This study aimed to assess knowledge of and attitudes toward HIV/AIDS among a community in a semi-urban setting in Malaysia, to determine factors affecting perceptions toward people living with HIV in the community, and to provide baseline information for planning preventive measures against HIV/AIDS. This cross-sectional study was conducted in August 2009. Two hundred sixty-two household members were interviewed with a semi-structured questionnaire. Most respondents (232; 88.5%) had heard of HIV/AIDS. Only a few respondents (6; 2.6%) could correctly answer all the questionnaire items. Misconceptions about disease transmission were seen among surveyed participants, such as the belief HIV/AIDS can be contracted from saliva (104; 44.8%), mosquito bites (95; 40.9%) or casual touch (86; 37.1%). A multivariate linear regression model showed better perceptions towards people living with HIV depend on an improved knowledge of HIV/AIDS transmission. Current data emphasize the need to scale up HIV/AIDS education incorporating the mode of disease transmission.
Dengue fever is one of the most common diagnoses in patients presenting with acute febrile illness in tropical countries. Borrelia, on the other hand, is the cause of vector-borne infections of relapsing fever and Lyme disease. While co-infections of dengue with chikungunya, Zika, malaria, influenza and typhoid have been reported, clinical cases of Borrelia infections have never been reported in Malaysia. Based on available evidence, this is the first case series to report dengue fever and Borrelia spp. co-infection. All three patients in this report were admitted to medical wards on day 3 to day 8 of illness for dengue fever as evidenced by a positive dengue NS1 antigen test. The clinical manifestations were typical of dengue fever, with all patients having high grade fever, myalgia, and arthralgia. All patients also had thrombocytopenia. Features of severe dengue, such as shock, hemorrhage and impaired consciousness were absent. Borrelia DNA were detected in the blood samples of the patients. However, all the patients denied having skin lesions and a history of insect bites. All the patients were given intravenous fluid therapy and were discharged after 3 to 5 days of hospitalization.