Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 36 in total

Abstract:
Sort:
  1. Macroparasite communities in stray cat populations from urban cities in Peninsular Malaysia
    Mohd Zain SN, Sahimin N, Pal P, Lewis JW
    Vet Parasitol, 2013 Sep 23;196(3-4):469-77.
    PMID: 23664711 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2013.03.030
    The occurrence of macroparasites was studied from 543 stray cats in four urban cities from the west (Kuala Lumpur), east (Kuantan), north (Georgetown) and south (Malacca) of Peninsular Malaysia from May 2007 to August 2010. Five ectoparasites species were recovered namely, Ctenocephalides felis, Felicola subrostratus, Haemaphysalis bispinosa, Heterodoxus spiniger and Lynxacarus radovskyi. Two cats from Georgetown were infested with the dog louse, H. spiniger and this represented the first host record for this species in Malaysia. Up to nine species of helminths were recovered with overall high prevalences of infection of 83% in Kuantan, followed by 75.1% in Kuala Lumpur, 71.6% in Georgetown and 68% in Malacca. The helminth species comprised five nematodes, Toxocara malaysiensis, Toxocara cati, Ancylostoma braziliensis, Ancylostoma ceylanicum, Physaloptera praeputialis, two cestodes Taenia taeniaeformis, Dipylidium caninum and one trematode, Playtnosomum fastosum. The majority of helminths were present in the four study sites except for the absence of P. praeputialis in Kuala Lumpur. The prevalence and abundance of infections were analysed taking intrinsic (host age and sex) and extrinsic (season) factors into consideration. Levels of infection and infestation were mainly influenced by host age and to a lesser extent sex and season, whereas four nematode species exhibited significant interactions within the intestine of the cat host. The potential for transmission of some macroparasite species from stray cats to the human population in urban areas is discussed.
  2. Fulltext Epidemiology of blood parasitic infections in the urban rat population in peninsular Malaysia
    Alias SN, Sahimin N, Edah MA, Mohd-Zain SN
    Trop Biomed, 2014 Jun;31(2):230-40.
    PMID: 25134892 MyJurnal
    A total of 719 wild rats were captured from four localities representing the west (Kuala Lumpur), east (Kuantan), north (Georgetown) and south (Malacca) to determine the diversity of blood protozoan from the urban wild rat population in peninsular Malaysia. Five rat species were recovered with Rattus rattus diardii being the most dominant species, followed by Rattus norvegicus, Rattus exulans, Rattus annandalei and Rattus argentiventer. Two blood protozoan species were found infecting the rodent population namely, Plasmodium sp. (42.1%) and Trypanosoma lewisi (25.0%). This study reports the presence of Plasmodium sp. for the first time in the rodent population in Malaysia. Two main intrinsic factors were identified affecting the parasitic infections. Trypanosoma lewisi infections were influenced by host age and sex with infections observed higher in male and juvenile rats meanwhile Plasmodium sp. infections were observed almost similar in both sexes. However, infections were higher in sub-adult rats.
  3. Fulltext Comparison between Quantitative Buffy Coat (QBC) and Giemsa-stained Thin Film (GTF) technique for blood protozoan infections in wild rats
    Sahimin N, Alias SN, Woh PY, Edah MA, Mohd Zain SN
    Trop Biomed, 2014 Sep;31(3):422-31.
    PMID: 25382468 MyJurnal
    The quantitative buffy coat (QBC) technique and conventional Giemsa thin blood smear was compared to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the technique in detecting blood parasitic infection of the rodent populations from four urban cities in Peninsular Malaysia. A total of 432 blood samples from four rat species (Rattus norvegicus, Rattus rattus diardii, Rattus exulans and Rattus argentiventer) were screened using both techniques and successfully detected two blood protozoan species (Trypanosoma lewisi and Plasmodium sp.) with Trypanosoma lewisi predominantly infecting the population. Results showed that Giemsa-stained thin film (GTF) was the better detection method on blood parasitemia (46.7%) compared to Quantitative Buffy Coat method (38.9%) with overall detection technique sensitivity and specificity at 83.2% and 74.8% respectively. The sensitivity in detection of Trypanosoma lewisi was 84.4% with value slightly lower for Plasmodium sp. infections at 76.6%. Statistical analysis proved that GTF technique was significantly more sensitive in the detection of blood protozoan infections in the rodent population compared to QBC (p<0.05).
