Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 262 in total

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  1. Chua, Philip Yi Shean, Lee, Sue Laine, Tow, Zhen Jiang, Mantok, Richmund, Muhamad Khairul Hawari Muhamad Nor, Dorairaja, Lavena, et al.
    Int J Public Health Res, 2013;3(1):223-231.
    MyJurnal
    Rapid Rural Appraisal (RRA) is a systematic, semi-structured activity carried out in the field by a multidisciplinary team that is designed to obtain new information and hypotheses about rural life. This article reports the results of an RRA conducted in Kampung Paris 1 (KGP1), Kinabatangan, Sabah under the Annual Health Promotion Program of the School of Medicine, Universiti Malaysia Sabah. A systematic random sampling was used to recruit the villagers and data was obtained through compilation of pre-existing data, field observation, structured interviews with key informants and villagers. Cardiorespiratory diseases were prevalent in KGP1. Common water sources such as rain water collected in dug wells in KGP1 were unhygienic. Dangerous toxic fumes were produced by the burning of municipal wastes nearby village houses. The villagers of KGP1 were exposed to various farm animals, which may harbor zoonoses. Health care services are limited in KGP1. Villagers who were not poor (>RM897) represented 48% of the population, followed by the poor (RM503-897), 20% and the hardcore poor (1.00 person per bedroom. Poor water hygiene, polluted air from open burning, exposure to farm animals, poverty, poor education, overcrowding and inadequate health care services were among the few possible factors affecting the health of villagers in KGP1. Formal rigorous research should be conducted in the future to facilitate specific health interventions in areas of need such as KGP1.
    Matched MeSH terms: Zoonoses
  2. Henriksson PJG, Rico A, Troell M, Klinger DH, Buschmann AH, Saksida S, et al.
    Sustain Sci, 2018;13(4):1105-1120.
    PMID: 30147798 DOI: 10.1007/s11625-017-0511-8
    Global seafood provides almost 20% of all animal protein in diets, and aquaculture is, despite weakening trends, the fastest growing food sector worldwide. Recent increases in production have largely been achieved through intensification of existing farming systems, resulting in higher risks of disease outbreaks. This has led to increased use of antimicrobials (AMs) and consequent antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in many farming sectors, which may compromise the treatment of bacterial infections in the aquaculture species itself and increase the risks of AMR in humans through zoonotic diseases or through the transfer of AMR genes to human bacteria. Multiple stakeholders have, as a result, criticized the aquaculture industry, resulting in consequent regulations in some countries. AM use in aquaculture differs from that in livestock farming due to aquaculture's greater diversity of species and farming systems, alternative means of AM application, and less consolidated farming practices in many regions. This, together with less research on AM use in aquaculture in general, suggests that large data gaps persist with regards to its overall use, breakdowns by species and system, and how AMs become distributed in, and impact on, the overall social-ecological systems in which they are embedded. This paper identifies the main factors (and challenges) behind application rates, which enables discussion of mitigation pathways. From a set of identified key mechanisms for AM usage, six proximate factors are identified: vulnerability to bacterial disease, AM access, disease diagnostic capacity, AMR, target markets and food safety regulations, and certification. Building upon these can enable local governments to reduce AM use through farmer training, spatial planning, assistance with disease identification, and stricter regulations. National governments and international organizations could, in turn, assist with disease-free juveniles and vaccines, enforce rigid monitoring of the quantity and quality of AMs used by farmers and the AM residues in the farmed species and in the environment, and promote measures to reduce potential human health risks associated with AMR.
    Matched MeSH terms: Zoonoses
  3. Borzée A, McNeely J, Magellan K, Miller JRB, Porter L, Dutta T, et al.
    Trends Ecol Evol, 2020 12;35(12):1052-1055.
