Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 161 in total

Abstract:
Sort:
  1. Ross IN, Madhavan HN, Tan SH, Abdul Rahim K
    Med J Malaysia, 1985 Dec;40(4):301-6.
    PMID: 3025569
    Serological markers were used to determine the infective agents causing acute viral hepatitis in 246 patients. The frequencies of the five viral infections investigated were: non-A, non-B hepatitis - 99 patients (40.2%); hepatitis A - 98 patients (39.8%); hepatitis B - 43 patients (17.5%); cytomegalovirus - 4 patients (1.6%); and Epstein-Barr virus - 2 patients (0.8%). The log mean ages of presentation for the three predominant infections were: hepatitis A - 18 years; hepatitis B - 25 years; and non-A, non-B hepatitis - 30 years (F = 18.8, p =< 0.001). 52% of all cases were Malays (expected 32. 7%); 32% Chinese (expected 54.6%); and 16% Indians (expected 1l.5%) (X2 = 53, p = < 0.001). Hepatitis A virus infection was more common amongst Malays whilst non-A, non-B hepatitis was more frequent amongst Chinese and Indians. 28% of children <16 years) and 50% of adults had serological markers of previous hepatitis B infection. The variation in frequency for the different forms of hepatitis amongst the three main ethnic groups would suggest that socioeconomic and/or cultural factors are important in the propagation of acute viral hepatitis in Malaysia. HBsAg-negative chronic liver disease in our community may be a product of the high incidence of non-A, non-B hepatitis.
    Matched MeSH terms: Hepatitis C/epidemiology*
  2. Tan DS, Dimitrakakis M, Zaini Rahman M, Fang R, Collett D, Ooi BG, et al.
    PMID: 3024325
    Icteric patients with clinical and biochemical evidence of liver disease, admitted into various hospitals in Malaysia, were investigated to determine the cause of their infection. Of these patients, 11.0% (16/145) were found positive for IgM anti-HAV (EIA), 4.1% (6/145) for IgM anti-HBc (EIA), 1.0% (1/102) for IgM anti-CMV (ELISA), 17.2% (16/64) for rising titres of leptospiral agglutinin, and none for heterophile antibody of EBV. Hepatitis NANB accounted for 67.9% of cases. The mean serum transaminases (ALT and AST) values in patients with hepatitis A and B were higher (more than 500IU) than in patients with leptospirosis or non-A, non-B hepatitis, whereas serum bilirubin levels were higher in patients with hepatitis A and leptospirosis than in patients with hepatitis B.
    Matched MeSH terms: Hepatitis C/etiology
  3. Sinniah M
    Med J Malaysia, 1992 Sep;47(3):155-7.
    PMID: 1283439
    Matched MeSH terms: Hepatitis C/epidemiology*; Hepatitis C/transmission; Hepatitis C Antibodies
  4. Merican MI
    Med J Malaysia, 1992 Sep;47(3):158-69.
    PMID: 1283440
    The identification of the Hepatitis C virus using molecular cloning techniques, besides making the term Non-A Non-B Hepatitis obsolete, enables the development of specific assays for the detection of antibodies in HCV-infected individuals, thus making it possible to obtain sero-epidemiological data of the disease. The carriage of Hepatitis C antibody varies worldwide. The disease is most prevalent in intravenous drug abusers or haemophiliacs. Parenteral transmission is the most important route of transmission. Sexual, intra-familial and perinatal transmissions are uncommon. About 40% could be community-acquired (sporadic). Diagnostic tests include enzyme-linked immunosorbant (ELISA) anti-HCV assay, recombinant immunoblot assay, HCV-RNA by polymerase chain reaction and HCV-Ag. More than 50% of acute cases becomes chronic and runs a benign and indolent course. About 20% progress to cirrhosis and some of these develop hepatocellular carcinoma. Several published trials have consistently shown that treatment with interferon in some patients is useful. There is however a relapse rate of 50%. Further trials with interferon and other anti-viral agents like ribavirin are awaited for more effective treatment.
    Matched MeSH terms: Hepatitis C Antibodies
  5. Sinniah M, Ooi BG
    Singapore Med J, 1993 Apr;34(2):132-4.