  4. Fulltext The cat fur mite, Lynxacarus radovskyi Tenorio, 1974 (Acarina: Astigmata: Listrophoridae) from cat, Felis catus in peninsular Malaysia
    Jeffery J, Norhidayu S, Mohd Zain SN, Noor Hayati MI, Nurazila B
    Trop Biomed, 2012 Jun;29(2):308-10.
    PMID: 22735855 MyJurnal
    The cat fur mite, Lynxacarus radovskyi Tenorio, 1974 (Acarina: Astigmata: Listrophoridae) is reported from cats, Felis catus from three sites in peninsular Malaysia. The first site is a Malay village, Kampong Menteri in Taiping, Perak, where the mites were found on local pet cats. The other two sites are urban cities of Kuala Lumpur, in the Federal Territory and Georgetown, in the island of Penang. Mites from the urban areas were collected from stray cats. Although several ectoparasites (fleas, mites, ticks and lice) have been previously reported, L. radovskyi is recorded herein for the first time on cats from peninsular Malaysia.
  5. Fulltext The dog louse Heterodoxus spiniger from stray cats in Penang, Malaysia
    Norhidayu S, Mohd Zain SN, Jeffery J, Lewis JW
    Trop Biomed, 2012 Jun;29(2):301-3.
    PMID: 22735853 MyJurnal
    Stray cats collected from Georgetown, Penang from 2008 to 2010 were screened for ectoparasites via fine-tooth combing. Two cats from a total 102 examined were infested with the dog louse, Heterodoxus spiniger. Both cats, a juvenile male and female were found in close contact with each other prior to capture. The number of lice ranged from 5 and 14 in the male and female cat respectively. Other ectoparasites recovered included the common cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, one louse species Felicola subrostratus, one tick species Haemaphysalis bispinosa and one mite species of Listrophoridae. The present study reports for the first time the finding of H. spiniger on cats from peninsular Malaysia.
  6. Post-era mass drug administration: an update on intestinal parasitic infections in urban poor communities in Peninsular Malaysia
    Sahimin N, Abd Khalil NS, Lewis JW, Mohd Zain SN
    Trop Biomed, 2020 Jun 01;37(2):363-371.
    PMID: 33612805
    The health impact of a Malaysian national helminth control program which provided school-based anthelmintic chemotherapy from 1974 to 1983 was re-visited after three decades post MDA and associated risk factors amongst urban poor communities identified. Stool samples collected were screened using the formalin ethyl-acetate concentration technique recovered at least one species of helminth and/or protozoan. Despite a steady decline observed between 1974-1983 however, post MDA infections continue to persist in pockets of communities moderately (18.9%; n=39/206) with higher infection recorded amongst PPR flat residents (22.5%, n=16/71). Among risk factors identified, waste management method was the primary factor for Ascaris lumbricoides infections (n=33; 16.0%), whereas age, education, employment and source of drinking water were significant risk factors for cryptosporidiosis. Despite the government's efforts to improve health through the provision of basic amenities to the general public, higher prevalence values amongst PPR flat dwellers suggests the need to implement targeted chemotherapeutic treatment of, once a year deworming as recommended by World Health Organization when the baseline prevalence of soil-transmitted helminth infections in the community is over 20%, in addition to preventive measures though improvements in health awareness programs and improved waste management methods.
  7. Poverty related diseases amongst Malaysia's low-income community: a review
    Abu Bakar N, Sahimin N, Lim YAL, Ibrahim K, Mohd Zain SN
    Trop Biomed, 2023 Mar 01;40(1):65-75.
    PMID: 37356005 DOI: 10.47665/tb.40.1.013
