MyMedR

A Critical Appraisal of COVID-19 in Malaysia and Beyond

Abdullah JM, Wan Ismail WFN, Mohamad I, Ab Razak A, Harun A, Musa KI, et al.

Malays J Med Sci, 2020 Mar;27(2):1-9.

PMID: 32308536 DOI: 10.21315/mjms2020.27.2.1

When the first report of COVID-19 appeared in December 2019 from Wuhan, China, the world unknowingly perceived this as another flu-like illness. Many were surprised at the extreme steps that China had subsequently taken to seal Wuhan from the rest of the world. However, by February 2020, the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, had spread so quickly across the globe that the World Health Organization officially declared COVID-19 a pandemic. COVID-19 is not the first pandemic the world has seen, so what makes it so unique in Malaysia, is discussed to avoid a future coronacoma.

Matched MeSH terms: Virus Diseases

HIV in Southeast Asia

Abrams S

Harv AIDS Rev, 1998.

PMID: 12294443

Matched MeSH terms: Virus Diseases

Fulltext Detection of apoptotic cells in Vero cell cultures inoculated with samples derived from fatal cases of Sarawak acute childhood viral infection

AbuBakar S, Shafee N, Chee HY

Med J Malaysia, 1998 Sep;53(3):293-5.

PMID: 10968171

Infectious agent(s) causing the fatal Sarawak acute childhood viral infection (SACVI) has not been identified. In the present study, results indicating that inocula prepared from the fatal cases of SACVI induced apoptosis in Vero cell cultures are presented. These findings suggest the possible involvement of apoptotic cellular responses in SACVI.

Matched MeSH terms: Virus Diseases/genetics; Virus Diseases/mortality; Virus Diseases/physiopathology*

Fulltext Spectrum of Viral Infections Among Primary Immunodeficient Children: Report From a National Registry

Al-Herz W, Essa S

Front Immunol, 2019;10:1231.

PMID: 31191561 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.01231

Objective: To present the frequency and spectrum of viral infections in primary immunodeficient children. Methods: The data was obtained from the Kuwait National Primary Immunodeficiency Disorders (PIDs) Registry during the period of 2004-2018. Results: A total of 274 PID children were registered in KNPIDR during the study period with predominance of immunodeficiencies affecting cellular and humoral immunity, followed by combined immunodeficiencies with associated syndromic features and diseases of immune dysregulation. Overall infectious complications affected 82.4% of the patients, and viral infections affected 31.7% of the registered patients. Forty-five patients (16.4%) developed viral infections caused by at least 2 organisms, among those 20 patients were affected by three or more viral infections. There was a statistically significant association between viral infections and PID category. However, there was no statistically significant association between viral infections and gender or the patients' onset age. There was a total of 170 viral infections during the study period and the causes of these infections were predominated by CMV (22.2%), adenovirus (11.7%), EBV (11.1%), and enteroviruses (7.4%). CMV and parainfluenza infections were more common in the group of immunodeficiencies affecting cellular and humoral immunity while EBV and human papilloma virus (HPV) were more common in the immune dysregulation group and combined immunodeficiencies with associated syndromic features, respectively. The most common presentation was viremia (28.8%) followed by pneumonia (28.2%) and skin infections (17.6%). The most common causes of viremia were CMV followed by adenovirus and EBV, while the most common organisms causing pneumonia were CMV followed by rhinovirus and parainfluenza. There were 80 deaths among the registered patients, 10% were caused by viral infections. Conclusions: Viral infections are common in PIDs and result into a wide-range of clinical manifestations causing significant morbidity and mortality.

Matched MeSH terms: Virus Diseases/epidemiology*; Virus Diseases/virology

Fulltext Kashima operation: an endoscopic phonosurgery by laser for bilateral vocal cord palsy

Alamgir Chowdhury, M., Farid Hossain Chowdhury, Khaled Bin Shahabuddin, Tofazzal Hossain, A.B.M., Shaila Kabir

Borneo Journal of Medical Sciences, 2021;15(1):31-35.