    PMID: 8266152
    We studied the presence of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) antibodies in a defined Malaysian population and examined the association, if any, between HCV and the Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), using sensitive recombinant DNA second generation Enzyme Immunoassay (EIA) test kits. This sero-prevalence study comprised 1,434 sera from eleven distinct groups comprising intravenous drug users (IVDU), haemophiliacs, male homosexuals, female prostitutes, healthy blood donors, staff of dialysis unit and laboratory personnel, chronic renal failure patients undergoing dialysis (CRFD), patients with liver cirrhosis, chronic active hepatitis, chronic persistent hepatitis and primary liver cancer. Except in laboratory personnel and dialysis staff, HCV antibodies were detected in each group of patients ranging from 3% in blood donors to 85% in IVDU. The main modes of HCV transmission identified were parenteral drug use, transfusion and/or dialysis related. The HBV was found to be the major viral etiological agent in 75% of chronic liver disease (CLD); while in 10% of cases both HCV and HBV were detected. HCV was implicated as the sole viral agent in only a small proportion (1.5%) of patients with chronic liver disease.
    Matched MeSH terms: Hepatitis C/epidemiology*
  6. Duraisamy G, Zuridah H, Ariffin MY
    Med J Malaysia, 1993 Sep;48(3):313-6.
    PMID: 7514258
    Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the chief aetiologic agent for the parenterally transmitted Non-A, Non-B (NANB) hepatitis. This preliminary study was done to determine the prevalence of anti-HCV in the blood donor population. Blood from 3,540 donors who donated blood to the Blood Services Centre, Hospital, Kuala Lumpur, from 25th August 1991 to 13th January 1992, was tested for anti-HCV using both the Ortho and Abbott 2nd Generation ELISA test kits. ELISA positive specimens were repeated twice but no confirmatory test was done. There were 53 out of 3,540 (1.49%) blood donors who were repeatedly reactive to anti-HCV by ELISA. We plan to do further tests to confirm the results, using RIBA-2 or Abbott Neutralising test. Twenty eight out of 1,713 (1.63%) Malays, 22 out of 1,373 (1.60%) Chinese and 2 out of 393 (0.50%) Indians had antibodies to HCV. There was no significant difference in prevalence in the different age groups. The majority of donors tested were males (3,511 out of 3,540) of which 53 (1.50%) were anti-HCV positive. Only 29 females were tested and all were negative. To determine infectivity of the anti-HCV positive cases we would like to introduce testing for RNA by polymerate chain reaction (PCR). Screening all donated blood for anti-HCV will decrease, but not totally eliminate, post-transfusion hepatitis.
    Matched MeSH terms: Hepatitis C/immunology*; Hepatitis C Antibodies
  7. Ng KP, Saw TL, Wong NW, Goh KL, Chuah SY, Nagaratnam M
    Med J Malaysia, 1995 Dec;50(4):302-5.
    PMID: 8668047
    Anti-HCV antibody was detected in 1.9% of the blood donors in University Hospital. Among the risk groups, 33.3% of the patients with post-transfusion hepatitis were tested positive for anti-HCV antibody. The anti-HCV antibody was detected in 30% of the IDU. Haemodialysis patients, patients with acute and chronic hepatitis and patients with liver cirrhosis appeared to have increased risk of Hepatitis C virus infection. The results indicate that the frequency of HCV infection increases with the exposure to blood or blood products.
    Matched MeSH terms: Hepatitis C Antibodies/blood*
  8. Mellor J, Walsh EA, Prescott LE, Jarvis LM, Davidson F, Yap PL, et al.
    J Clin Microbiol, 1996 Feb;34(2):417-23.