    Poverty, as proven by several studies, is a driving force behind poor health and hygiene practices. This review attempts to outline common communicable and non-communicable diseases that disproportionately affect Malaysia's 2.91 million low-income households. The current study also looks into the government's housing and healthcare programmes for this demographic to improve their health and well-being. The initial examination yielded incredibly little research on this marginalised community, with event reporting typically generalised to the Malaysian community as a whole rather than analysing disease incidences based on household income, which would better reflect povertydriven diseases. As a result, there is an acute need for more accurate information on the epidemiology of diseases among the poor in order to address this public health issue and provide conclusions that can drive policy designs.
  8. Current status of infectious diseases among migrants and non-citizens in Malaysia
    Mohd Putera NWS, Azman AS, Mohd Zain SN, Yahaya H, Lewis JW, Sahimin N
    Trop Biomed, 2023 Jun 01;40(2):138-151.
    PMID: 37650399 DOI: 10.47665/tb.40.2.003
    The mass movement of migrants to Malaysia for employment is one of the factors contributing to the emergence and re-emergence of infectious diseases in this country. Despite mandatory health screening for migrants seeking employment, prevalence records of infectious diseases amongst migrant populations in Malaysia are still within negligible proportions. Therefore, the present review highlights the incidence, mortality and overall status of infectious diseases amongst migrants' populations in Malaysia, which maybe be useful for impeding exacerbation of inequalities among them and improving our national health system thru robust and effective emergency responses in controlling the prevalent diseases found among these populations and maybe, Malaysian citizens too. Peer-reviewed articles from January 2016 to December 2020 were searched through online platform including SCOPUS, PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar. Non-peer-reviewed reports and publications from ministry and government websites including data from related agencies were also scoured from in order to ensure that there are no cases being overlooked, as most published articles did not have migrants as the research subjects. A total of 29 studies had been selected in the final analysis. Migrants in Malaysia were at higher risk for tuberculosis, malaria, lymphatic filariasis, cholera, leprosy and leptospirosis. Lymphatic filariasis was still endemic among this population while thousand cases of TB and cholera had been reported among them due to cramp living conditions and poor sanitation in their settlements respectively. While malaria had gradually decreased and become sporadic, the influx of migrant workers had led to the rising of imported malaria cases. Low cases of leprosy had been recorded in Malaysia but a significant proportion of it was contributed by migrant workers. As for leptospirosis, studies found that there are prominent cases among migrant workers, which particularly highest within workers with lower educational attainment. Infectious diseases are still prevalent among migrants in Malaysia due to various interplay factors including their working sectors, country of origin, immunization status, type of settlement, impoverished living conditions, and language and cultural barriers that impeding access to health facilities.
  9. Fulltext Collaborate or Collapse: Capacity Building in Zoonotic and Neglected Tropical Disease Modelling
    Mohd Zain SN, Basáñez MG
    Trends Parasitol, 2018 05;34(5):356-358.
    PMID: 29358040 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2017.12.009
    We share the insights from a successful collaboration in organizing and implementing an international scientific capacity-building workshop in Malaysia titled Mathematical Modelling of Neglected Infectious Diseases: Capacity Building in Southeast Asia. This workshop focused on the delivery of technical know-how and on essential soft skills related to effective grant proposal writing and networking.
  10. Seroprevalence of lymphatic filariasis among migrant workers in Peninsular Malaysia
    Noordin R, Mohd Zain SN, Yunus MH, Sahimin N
    Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg, 2017 08 01;111(8):370-372.
    PMID: 29206992 DOI: 10.1093/trstmh/trx062
    Background: Malaysia aims to eliminate lymphatic filariasis (LF) by the year 2020, thus the potential threat of LF from migrant workers needs to be investigated.