MyJurnal

Complete or partial restriction of the vocal cords usually occurs due to cancer, neurologic causes or mechanical causes like huge neck mass, trauma to the neck, viral infection, and sometimes iatrogenic during surgery. Bilateral vocal cord palsy is a severe condition that can lead to significant problems in breathing, speaking, and swallowing. If any patient presents with stridor, it requires urgent surgical airway management followed by specific treatment. A case of viral bilateral abductor vocal cord palsy in a 41-year-old female is reported here. The patient presented with stridor, and immediate tracheostomy was done. The stridor developed first 3 months earlier followed by cold and fever for a week. The stridor worsened gradually and leads to a state of commencing immediate tracheostomy. There was no history of trauma to the neck or any neck surgery. All basic laboratory blood test was within the normal limit. The laryngoscopic examination showed both vocal cords were immobile and almost median position with a small gap at the posterior commissure. Chest and neck plain X-ray along with computed tomography scan of neck was normal which ruled out the other causes of bilateral vocal cord palsy. The patient subsequently underwent successful left posterior cordectomy by laser, and decannulation of tracheostomy was done, known as Kashima operation.

Matched MeSH terms: Virus Diseases

Fulltext Multi-assay investigation of viral etiology in pediatric central nervous system infections

Altay-Kocak A, Bozdayi G, Michel J, Polat M, Kanik-Yuksek S, Tezer H, et al.

J Infect Dev Ctries, 2020 06 30;14(6):572-579.

PMID: 32683347 DOI: 10.3855/jidc.12327

INTRODUCTION: In an attempt to identify a wide spectrum of viral infections, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens were collected from pediatric cases with the preliminary diagnosis of viral encephalitis/meningoencephalitis in two reference hospitals, from October 2011 to December 2015.

METHODOLOGY: A combination of nucleic acid-based assays, including in house generic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for enteroviruses, flaviviruses and phleboviruses, a commercial real-time PCR assay for herpesviruses and a commercial real time multiplex PCR, enabling detection of frequently-observed viral, bacterial and fungal agents were employed for screening.

RESULTS: The microbial agent could be characterized in 10 (10%) of the 100 specimens. Viral etiology could be demonstrated in 7 (70%) specimens, which comprises Human Herpesvirus 6 (4/7), Herpes Simplex virus type1 (2/7) and Enteroviruses (1/7). In 3 specimens (30%), Streptococcus pneumoniae, Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus were detected via the multiplex PCR, which were also isolated in bacteriological media. All specimens with detectable viral nucleic acids, as well as unreactive specimens via nucleic acid testing remained negative in bacteriological cultures.

CONCLUSIONS: Herpes and enteroviruses were identified as the primary causative agents of central nervous system infections in children. Enterovirus testing must be included in the diagnostic work-up of relevant cases.

Matched MeSH terms: Virus Diseases/cerebrospinal fluid; Virus Diseases/classification; Virus Diseases/diagnosis; Virus Diseases/etiology*

Fulltext Microbial diseases in Malaysia: recent experiences

Arokiasamy JT

Med J Malaysia, 1996 Mar;51(1):4-11.

PMID: 10967972

Microbial diseases continue to occur in Malaysia despite the marked socio-economic development that has been taking place in the country along with improvements in the medical, health, and environmental sectors. This paper highlights the continuing presence of the numerous microbial diseases including the emergence of new problems such as AIDS. Local publications dealing with work on several microbial diseases is reviewed to show that this group of diseases will pose challenges for a long while. Undoubtedly several other diseases that were relatively unrecognised in the past are increasingly being identified owing to recent availability of diagnostic facilities and equipments. The need for continued vigilance is emphasised.

Matched MeSH terms: Virus Diseases/epidemiology*

Fulltext Preventing cancers

Arokiasamy JT

Med J Malaysia, 1983 Dec;38(4):261-5.

PMID: 6599979

Matched MeSH terms: Virus Diseases/complications

Country watch: South-East Asia

Bagasao TM

AIDS STD Health Promot Exch, 1996.

PMID: 12347180

Matched MeSH terms: Virus Diseases

Fulltext The Impact of CRISPR-Cas System on Antiviral Therapy

Bayat H, Naderi F, Khan AH, Memarnejadian A, Rahimpour A

Adv Pharm Bull, 2018 Nov;8(4):591-597.

PMID: 30607331 DOI: 10.15171/apb.2018.067

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated protein nuclease (Cas) is identified as an adaptive immune system in archaea and bacteria. Type II of this system, CRISPR-Cas9, is the most versatile form that has enabled facile and efficient targeted genome editing. Viral infections have serious impacts on global health and conventional antiviral therapies have not yielded a successful solution hitherto. The CRISPR-Cas9 system represents a promising tool for eliminating viral infections. In this review, we highlight 1) the recent progress of CRISPR-Cas technology in decoding and diagnosis of viral outbreaks, 2) its applications to eliminate viral infections in both pre-integration and provirus stages, and 3) various delivery systems that are employed to introduce the platform into target cells.