    PMID: 8789027
    Previous surveys of the prevalences of genotypes of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in different populations have often used genotyping assays based upon analysis of amplified sequences from the 5' noncoding region (5'NCR), such as restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) or hybridization with type-specific probes (e.g., InnoLipa). Although highly conserved, this region contains several type-specific nucleotide polymorphisms that allow major genotypes 1 to 6 to be reliably identified. Recently, however, novel HCV variants found in Vietnam and Thailand that are distantly related to the type 6a genotype (type 6 group) by phylogenetic analysis of coding regions of the genome often have sequences in the 5'NCR that are similar or identical to those of type 1 and could therefore not be identified by an assay of sequences in this region. We developed a new genotyping assay based upon RFLP of sequences amplified from the more variable core region to investigate their distribution elsewhere in southeast (SE) Asia. Among 108 samples from blood donors in seven areas that were identified as type 1 by RFLP in the 5'NCR, type 6 group variants were found in Thailand (7 from 28 samples originally identified as type 1) and Burma (Myanmar) (1 of 3) but were not found in Hong Kong (n = 43), Macau (n = 8), Taiwan (n = 6), Singapore (n = 2), or Malaysia (n = 18). Although this small survey suggests a relatively limited distribution for type 6 group variants in SE Asia, larger studies will be required to explore their distribution in other geographical regions and the extent to which their presence would limit the practical usefulness of 5'NCR-based genotyping assays for clinical or epidemiological purposes.
    Matched MeSH terms: Hepatitis C/epidemiology; Hepatitis C/virology
  9. Ooi BG, Sinniah M, Ismail S, Baharuddin R
    Malays J Pathol, 1996 Dec;18(2):89-93.
    PMID: 10879228
    The Serodia-HCV Particle Agglutination (HCV-PA) for the detection of HCV antibodies was compared with the Enzyme Immunoassay Test (UBI HCV EIA) for possible in-house use. A total of 150 specimens were analysed using UBI HCV EIA and Serodia-HCV PA. Of these, 80 (53.3%) were both PA and EIA positive and 59 (39.3%) were negative by both techniques. Eleven sera (7.4%) were found to be EIA-positive but PA-negative. These 11 discordant sera were further tested by the LiaTek-HCV III Immunoassay (Organon Teknika). Ten were found to be line immunoassay negative and one was line immunoassay positive. Failure of the PA to detect the HCV positive serum meant that a small proportion of HCV antibody positives may be missed by the PA test. We conclude that (i) EIA should continue to be the first line screening test in our laboratory, (ii) PA with its 100% specificity could be a useful supplementary screen for all EIA-positive sera and finally (iii) line immunoassay could be used on sera to resolve discordant results in the EIA and PA assays.
    Matched MeSH terms: Hepatitis C/blood; Hepatitis C/diagnosis*; Hepatitis C/immunology; Hepatitis C Antibodies/blood*
  10. Yasmin AM
    Med J Malaysia, 1997 Jun;52(2):188-92; quiz 193.
    PMID: 10968083
    Matched MeSH terms: Hepatitis C/complications; Hepatitis C/drug therapy
  11. Menon BS, Aiyar S
    Med J Malaysia, 1997 Dec;52(4):331-4.
    PMID: 10968109
    This study examined the prevalence of hepatitis B and C markers in 55 paediatric oncology patients who had completed treatment at the Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia in Kota Baru. All these children had received blood products and had been treated between 1985-1996. Forty seven per cent of patients were positive for hepatitis B or C. Twenty nine per cent were positive for hepatitis C and twenty two per cent were HBsAg positive. Two children were positive for both and none were HIV positive. Four children had an elevated ALT level and one child had jaundice and hepatomegaly. Some children were marker-positive despite immunization and screening of blood.
    Matched MeSH terms: Hepatitis C Antibodies/blood*
  12. Jamal R, Fadzillah G, Zulkifli SZ, Yasmin M
    PMID: 10772566
    Regular blood transfusions for patients with thalassemia have improved their overall survival although these transfusions carry a definite risk of the transmission of certain viruses. Infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), cytomegalovirus (CMV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) leads to complications which contribute to the morbidity and mortality of patients with thalassemia. We analyzed the blood samples taken from 85 transfusion dependent thalassemics receiving treatment at the day care center in Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and found that the seroprevalence rates for HBV, HCV and CMV were 2.4%, 22.4% and 91.8% respectively. None of the patients tested positive for HIV. Those positive for HBV and HCV will require further tests and treatment if chronic hepatitis is confirmed.