    Methods: Brugian and bancroftian filariasis among 484 migrant workers from six countries were investigated using rapid tests based on detection of specific IgG4 antibodies against BmR1 (Brugia Rapid) and BmSXP recombinant antigens.

    Results: The seroprevalence of brugian filariasis was very low; however, bancroftian filariasis was notable among workers from India, Nepal and Myanmar.

    Conclusion: Malaysia is not endemic for Wuchereria bancrofti, but harbors the vectors for the parasite, thus the results showed that migrant workers should be monitored for this infection.

  11. Seroprevalence of dengue and chikungunya viruses among urban refugees in Klang Valley, Malaysia
    Sahimin N, Low ZX, Hassandarvish P, Mohd Hanapi IR, Mohd Zain SN, Yahaya H, et al.
    Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg, 2024 Jan 16.
    PMID: 38226501 DOI: 10.1093/trstmh/trad097
    BACKGROUND: Mosquito-borne diseases pose a significant global public health threat, with Malaysia's Klang Valley experiencing numerous outbreaks in densely populated urban areas.

    METHODS: This study aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of anti-dengue and anti-chikungunya antibodies among urban refugees in the Klang Valley, Malaysia, and identify associated risk factors.

    RESULTS: High seroprevalence of anti-dengue immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM (60.0% [confidence interval {CI} 55.39 to 64.48] and 9.2% [CI 6.77 to 12.25], respectively) were observed among refugees >18 years of age (χ22=11.720, p=0.003), Kachin ethnicity (χ28=72.253, p<0.001), without formal education (χ21=3.856, p=0.050), homes near waste disposal sites (χ21=10.378, p=0.001) and refugees who have experienced flooding (χ21=5.460, p=0.019). Meanwhile, the overall seroprevalence of anti-chikungunya IgG and IgM was 9.7% (CI 7.15 to 12.73) and 10.8% (CI 8.09 to 13.93), respectively, with ages 12-18 years (χ22=6.075, p=0.048), Rohingya ethnicity (χ28=31.631, p<0.001) and homes close to waste disposal sites (χ21=3.912, p=0.048) being significant risk factors. Results showed a link to poor environmental living conditions, with an increase in the vector population with higher availability of breeding sites and thus exposure to dengue and chikungunya virus.

    CONCLUSIONS: Health education among the community is the key to disease prevention, as there are no specific antiviral drugs for treatment and limited vaccine availability.

  12. Intestinal parasitic infections and risk analysis among urban refugees in the Klang Valley, Malaysia
    Mohd Hanapi IR, Behnke JM, Sahimin N, Saifulazmi NF, Golam Mohammad Khan ASJ, Abdul Mutalib RNS, et al.
    Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg, 2024 Jan 02;118(1):18-32.
    PMID: 37497742 DOI: 10.1093/trstmh/trad047
    BACKGROUND: Global studies show intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) have been introduced and spread with refugee inflows from low to high socio-economic countries. However, there is relatively limited information on the prevalence of infections among the community.

    METHODS: A 2-year cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors for infections among urban refugees in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. A total of 418 faecal samples were collected and examined by microscopy.

    RESULTS: Faecal screening revealed moderate levels (32.3%) of infections in the community. Three nematode (Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and hookworm) and three protozoan species (Entamoeba, Giardia and Cryptosporidium) were recorded, with the highest prevalence being A. lumbricoides (20.6%) followed by T. trichiura (10.3%), while other infections were <5%. Statistical analysis found that young males with less education were more likely to be infected with helminths. Additionally, living near waste disposal sites, the presence of stray animals, eating with bare hands, bare footedness, poor handwashing practices and no anthelmintic treatment constituted significant risk factors for helminth infections. Protozoan infections were linked to drinking tap water or from water dispensers and poor handwashing practices.