Matched MeSH terms: Virus Diseases

Fulltext Febrile illness in Malaysia--an analysis of 1,629 hospitalized patients

Brown GW, Shirai A, Jegathesan M, Burke DS, Twartz JC, Saunders JP, et al.

Am J Trop Med Hyg, 1984 Mar;33(2):311-5.

PMID: 6324601

We studied 1,629 febrile patients from a rural area of Malaysia, and made a laboratory diagnosis in 1,025 (62.9%) cases. Scrub typhus was the most frequent diagnosis (19.3% of all illnesses) followed by typhoid and paratyphoid (7.4%); flavivirus infection (7.0%); leptospirosis (6.8%); and malaria (6.2%). The hospital mortality was very low (0.5% of all febrile patients). The high prevalence of scrub typhus in oil palm laborers (46.8% of all febrile illnesses in that group) was confirmed. In rural Malaysia, therapy with chloramphenicol or a tetracycline would be appropriate for undiagnosed patients in whom malaria has been excluded. Failure to respond to tetracycline within 48 hours would usually suggest a diagnosis of typhoid, and indicate the need for a change in therapy.

Matched MeSH terms: Virus Diseases/diagnosis*

Fulltext Dengue and other common causes of acute febrile illness in Asia: an active surveillance study in children

Capeding MR, Chua MN, Hadinegoro SR, Hussain II, Nallusamy R, Pitisuttithum P, et al.

PLoS Negl Trop Dis, 2013;7(7):e2331.

PMID: 23936565 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002331

Common causes of acute febrile illness in tropical countries have similar symptoms, which often mimic those of dengue. Accurate clinical diagnosis can be difficult without laboratory confirmation and disease burden is generally under-reported. Accurate, population-based, laboratory-confirmed incidence data on dengue and other causes of acute fever in dengue-endemic Asian countries are needed.

Matched MeSH terms: Virus Diseases/epidemiology*; Virus Diseases/virology

New virus emerges in Malaysia

Caplan CE

CMAJ, 1999 Jun 1;160(11):1607.

PMID: 10374006

Matched MeSH terms: Virus Diseases/epidemiology; Virus Diseases/transmission; Virus Diseases/virology*

Fulltext Risk factors associated with severe viral croup in hospitalised Malaysian children

Chan PW

Singapore Med J, 2002 Mar;43(3):124-7.

PMID: 12005337

To determine the risk factors associated with severe viral croup in hospitalised Malaysian children.

Matched MeSH terms: Virus Diseases/etiology*; Virus Diseases/epidemiology

[Emergence of new viruses in Asia: is climate change involved?]

Chastel C

Med Mal Infect, 2004 Nov;34(11):499-505.

PMID: 15620053

Tropical Africa is not the only area where deadly viruses have recently emerged. In South-East Asia severe epidemics of dengue hemorrhagic fever started in 1954 and flu pandemics have originated from China such as the Asian flu (H2N2) in 1957, the Hong-Kong flu (H3N2) in 1968, and the Russian flu (H1N1) in 1977. However, it is especially during the last ten years that very dangerous viruses for mankind have repeatedly developed in Asia, with the occurrence of Alkhurma hemorrhagic fever in Saudi Arabia (1995), avian flu (H5N1) in Hong-Kong (1997), Nipah virus encephalitis in Malaysia (1998,) and, above all, the SARS pandemic fever from Southern China (2002). The evolution of these viral diseases was probably not directly affected by climate change. In fact, their emergential success may be better explained by the development of large industry poultry flocks increasing the risks of epizootics, dietary habits, economic and demographic constraints, and negligence in the surveillance and reporting of the first cases.

Matched MeSH terms: Virus Diseases/classification*; Virus Diseases/epidemiology; Virus Diseases/transmission

Responses to HIV / AIDS: the case of Malaysia

Chong S

Venereology, 1995 Aug;8(3):149-52.

PMID: 12290782

Matched MeSH terms: Virus Diseases

A new cell culture tube in diagnostic virology for virus isolation

Chua KB, Chua KH, Chua IL, Chen KF

Malays J Pathol, 2004 Jun;26(1):69-71.