    Matched MeSH terms: Hepatitis C/etiology; Hepatitis C/epidemiology
  13. Ghazali, F., Jamal, R., Zakaria, S.Z., Ismail, Z.H., Malik, Y.
    MyJurnal
    The two vital aspects of treatment for patients with tha-lassaemia are regular blood transfusions and iron chela-tion therapy. Unfortunately, the use of blood transfu-sions exposes these patients to the risks of acquiring transfusion related viral infections such as hepatitis C. Patients who acquire the hepatitis C virus (HCV) may develop chronic hepatitis and later on hepatocellular carcinoma. Hence, patients with thalassaemia should be regularly screened for the presence of HCV. We report here the results of a cross-sectional study conducted in a typical day-care centre for thalassaemics at the Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, involving 85 multiply transfused patients. We found that 19 patients (22.4%) were seropositive for HCV and two of them had positive HCV-RNA. Those who had started receiv-ing their transfusions before 1995, i.e. the year routine screening for HCV amongst blood donors were com-menced, and those who received transfusions 2-4 week-ly had a significantly higher risk of acquiring HCV infection.
    Matched MeSH terms: Hepatitis C
  14. Rahman Jamal
    MyJurnal
    The thalassaemias are the commonest single gene disorders amongst the inherited diseases. In Malaysia, there are an estimated 2200 transfusion dependent thalassaemia patients. With a carrier rate of 3-5%, 120-340 new cases of thalassaemia are expected to be born each year. The reference treatments for these patients are regular blood transfusions and iron chelation therapy. With optimal management, these patients are able to survive into the third or fourth decade of life and most importantly avoid the complications related to transfusions and iron overload. The use of desferal locally is still limited to only those who can afford i.e. about 30% of the cases. Treatment for some of the complications such as hepatitis C, diabetes mellitus, growth impairment and pubertal delay, are now available. Curative treatment approaches like bone marrow transplantation have now become standard treatment for eligible cases whilst cord blood transplantation may yet offer hope for those who are without compatible sibling donors. Research on globin gene therapy looks very promising but will probably take some time to deliver. Hb F switching is a very novel idea but so far the results are mainly anecdotal. Finally, the strive for optimal management of thalassaemia must come hand in hand with a prevention programme to achieve a reduction of new cases.
    Matched MeSH terms: Hepatitis C
  15. Lam SK, Ng KP, Ngeow YF, Puthucheary SD
    JUMMEC, 1998;3:61-62.
    During the study period, a total of 241 foreign workers were examined. The countries represented were Indonesia (103), Bangladesh (133), Myanmar (I), Pakistan (3) and others (1). The specimens collected were blood (238) and stool samples (173). The tests conducted on blood samples were for syphilis by RPR and TPHA, HIV, Hepatitis B, and from stool samples, enteric pathogens such as Salirzoirella spp, Shigelln spp. and Vibrio clrolerne. Table I shows the type of tests performed on the various nationalities and Table 2 the results of testing. Of the 230 blood samples tested by RPWPHA, five were positive, one from Indonesia (1.09%) and four from Bangladesh (3.79%). There was only one sample of blood out of 238 tested which was HIV positive (0.42%) and this was in an Indonesian. Twenty three workers were found to be Hepatitis B antigen positive (9.66%), 10 out of 102 (9.80%) from Indonesia and 13 out of 131 from Bangladesh (9.92%). As for the entric bacterial pathogens, only six out of 173 stool samples tested were positive, five for Saliizoilella Spp. and one for Slligdla sp. Of the five positives for Salmonella, one was from Indonesia and four from Bangladesh. The single isolate of Shigella was from Pakistan. From this pretiniinary study, it is obvious that hepatitis B is the most important problem among the workers from Indonesia and Bangladesh. The second of importance is venereal disease and enteric bacteria among Bangladesh workers. The other three national groups are too small to be analyzed. It is interesting to note that although these workers are supposed to have been screened for venereal diseases, a number of them were still found to be positive. However, we are not certain that these might not have been acquired locally. There was only one case of HIV detected but if the foreign workers continue with their pronliscuous lifestyle they are likely to pick up other sexually transmitted diseases including HIV and chlamydia1 infections. For those who were found to be stool positive for enteric pathogens, it is important to determine whether they are food-handlers as they will prove a significant risk for the spread of infections. Originally, it was intended to test blood samples for hepatitis C and E markers since the incidence in foreign countries from which the workers come are higher. However, due to the shortage of the samples, this had to be deferred. In the light that hepatitis carriage rate is the highest for the microbes tested, it is important to include these two markers in future studies.