    CONCLUSIONS: These findings emphasize the importance of health education in addition to introduction of biannual anthelmintic treatment to promote community health and well-being.

  13. Fulltext Recovery of Bordetella bronchiseptica sequence type 82 and B. pseudohinzii from urban rats in Terengganu, Malaysia
    Loong SK, Che-Mat-Seri NA, Abdulrazak O, Douadi B, Ahmad-Nasrah SN, Johari J, et al.
    J Vet Med Sci, 2018 Jan 27;80(1):77-84.
    PMID: 29237995 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.17-0218
    Rodents have historically been associated with zoonotic pandemics that claimed the lives of large human populations. Appropriate pathogen surveillance initiatives could contribute to early detection of zoonotic infections to prevent future outbreaks. Bordetella species are bacteria known to cause mild to severe respiratory disease in mammals and, some have been described to infect, colonize and spread in rodents. There is a lack of information on the population diversity of bordetellae among Malaysian wild rodents. Here, bordetellae recovered from lung tissues of wild rats were genotypically characterized using 16S rDNA sequencing, MLST and nrdA typing. A novel B. bronchiseptica ST82, closely related to other human-derived isolates, was discovered in three wild rats (n=3) from Terengganu (5.3333° N, 103.1500° E). B. pseudohinzii, a recently identified laboratory mice inhabitant, was also recovered from one rat (n=1). Both bordetellae displayed identical antimicrobial resistance profiles, indicating the close phylogenetic association between them. Genotyping using the 765-bp nrdA locus was shown to be compatible with the MLST-based phylogeny, with the added advantage of being able to genotype non-classical bordetellae. The recovery of B. pseudohinzii from wild rat implied that this bordetellae has a wider host range than previously thought. The findings from this study suggest that bordetellae surveillance among wild rats in Malaysia has to be continued and expanded to other states to ensure early identification of species capable of causing public health disorder.
  14. Fulltext Isolation and molecular characterization of Leptospira interrogans and Leptospira borgpetersenii isolates from the urban rat populations of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
    Benacer D, Mohd Zain SN, Amran F, Galloway RL, Thong KL
    Am J Trop Med Hyg, 2013 Apr;88(4):704-9.
    PMID: 23358635 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.12-0662
    Rats are considered the principal maintenance hosts of Leptospira. The objectives of this study were isolation and identification of Leptospira serovars circulating among urban rat populations in Kuala Lumpur. Three hundred urban rats (73% Rattus rattus and 27% R. norvegicus) from three different sites were trapped. Twenty cultures were positive for Leptospira using dark-field microscopy. R. rattus was the dominant carrier (70%). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) confirmed that all isolates were pathogenic Leptospira species. Two Leptospira serogroups, Javanica and Bataviae, were identified using microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) identified two serovars in the urban rat populations: L. borgpetersenii serovar Javanica (85%) and L. interrogans serovar Bataviae (15%). We conclude that these two serovars are the major serovars circulating among the urban rat populations in Kuala Lumpur. Despite the low infection rate reported, the high pathogenicity of these serovars raises concern of public health risks caused by rodent transmission of leptospirosis.
  15. Fulltext Seroprevalence of Anti-Leptospira IgG and IgM Antibodies and Risk Assessment of Leptospirosis among Urban Poor Communities in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
    Sahimin N, Sharif SA, Mohd Hanapi IR, Nai Chuan S, Lewis JW, Douadi B, et al.
    Am J Trop Med Hyg, 2019 12;101(6):1265-1271.
    PMID: 31628737 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.19-0003
    Leptospirosis is a zoonotic bacterial disease caused by pathogenic species of the genus Leptospira. Disease incidence is known to be attributed to environmental and social conditions which promote the spread of reservoir hosts, primarily rodents. A well-being program was conducted to determine the seroprevalence and risk factors associated with leptospirosis in urban poor communities occupying low-cost flat accommodation and squatter settlements in the vicinity of Wilayah Persekutuan, Kuala Lumpur. Blood samples from a total of 532 volunteers were screened for the detection of IgG and IgM antibodies against leptospirosis using ELISA. Demographic data were collected for each participant through a questionnaire survey before blood collection. The overall seroprevalence was low (12.6%, n = 67/532; 95% CI: 9.9-15.7%), with 8.1% (n = 43/532) being seropositive for anti-Leptospira IgG, indicating previous infection, and 4.9% (n = 26/532) for anti-Leptospira IgM, indicating current infection. Two significant factors such as host age (P ≤ 0.01) and knowledge of disease transmission (P = 0.017) significantly influenced the presence of anti-Leptospira IgM, whereas the detection of anti-IgG indicated the presence of clean drinking water sources (P = 0.043). Despite the low prevalence, the transmission of leptospirosis does occur among urban poor communities, suggesting the need for undertaking public awareness programs.
  16. Fulltext Assessing the basic knowledge and awareness of dengue fever prevention among migrant workers in Klang Valley, Malaysia
    Chaudhary MN, Lim VC, Faller EM, Regmi P, Aryal N, Mohd Zain SN, et al.
    PLoS One, 2024;19(2):e0297527.
    PMID: 38300963 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297527
    BACKGROUND: Globally, 390 million dengue virus infections occur per year. In Malaysia, migrant workers are particularly vulnerable to dengue fever (DF) due to mosquito breeding sites exposure and poor health literacy. Therefore, this study aimed to (i) assess the current DF knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP), and (ii) identify strategies to promote DF awareness, among migrant workers in Klang Valley.

