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Fulltext Assessment of drinking water quality using Water Quality Index and synthetic pollution index in urban areas of mega city Lahore: a GIS-based approach

Latif M, Nasir N, Nawaz R, Nasim I, Sultan K, Irshad MA, et al.

Sci Rep, 2024 Jun 11;14(1):13416.
PMID: 38862670 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63296-1

The aim of the present study was to assess the drinking water quality in the selected urban areas of Lahore and to comprehend the public health status by addressing the basic drinking water quality parameters. Total 50 tap water samples were collected from groundwater in the two selected areas of district Lahore i.e., Gulshan-e-Ravi (site 1) and Samanabad (site 2). Water samples were analyzed in the laboratory to elucidate physico-chemical parameters including pH, turbidity, temperature, total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), dissolved oxygen (DO), total hardness, magnesium hardness, and calcium hardness. These physico-chemical parameters were used to examine the Water Quality Index (WQI) and Synthetic Pollution Index (SPI) in order to characterize the water quality. Results of th selected physico-chemical parameters were compared with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines to determine the quality of drinking water. A GIS-based approach was used for mapping water quality, WQI, and SPI. Results of the present study revealed that the average value of temperature, pH, and DO of both study sites were within the WHO guidelines of 23.5 °C, 7.7, and 6.9 mg/L, respectively. The TDS level of site 1 was 192.56 mg/L (within WHO guidelines) and whereas, in site 2 it was found 612.84 mg/L (higher than WHO guidelines), respectively. Calcium hardness of site 1 and site 2 was observed within the range from 25.04 to 65.732 mg/L but, magnesium hardness values were higher than WHO guidelines. The major reason for poor water quality is old, worn-out water supply pipelines and improper waste disposal in the selected areas. The average WQI was found as 59.66 for site 1 and 77.30 for site 2. Results showed that the quality of the water was classified as "poor" for site 1 and "very poor " for site 2. There is a need to address the problem of poor water quality and also raise the public awareness about the quality of drinking water and its associated health impacts.

Matched MeSH terms: Geographic Information Systems
Incidence and prevalence of generalized pustular psoriasis in multiethnic Johor Bahru, Malaysia: a population-based cohort study using routinely captured electronic health records in the Teleprimary Care (TPC®) clinical information system from 2010 to 2020

Choon SE, Wright AK, Griffiths CEM, Wong KW, Tey KE, Lim YT, et al.

Br J Dermatol, 2023 Sep 15;189(4):410-418.
PMID: 37162007 DOI: 10.1093/bjd/ljad158

BACKGROUND: There is limited understanding of the epidemiology of generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) internationally, with no population-based estimates of GPP in South East Asia.
OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence and prevalence of GPP in the Malaysian population and characterize its flares and trigger factors.
METHODS: We conducted a population-based cohort study using the Teleprimary Care database between January 2010 and December 2020. We identified 230 dermatologist-confirmed GPP cases using International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision, diagnostic codes. Annual prevalence and incidence rates were stratified by age, sex and ethnicity. We compared data regarding flares and trigger factors for patients with GPP who had associated psoriasis vulgaris (PV) with those who did not have associated PV.
RESULTS: The prevalence of GPP was 198 per million (267 women, 127 men) and incidence was 27.2 per million person-years [95% confidence interval (CI) 22.8-31.6]; 35.3 (28.4-42.2) per million person-years for women and 18.3 (13.1-23.5) per million person-years for men. Rates were higher in Chinese individuals [prevalence 271 per million; incidence 41.6 per million person-years (28.9-54.3)] than in the Malay population [prevalence 186; incidence 24.6 (19.4-29.7)] or the Indian ethnic group [prevalence 179; incidence 25.0 (13.8-36.3)]. Annual prevalence was consistently higher in women than in men and highest among the Chinese population, followed by the Indian and Malay populations. Overall, 67% of patients with GPP had associated PV. The prevalence and incidence of GPP without PV were lower than GPP with PV at 66 vs. 132 per million and 19.3 (95% CI 15.6-23.0) vs. 8.0 (95% CI 5.6-10.3) per million person-years, respectively. The mean age at GPP onset was 42.7 years (SD 18.4). A bimodal trend in the age of GPP onset was observed, with first and second peaks at age 20-29 years and age 50-59 years, respectively. Disease onset was significantly earlier in patients with GPP without PV than in those with PV [mean age 37.5 years (SD 20.7) vs. 44.9 years (SD 17.0), P = 0.026]. Flares occurred more frequently in patients without PV than in those with PV [mean number of flares per patient per year was 1.35 (SD 0.77) vs. 1.25 (SD 0.58), P = 0.039]. Common triggers of flares in patients with GPP who did not have PV were infections, pregnancy, menstruation and stress, whereas withdrawal of therapy, particularly systemic corticosteroids, was a more frequent trigger in patients with GPP who also had PV.
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings contribute to the global mapping of GPP, which will help inform the management of this rare condition.