    PMID: 33097287 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.10.001
    Zoonosis-based epidemics are inevitable unless we revisit our relationship with the natural world, protect habitats, and regulate wildlife trade, including live animals and non-sustenance products. To prevent future zoonoses, governments must establish effective legislation addressing wildlife trade, protection of habitats, and reduction of the wildlife-livestock-human interface.
    Matched MeSH terms: Zoonoses/epidemiology
  4. Marlina S, Radzi SF, Lani R, Sieng KC, Rahim NF, Hassan H, et al.
    Parasit Vectors, 2014;7:597.
    PMID: 25515627 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-014-0597-0
    West Nile virus (WNV) infection is an emerging zoonotic disease caused by an RNA virus of the genus Flavivirus. WNV is preserved in the environment through cyclic transmission, with mosquitoes, particularly Culex species, serving as a vector, birds as an amplifying host and humans and other mammals as dead-end hosts. To date, no studies have been carried out to determine the prevalence of the WNV antibody in Malaysia. The aim of this study was to screen for the seroprevalence of the WNV in Malaysia's Orang Asli population.
    Matched MeSH terms: Zoonoses
  5. Rajahram GS, Hameed AA, Menon J, William T, Tambyah PA, Yeo TW
    BMC Infect Dis, 2017 03 04;17(1):188.
    PMID: 28257622 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-017-2294-z
    BACKGROUND: Streptococcus Suis (S.suis) is increasingly being recognised as a potentially preventable emerging zoonotic infection in humans with a global distribution. It is a major cause of meningitis especially among those in contact with pigs and has also been associated with a toxic shock syndrome.

    CASE PRESENTATIONS: We report the first two human cases from Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia which expands the global reach of this important pathogen. Here, we illustrate their epidemiological risk factors, clinical presentation and resulting sequelae of both patients.

    CONCLUSION: The continued public health threat of zoonotic infections such as S.suis, highlights the need for accurate epidemiological surveillance, regulation of pig farming, slaughtering and continued advocacy of best practices for pork preparation and consumption.

    Matched MeSH terms: Zoonoses/diagnosis*
  6. Sharma V, Kaushik S, Kumar R, Yadav JP, Kaushik S
    Rev Med Virol, 2019 01;29(1):e2010.
    PMID: 30251294 DOI: 10.1002/rmv.2010
    Since emergence of the Nipah virus (NiV) in 1998 from Malaysia, the NiV virus has reappeared on different occasions causing severe infections in human population associated with high rate of mortality. NiV has been placed along with Hendra virus in genus Henipavirus of family Paramyxoviridae. Fruit bats (Genus Pteropus) are known to be natural host and reservoir of NiV. During the outbreaks from Malaysia and Singapore, the roles of pigs as intermediate host were confirmed. The infection transmitted from bats to pigs and subsequently from pigs to humans. Severe encephalitis was reported in NiV infection often associated with neurological disorders. First NiV outbreak in India occurred in Siliguri district of West Bengal in 2001, where direct transmission of the NiV virus from bats-to-human and human-to-human was reported in contrast to the role of pigs in the Malaysian NiV outbreak. Regular NiV outbreaks have been reported from Bangladesh since 2001 to 2015. The latest outbreak of NiV has been recorded in May, 2018 from Kerala, India which resulted in the death of 17 individuals. Due to lack of vaccines and effective antivirals, Nipah encephalitis poses a great threat to public health. Routine surveillance studies in the infected areas can be useful in detecting early signs of infection and help in containment of these outbreaks.