    METHOD: A survey was conducted with 403 Nepali, Filipino and Indonesian migrant workers through phone interviews and online self-administered questionnaires. Piecewise structural equation modelling was applied to identify predictor variables for DF KAP.

    RESULTS: Most respondents were male, working in the services industry, had completed high school, aged between 30-39 years and with less than ten years work experience in Malaysia. Overall, respondents' knowledge was positively correlated with attitude but negatively with practices. Older respondents, who had completed higher education, obtained higher knowledge scores. Similarly, those with working experience of >20 years in Malaysia obtained higher attitude scores. Respondents with a previous history of DF strongly considered the removal of mosquito breeding sites as their own responsibility, hence tended to frequently practise DF preventive measures. Respondents' knowledge was also positively correlated to their understanding of DF information sourced from social media platforms.

    CONCLUSION: These findings highlighted: (i) the need for targeted DF educational intervention among younger and newly arrived workers with lower levels of education and (ii) maximising the usage of social media platforms to improve DF public awareness.

  17. Prevalence and subtypes of Blastocystis among migrant workers from different working sectors in Peninsular Malaysia
    Sahimin N, Meor Termizi FH, Rajamanikam A, Mohd Nazri NA, Govind SK, Mohd Zain SN
    Parasitol Res, 2020 Oct;119(10):3555-3558.
    PMID: 32875397 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06865-3
    Blastocystis sp. is a common enteric parasite of humans and animals associated with inadequate sanitation and poor personal hygiene. Over the years, the Malaysian thriving economy has been facilitated largely by migrant workers from developing countries, and there is concern that diseases endemic to their countries may be imported. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the current status of Blastocystis infection as well as subtypes (STs) from fecal samples among migrant workers in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Overall, almost a third of the study cohort (30.9%; n = 68/220) screened were infected with Blastocystis sp. predominantly with ST3 (54.5%; n = 12), followed by ST1 (36.4%; n = 8) and ST2 (9.1%; n = 2). Infection levels was almost similar among the different sectors; manufacturing (32.8%), domestic service (32.3%), and food service (27.3%) with common symptoms for infection included stomach and abdominal pain or discomfort and diarrhea (48.5%; n = 33). None of the socio-demographic risk factors evaluated were significant. Therefore, this study warrants continuous monitoring as well as understanding the impact of transmission among the migrant community with the local population especially those involved in food service sector.
  18. Fulltext Current status of Blastocystis sp. in animals from Southeast Asia: a review
    Rauff-Adedotun AA, Mohd Zain SN, Farah Haziqah MT
    Parasitol Res, 2020 Nov;119(11):3559-3570.
    PMID: 32951145 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06828-8