    Matched MeSH terms: Hepatitis C
  16. Sachithanandan S, Fielding JF
    Med J Malaysia, 1999 Mar;54(1):110-3.
    PMID: 10972013
    The aim of this study was to determine if knowledge of both the serum HCV RNA and serum anti core IgM antibody status enabled one to predict the histological severity in chronic hepatitis C. We studied 45 female patients with chronic hepatitis C infection. The presence or absence of IgM antibodies to HCV and HCV RNA by PCR in each patient's serum was determined. Liver biopsies performed were scored according to a modified Desmet's histological activity index. Negative HCV RNA patients had least histological change. HCV RNA positive patients who were also IgM antibody positive had lower scores than their IgM negative counterparts. The grade of histological severity is more accurately predictable from knowledge of both the HCV RNA and IgM anti HCV status of the patient.
    Matched MeSH terms: Hepatitis C Antibodies/analysis*; Hepatitis C, Chronic/pathology*
  17. Teo SM, Morad Z
    Transplant Proc, 2000 Nov;32(7):1950-1.
    PMID: 11120015
    Matched MeSH terms: Hepatitis C, Chronic/mortality; Hepatitis C, Chronic/epidemiology*
  18. Lee WS, Ng KP
    Singapore Med J, 2001 Mar;42(3):100-1.
    PMID: 11405558
    A pilot study to determine the seroprevalence of anti-HCV among children from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, was conducted using microparticle enzyme immunoassay. Serum samples were obtained randomly from children, aged between one to 16 years of age, admitted to the paediatric unit of University of Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur for various medical reasons. Of the 179 samples assayed, only one was positive, giving the prevalence rate of 0.6%. It is reasonable to conclude that the seroprevalence of anti-HCV among children from Kuala Lumpur is low, less than 1%.
    Matched MeSH terms: Hepatitis C/blood; Hepatitis C/epidemiology*; Hepatitis C Antibodies/blood*
  19. Suresh RL, Kananathan R, Merican I
    Med J Malaysia, 2001 Jun;56(2):243-7.
    PMID: 11771088
    An analysis of 105 consecutive patients with chronic hepatitis C at the gastroenterology outpatient's clinic in Hospital Kuala Lumpur was performed. The clinical, laboratory and virological data was prospectively recorded in the case notes and comprised of data on patient characteristics, risk factors, clinical features, laboratory features, virology screen and management. Chronic Hepatitis C cases accounted for 2.1% of the total number of cases seen at this clinic during the entire period. There were 78 (74%) males and 27 (26%) females. The ethnic breakdown consisted of Chinese (44.2%), Malays (39.4%), Indians (15.4%) and others (1%). There was higher male preponderance in all the ethnic groups. The main mode of transmission was blood transfusion comprising 51 patients (48.8%). A total of 35.2% of cases underwent treatment, of which a proportion had interferon monotherapy for 6 or 12 months and a subsequent group of naïve patients and non-responders underwent combination therapy with interferon and ribavarin.
    Matched MeSH terms: Hepatitis C, Chronic/epidemiology*; Hepatitis C, Chronic/pathology; Hepatitis C, Chronic/virology
  20. Hamidah A, Yong JF, Zulkifli HI, Jamal R
    Med J Malaysia, 2002 Sep;57(3):353-6.
    PMID: 12440276
    We describe two cases of transfusion dependent thalassaemics with chronic hepatitis C virus infection whom were treated successfully with interferon and ribavirin, following failure of response or relapse after an initial response to interferon monotherapy. They had sustained virological response for more than twelve months after completing therapy. Transfusion requirements were significantly increased during the combination therapy, probably due to ribavirin-induced haemolysis. Serum ferritin level decreased significantly during the treatment. Combination therapy with interferon alfa and ribavirin may be a feasible treatment option for some nonresponders to prior interferon monotherapy.
    Matched MeSH terms: Hepatitis C, Chronic/complications*; Hepatitis C, Chronic/drug therapy*
Filters
Contact Us

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

External Links