    Matched MeSH terms: Zoonoses/epidemiology*; Zoonoses/virology*
  7. NUR ATHIRAH ASRIF, KARIM NURQAMAREENA, YEE LING CHONG
    MyJurnal
    Birds are easily infested with ectoparasites due to their fitness, foraging behaviour, nesting cavities, micro- and macro-habitats. However, the status of ectoparasite infestation on birds in Sarawak is widely unknown. Rice field provides food resources to a variety of birds. This study was conducted to determine the species composition of ectoparasites from birds in a rice field at Kuap Village, Samarahan, Sarawak. A total of 69 birds consists of five species were caught from the rice field and the most common bird species found was the Chestnut Munia (Lonchura atricapilla). From these, 55 were found infested with ectoparasites with the infestation prevalence of 79.71%. A total of 2,513 ectoparasites from eight species were recovered from this study which comprised of six species of mites, one species of soft tick, and one species from the class Insecta. The most dominant ectoparasite species was mite namely, Nanopterodectes sp. with a total of 1,626 individuals. This baseline data on the ectoparasite composition and infestation of birds is important as some of the ectoparasites have the potential in transmitting zoonotic diseases to the farmers working at the rice fields in this region.
    Matched MeSH terms: Zoonoses
  8. Adrian MS, Sani RA, Hassan L, Wong MT
    Trop Anim Health Prod, 2010 Feb;42(2):145-50.
    PMID: 19642008 DOI: 10.1007/s11250-009-9406-8
    Matched MeSH terms: Zoonoses/epidemiology; Zoonoses/parasitology*
  9. Yaiw KC, Crameri G, Wang L, Chong HT, Chua KB, Tan CT, et al.
    J Infect Dis, 2007 Sep 15;196(6):884-6.
    PMID: 17703419
    Tioman virus, a relatively new paramyxovirus, was isolated from fruit bats (Pteropus species) on Tioman Island, Malaysia, in 2001. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of antibodies to T. virus in island inhabitants, by use of comparative ELISA and serum neutralization assays. Of the 169 human sera analyzed, 5 (approximately 3.0%) were positive for T. virus, by comparative ELISA. Of these 5 sera, 3 (1.8% of the total) had neutralizing antibodies against T. virus, suggesting previous infection of this study population by this virus or a similar virus.
    Matched MeSH terms: Zoonoses
  10. Wolfe N
    Sci. Am., 2009 Apr;300(4):76-81.
    PMID: 19363924
    Matched MeSH terms: Zoonoses/microbiology; Zoonoses/epidemiology; Zoonoses/transmission
  11. Wiwanitkit V
    J Feline Med Surg, 2010 Apr;12(4):359; author reply 360.
    PMID: 20005142 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfms.2009.11.002
    Matched MeSH terms: Zoonoses
  12. Mackenzie JS, Williams DT
    Zoonoses Public Health, 2009 Aug;56(6-7):338-56.
    PMID: 19486319 DOI: 10.1111/j.1863-2378.2008.01208.x
    The genus Flaviviridae comprises about 70 members, of which about 30 are found in southern, south-eastern and eastern Asia and Australasia. These include major pathogens such as Japanese encephalitis (JE), West Nile (WN), Murray Valley encephalitis (MVE), tick-borne encephalitis, Kyasanur Forest disease virus, and the dengue viruses. Other members are known to be associated with mild febrile disease in humans, or with no known disease. In addition, novel flaviviruses continue to be discovered, as demonstrated recently by New Mapoon virus in Australia, Sitiawan virus in Malaysia, and ThCAr virus in Thailand. About 19 of these viruses are mosquito-borne, six are tick-borne, and four have no known vector and represent isolates from rodents or bats. Evidence from phylogenetic studies suggest that JE, MVE and Alfuy viruses probably emerged in the Malaya-Indonesian region from an African progenitor virus, possibly a virus related to Usutu virus. WN virus, however, is believed to have emerged in Africa, and then dispersed through avian migration. Evidence suggests that there are at least seven genetic lineages of WN virus, of which lineage 1b spread to Australasia as Kunjin virus, lineages 1a and 5 spread to India, and lineage 6 spread to Malaysia. Indeed, flaviviruses have a propensity to spread and emerge in new geographic areas, and they represent a potential source for new disease emergence. Many of the factors associated with disease emergence are present in the region, such as changes in land use and deforestation, increasing population movement, urbanization, and increasing trade. Furthermore, because of their ecology and dependence on climate, there is a strong likelihood that global warming may significantly increase the potential for disease emergence and/or spread.
