram staining and culture of urethral swabs and Xpert® CT/ NG assay on urine specimens.

RESULTS: From the Xpert® CT/NG results, 11 (11.6%) attendees had chlamydia, 23 (24.2%) had gonorrhoea and 8 (8.4%) had both STIs. The sensitivity and specificity of DFA in detecting chlamydia compared to Xpert® CT/NG were 5.3% (95% CI: 0-28) and 94.7% (95% CI: 86-98), respectively. For gonorrhoea, the sensitivity and specificity of Gram staining were 90.3% (95% CI: 73-98) and 95.3% (86-99), respectively, whereas the sensitivity and specificity of culture compared to Xpert® CT/NG were 32.2% (95% CI: 17-51) and 100% (95% CI: 93-100), respectively.

OBJECTIVES: We aim to determine relevant seafood sensitization among adults with AD and investigate cross-sensitization to aeroallergens.

METHODS: One hundred thirty-two adults with AD who were subjected to skin prick test (SPT) with 7 common local seafood allergens (anchovy, tuna, mackerel, squid, giant freshwater prawn, shrimp, and crab), house dust mites (HDMs), and cockroach were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTS: The median age of the study subjects was 32 years (range 17-77 years) with a male to female ratio of 1:3. The mean duration of AD was 16 years. Eighty-two patients (62.2%) had other atopic conditions. Using SCORAD, 44.7% had mild, 42.4% moderate, and 12.9% severe disease. Eighty-six patients (65.2%) self-reported to have seafood allergy, with the main symptoms of transient pruritus and erythema within 2 h of ingestion. SPT revealed 51.5% of the patients were sensitized to at least 1 of the 7 seafood allergens. The relevant sensitization rate was 45.1%. Interestingly, 46% of those without a history of seafood allergy developed at least 1 positive reaction in the SPT. Prawn, shrimp, and crab were the 3 most frequently sensitized allergens. Nearly all patients (98.3%) who were sensitized to crustaceans were also sensitized to HDMs and/or cockroach. There was no significant correlation between a positive SPT to seafood with age, age of onset of AD, duration, and severity of AD, and the presence of other atopic diatheses.

METHODS: This is a retrospective study on all HIV-infected MSM with syphilis between 2011 and 2015. Data was collected from case notes in five centres namely Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah, Hospital Umum Sarawak, University of Malaya Medical Centre and Hospital Sungai Buloh.

RESULTS: A total of 294 HIV seropositive MSM with the median age of 29 years (range 16-66) were confirmed to have syphilis. Nearly half (47.6%) were in the age group of 20-29 years. About a quarter (24.1%) was previously infected with syphilis. Eighty-three patients (28.2%) had other concomitant sexually transmitted infection with genital warts being the most frequently reported (17%). The number of patients with early and late syphilis in our cohort were almost equal. The median pre-treatment non-treponemal antibody titre (VDRL or RPR) for early syphilis (1:64) was significantly higher than for late syphilis (1:8) (p<0.0001). The median CD4 count and the number of patients with CD4 <200/μl in early syphilis were comparable to late syphilis. Nearly four-fifth (78.9%) received benzathine-penicillin only, 5.8% doxycycline, 1.4% Cpenicillin, 1% procaine penicillin, and 12.4% a combination of the above medications. About 44% received treatment and were lost to follow-up. Among those who completed 1 -year follow-up after treatment, 72.3% responded to treatment (serological non-reactive - 18.2%, four-fold drop in titre - 10.9%; serofast - 43.6%), 8.5% failed treatment and 17% had re-infection. Excluding those who were re-infected, lost to follow-up and died, the rates of treatment failure were 12.1% and 8.8% for early and late syphilis respectively (p=0.582).