    Blastocystis is the most frequently observed eukaryotic gastrointestinal symbiont in humans and animals. Its low host specificity and zoonotic potential suggest that animals might serve as possible reservoirs for transmission. The prevalence and subtype distributions of Blastocystis sp. in animal populations in Southeast Asia, a hotspot for zoonotic diseases, are reviewed. Recommendations for future research aimed at understanding the zoonotic role of Blastocystis are also included. Seven countries have, so far, reported Blastocystis infection in various animals, such as livestock, poultry, companion animals, and non-human primates. Pigs were the most studied animals, and there were records of 100% prevalence in pigs, cattle, and ostriches. Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based approaches, twelve Blastocystis sp. subtypes (STs), namely ST1, ST2, ST3, ST4, ST5, ST6, ST7, ST8, ST9, ST10, ST12, and ST14 have been recognised infecting animals of Southeast Asia. ST1 and ST5 were the most frequently identified, and Malaysia observed the most diverse distribution of subtypes. Further investigations on Blastocystis sp. in various animal hosts, using adequate sample sizes and uniform detection methods, are essential for a better understanding of the distribution of this organism. Detailed genome studies, especially on STs shared by humans and animals, are also recommended.
  19. Fulltext Determination of Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Javanica and Leptospira interrogans serovar Bataviae as the persistent Leptospira serovars circulating in the urban rat populations in Peninsular Malaysia
    Benacer D, Mohd Zain SN, Sim SZ, Mohd Khalid MK, Galloway RL, Souris M, et al.
    Parasit Vectors, 2016;9:117.
    PMID: 26927873 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1400-1
    Leptospirosis is an emerging infectious disease of global significance, and is endemic in tropical countries, including Malaysia. Over the last decade, a dramatic increase of human cases was reported; however, information on the primary vector, the rat, and the Leptospira serovars circulating among the rat population is limited. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to isolate Leptospira and characterise the serovars circulating in the urban rat populations from selected main cities in Peninsular Malaysia.
  20. Fulltext Ectoparasites of murids in peninsular Malaysia and their associated diseases
    Mohd Zain SN, Amdan SA, Braima KA, Abdul-Aziz NM, Wilson JJ, Sithambaran P, et al.
    Parasit Vectors, 2015;8:254.
    PMID: 25924677 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-015-0850-1
    A considerable number of rat-borne ectoparasite studies have been conducted since the early 1930s in the Malayan Peninsula (now known as peninsular Malaysia). The majority of studies were field surveys and collections of specimens across the region, and were conducted primarily to catalogue the ectoparasite host distribution and discover novel species. This has generated a signification amount of information, particularly on the diversity and host distribution; other aspects such as morphology, host distribution and medical significance have also been investigated. Amongst the four main groups (mites, fleas, ticks, lice), rat-borne mites have received the most attention with a particular emphasis on chiggers, due to their medical importance. More recent studies have examined the distribution of ectoparasites in rats from different habitat type simplicating a high prevalence of zoonotic species infesting rat populations. Despite being capable of transmitting dangerous pathogens to human, the health risks of rat-borne ectoparasites appear to be small with no serious outbreaks of diseases recorded. Although an extensive number of works have been published, there remain gaps in knowledge that need to be addressed, such as, the distribution of under studied ectoparasite groups (listrophorids and myobiids), determining factors influencing infestation, and understanding changes to the population distribution over time.
Related Terms
Filters
Contact Us

Please provide feedback to Administrator (afdal@afpm.org.my)

External Links