    Matched MeSH terms: Zoonoses*
  13. Westbury HA
    Rev. - Off. Int. Epizoot., 2000 Apr;19(1):151-9.
    PMID: 11189712
    The author provides an account of the discovery of a previously undescribed disease of horses and a description of the studies involved in determining the aetiology of the disease. The causative virus, now named Hendra virus (HeV), is the reference virus for a proposed new genus within the virus family Paramyxoviridae. The virus is a lethal zoonotic agent able to cause natural disease in humans and horses and experimentally induced disease in cats, guinea-pigs and mice. The virus also naturally infects species of the family Megachiroptera, mainly subclinically, and such animals are the natural host of HeV. The virus appears to transmit readily between species of Megachiroptera, but not readily between horses under natural and experimental conditions, or from horses to humans. The method of transmission from bats to horses is not known. Three incidents of HeV disease in horses have been recorded in Australia--two in 1994 which caused the death of two humans and fifteen horses and one in 1999 which involved the death of a single horse. Hendra virus is related to Nipah virus, the virus that caused disease and mortality in humans, pigs, dogs and cats in Malaysia during 1998 and 1999.
    Matched MeSH terms: Zoonoses/epidemiology; Zoonoses/transmission; Zoonoses/virology*
  14. Westbury H
    Vet J, 2000 Nov;160(3):165-6.
    PMID: 11061952
    Matched MeSH terms: Zoonoses/transmission; Zoonoses/virology*
  15. Davidson G, Chua TH, Cook A, Speldewinde P, Weinstein P
    Ecohealth, 2019 12;16(4):594-610.
    PMID: 30675676 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-019-01395-6
    Defining the linkages between landscape change, disease ecology and human health is essential to explain and predict the emergence of Plasmodium knowlesi malaria, a zoonotic parasite residing in Southeast Asian macaques, and transmitted by species of Anopheles mosquitos. Changing patterns of land use throughout Southeast Asia, particularly deforestation, are suggested to be the primary drivers behind the recent spread of this zoonotic parasite in humans. Local ecological changes at the landscape scale appear to be increasing the risk of disease in humans by altering the dynamics of transmission between the parasite and its primary hosts. This paper will focus on the emergence of P. knowlesi in humans in Malaysian Borneo and the ecological linkage mechanisms suggested to be playing an important role.
    Matched MeSH terms: Zoonoses/epidemiology; Zoonoses/transmission*
  16. Davidson G, Chua TH, Cook A, Speldewinde P, Weinstein P
    Malar J, 2019 Mar 08;18(1):66.
    PMID: 30849978 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-019-2693-2
    Plasmodium knowlesi is a zoonotic malaria parasite normally residing in long-tailed and pig-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis and Macaca nemestrina, respectively) found throughout Southeast Asia. Recently, knowlesi malaria has become the predominant malaria affecting humans in Malaysian Borneo, being responsible for approximately 70% of reported cases. Largely as a result of anthropogenic land use changes in Borneo, vectors which transmit the parasite, along with macaque hosts, are both now frequently found in disturbed forest habitats, or at the forest fringes, thus having more frequent contact with humans. Having access to human hosts provides the parasite with the opportunity to further its adaption to the human immune system. The ecological drivers of the transmission and spread of P. knowlesi are operating over many different spatial (and, therefore, temporal) scales, from the molecular to the continental. Strategies to prevent and manage zoonoses, such as P. knowlesi malaria require interdisciplinary research exploring the impact of land use change and biodiversity loss on the evolving relationship between parasite, reservoir hosts, vectors, and humans over multiple spatial scales.
    Matched MeSH terms: Zoonoses/epidemiology; Zoonoses/parasitology; Zoonoses/transmission*
  17. Lim, M.L., Ismail, S.S., Rahman, N., Watanabe, M.
    Jurnal Veterinar Malaysia, 2015;27(1):24-26.