PMID: 16190110

Virus isolation and accurate characterization plays a crucial role in the rapid identification of the causative agents of infectious disease outbreaks especially if the causative viruses are novel where no pre-existing diagnostic reagents would be available. A new cell culture tube, named Jui Meng (JM) Cell Culture Tube, was developed to reduce the cost and improve the efficiency and biosafety of work pertaining to virus isolation. The design of the tube is based heavily on the principle of practicability, functionality, biosafety and long-term cost saving for diagnostic laboratory work in virus isolation. It is designed to culture an initial inoculum of one milliliter of culture medium containing 1 x 10(4) to 1 x 10(5) cells/ml.

Matched MeSH terms: Virus Diseases/diagnosis*

Bone breaking infections - A focus on bacterial and mosquito-borne viral infections

Cui YC, Wu Q, Teh SW, Peli A, Bu G, Qiu YS, et al.

Microb Pathog, 2018 Sep;122:130-136.

PMID: 29909241 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2018.06.021

The recent global resurgence of arthritogenic alphaviruses, including Ross River, chikungunya, and dengue, highlights an urgency for the development of therapeutic strategies. Currently, dengue represents the most rapidly transmitting mosquito-borne viral disease worldwide. By contracting bone breaking diseases, patients experience devastating clinical manifestations involving muscle pain and bone loss. The bone self-repair and regeneration mechanisms can be damaged by the presence of viruses and bacteria. The rapid establishment of dengue epidemic and the severity of bacterial and viral infections affecting the bone stress the urgent need of developing effective interventions. Herein, we review current knowledge on bone breaking infections, covering both bacterial and mosquito-borne viral ones. The mechanisms exploited by these diseases to significantly affect the bone, including interferences with self-repair and regeneration routes, were discussed. In the final section, challenges for future research aimed to treat and prevent bacterial and mosquito-borne bone-breaking infections have been outlined.

Matched MeSH terms: Virus Diseases

Protection vs. protectionism?

Dadian MJ

Aidscaptions, 1997 Jun;4(1):9.

PMID: 12321033

Matched MeSH terms: Virus Diseases

Fulltext Contribution of Viral Respiratory Infections to Dengue-Like Illness Presentation at a Community Clinic in Southern Malaysia

Dhanoa A, Ngim CF, Yunos NM, Husain SMT, Pong LY, Ismail WFW, et al.

Am J Trop Med Hyg, 2021 Sep 27;106(1):187-191.

PMID: 34583338 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.21-0648

This study explored the contribution of viral respiratory infections (VRIs) in dengue-like illness (DLI) patients and their distinguishing clinicolaboratory parameters. Two hundred DLI patients were prospectively recruited (July 1- October 1, 2019) from a community clinic in Southern Malaysia. Patients ≥ 18 years with acute fever and fulfilling the WHO criteria of probable dengue were recruited. They underwent blood testing: blood counts, rapid dengue tests (nonstructural antigen-1/IgM) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and Leptospira. Nasopharyngeal swabs (NPSs) were collected for FilmArray®RP2plus testing. From the 200 NPSs, 58 respiratory viruses (RVs) were detected in 54 patients. Of the 96 dengue-confirmed cases, 86 had dengue mono-infection, and 10 were coinfected with RVs. Of the 104 nondengue, 44 were RV positive and 4 Leptospira positive. Zika and chikungunya virus were not detected. Overall, the etiological diagnosis was confirmed for 72% of patients. Clinicolaboratory parameters were compared between dengue mono-infection and VRI mono-infection. Patients with coinfections were excluded. Multiple logistic regression showed that recent household/neighborhood history of dengue (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 5.9, 95% CI = 1.7-20.7), leukopenia (aOR: 12.5, 95% CI = 2.6-61.4) and thrombocytopenia (aOR: 5.5, 95% CI = 1.3-23.0) predicted dengue. Inversely, rhinorrhoea (aOR: 0.1, 95% CI = 0.01-0.3) and cough (aOR: 0.3, 95% CI = 0.1-0.9) favored VRI. Thus, VRIs comprise many infections diagnosed initially as DLIs. Early clinicolaboratory parameters can guide physicians screen patients for further testing.

Matched MeSH terms: Virus Diseases/complications*

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