    MyJurnal
    Melioidosis is a zoonotic disease as a result of infection by Burkholderia pseudomallei. It is of significant public health
    concern due to its ubiquitous nature with high morbidity and mortality in humans and animals. In cats, the disease is usually reported
    with abscess formation in lung, liver and spleen, however, isolated articular melioidosis is rare. A 1-year-old, a female Domestic
    Shorthair cat was presented to University Veterinary Hospital, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UVH-UPM) with swollen right elbow and
    non weight bearing lameness of the right forelimb. Physical examination revealed pyrexia, soft tissue swelling and pain upon
    palpation of the right elbow joint. Radiographs of the right forelimb revealed osteolysis at the distal third of the humerus and
    proximal radius and ulna, cortical thinning at the olecranon and soft tissue swelling around the elbow joint. Bacterial culture of the
    joint fluid revealed positive growth for Burkholderia pseudomallei. Unfortunately, the owner opted to euthanise the cat citing
    personal reasons. Upon necropsy, there was presence of multiple caseous nodules within the right elbow joint cavity only and none
    of the other limbs, lung, spleen and liver was affected. It is important for veterinarian to be aware of septic arthritis and osteomyelitis
    form of melioidosis.
    Matched MeSH terms: Zoonoses
  18. Cheong WH, Ben Omar AH, Warren M
    Med J Malaya, 1966 Jun;20(4):327-9.
    PMID: 4380826
    Matched MeSH terms: Zoonoses/epidemiology
  19. Chua KB, Voon K, Yu M, Keniscope C, Abdul Rasid K, Wang LF
    PLoS One, 2011;6(10):e25434.
    PMID: 22022394 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0025434
    Bats are increasingly being recognized as important reservoir hosts for a large number of viruses, some of them can be highly virulent when they infect human and livestock animals. Among the new bat zoonotic viruses discovered in recent years, several reoviruses (respiratory enteric orphan viruses) were found to be able to cause acute respiratory infections in humans, which included Melaka and Kampar viruses discovered in Malaysia, all of them belong to the genus Orthoreovirus, family Reoviridae. In this report, we describe the isolation of a highly related virus from an adult patient who suffered acute respiratory illness in Malaysia. Although there was no direct evidence of bat origin, epidemiological study indicated the potential exposure of the patient to bats before the onset of disease. The current study further demonstrates that spillover events of different strains of related orthoreoviruses from bats to humans are occurring on a regular basis, which calls for more intensive and systematic surveillances to fully assess the true public health impact of these newly discovered bat-borne zoonotic reoviruses.
    Matched MeSH terms: Zoonoses/epidemiology; Zoonoses/transmission*; Zoonoses/virology*
  20. Chua KB, Chua BH, Wang CW
    Malays J Pathol, 2002 Jun;24(1):15-21.
    PMID: 16329551
    In late 1998, a novel paramyxovirus named Nipah virus, emerged in Malaysia, causing fatal disease in domestic pigs and humans with substantial economic loss to the local pig industry. Pteropid fruitbats have since been identified as a natural reservoir host. Over the last two decades, the forest habitat of these bats in Southeast Asia has been substantially reduced by deforestation for pulpwood and industrial plantation. In 1997/1998, slash-and-burn deforestation resulted in the formation of a severe haze that blanketed much of Southeast Asia in the months directly preceding the Nipah virus disease outbreak. This was exacerbated by a drought driven by the severe 1997-1998 El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event. We present data suggesting that this series of events led to a reduction in the availability of flowering and fruiting forest trees for foraging by fruitbats and culminated in unprecedented encroachment of fruitbats into cultivated fruit orchards in 1997/1998. These anthropogenic events, coupled with the location of piggeries in orchards and the design of pigsties allowed transmission of a novel paramyxovirus from its reservoir host to the domestic pig and ultimately to the human population.
    Matched MeSH terms: Zoonoses/etiology; Zoonoses/epidemiology
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