Matched MeSH terms: Information Systems
Fulltext Developing a vulnerability mapping methodology: applying the water-associated disease index to dengue in Malaysia

Dickin SK, Schuster-Wallace CJ, Elliott SJ

PLoS One, 2013;8(5):e63584.
PMID: 23667642 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0063584

The Water-associated Disease Index (WADI) was developed to identify and visualize vulnerability to different water-associated diseases by integrating a range of social and biophysical determinants in map format. In this study vulnerability is used to encompass conditions of exposure, susceptibility, and differential coping capacity to a water-associated health hazard. By assessing these conditions, the tool is designed to provide stakeholders with an integrated and long-term understanding of subnational vulnerabilities to water-associated disease and contribute to intervention strategies to reduce the burden of illness. The objective of this paper is to describe and validate the WADI tool by applying it to dengue. A systemic ecohealth framework that considers links between people, the environment and health was applied to identify secondary datasets, populating the index with components including climate conditions, land cover, education status and water use practices. Data were aggregated to create composite indicators of exposure and of susceptibility in a Geographic Information System (GIS). These indicators were weighted by their contribution to dengue vulnerability, and the output consisted of an overall index visualized in map format. The WADI was validated in this Malaysia case study, demonstrating a significant association with dengue rates at a sub-national level, and illustrating a range of factors that drive vulnerability to the disease within the country. The index output indicated high vulnerability to dengue in urban areas, especially in the capital Kuala Lumpur and surrounding region. However, in other regions, vulnerability to dengue varied throughout the year due to the influence of seasonal climate conditions, such as monsoon patterns. The WADI tool complements early warning models for water-associated disease by providing upstream information for planning prevention and control approaches, which increasingly require a comprehensive and geographically broad understanding of vulnerability for implementation.

Matched MeSH terms: Geographic Information Systems
Spatial density of Aedes distribution in urban areas: a case study of breteau index in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Aziz S, Aidil RM, Nisfariza MN, Ngui R, Lim YA, Yusoff WS, et al.

J Vector Borne Dis, 2014 Jun;51(2):91-6.
PMID: 24947215

Dengue fever (DF) is a major vector-borne disease in Malaysia. The incidences of DF in Malaysia are caused by viruses transmitted through the bites of infected female Aedes albopictus and Ae. aegypti mosquitoes. This study aims to establish the spatial density of mosquito population or breteau index (BI) in the areas of Kuala Lumpur using geographic information system (GIS), remote sensing (RS) and spatial statistical tools.

Matched MeSH terms: Geographic Information Systems
An observational study of drug administration errors in a Malaysian hospital (study of drug administration errors)

Chua SS, Tea MH, Rahman MH

J Clin Pharm Ther, 2009 Apr;34(2):215-23.
PMID: 19250142 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2710.2008.00997.x

Drug administration errors were the second most frequent type of medication errors, after prescribing errors but the latter were often intercepted hence, administration errors were more probably to reach the patients. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the frequency and types of drug administration errors in a Malaysian hospital ward.

Matched MeSH terms: Hospital Information Systems
A climate distribution model of malaria transmission in Sudan

Musa MI, Shohaimi S, Hashim NR, Krishnarajah I

Geospat Health, 2012 Nov;7(1):27-36.
PMID: 23242678

Malaria remains a major health problem in Sudan. With a population exceeding 39 million, there are around 7.5 million cases and 35,000 deaths every year. The predicted distribution of malaria derived from climate factors such as maximum and minimum temperatures, rainfall and relative humidity was compared with the actual number of malaria cases in Sudan for the period 2004 to 2010. The predictive calculations were done by fuzzy logic suitability (FLS) applied to the numerical distribution of malaria transmission based on the life cycle characteristics of the Anopheles mosquito accounting for the impact of climate factors on malaria transmission. This information is visualized as a series of maps (presented in video format) using a geographical information systems (GIS) approach. The climate factors were found to be suitable for malaria transmission in the period of May to October, whereas the actual case rates of malaria were high from June to November indicating a positive correlation. While comparisons between the prediction model for June and the case rate model for July did not show a high degree of association (18%), the results later in the year were better, reaching the highest level (55%) for October prediction and November case rate.

Matched MeSH terms: Geographic Information Systems
Risk mapping of dengue in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Hassan H, Shohaimi S, Hashim NR

Geospat Health, 2012 Nov;7(1):21-5.
PMID: 23242677

Dengue fever is a recurring public health problem afflicting thousands of Malaysians annually. In this paper, the risk map for dengue fever in the peninsular Malaysian states of Selangor and Kuala Lumpur was modelled based on co-kriging and geographical information systems. Using population density and rainfall as the model's only input factors, the area with the highest risk for dengue infection was given as Gombak and Petaling, two districts located on opposite sides of Kuala Lumpur city that was also included in the risk assessment. Comparison of the modelled risk map with the dengue case dataset of 2010, obtained from the Ministry of Health of Malaysia, confirmed that the highest number of cases had been found in an area centred on Kuala Lumpur as predicted our risk profiling.

Matched MeSH terms: Geographic Information Systems
Implementation of an event reporting system in a transfusion medicine unit: a local experience

Usin MF, Ramesh P, Lopez CG

Malays J Pathol, 2004 Jun;26(1):43-8.
PMID: 16190106

Event reporting can provide data to study the failure points of an organization's work process. As part of the ongoing efforts to improve transfusion safety, a Medical Event Reporting System Transfusion Medicine, (MERS - TM) as designed by Kaplan et al was implemented in the Transfusion Medicine Unit of the University Malaya Medical Centre to provide a standardized means of organized data collection and analysis of transfusion errors, adverse events and near misses. An event reporting form was designed to detect, identify, classify and study the frequency and pattern of events occurring in the unit. Events detected were classified according to Eihdhoven Classification model (ECM) adopted for MERS - TM. Since our system reported all events, we called it Event Reporting System - Transfusion Medicine (ERS-TM). Data was collected and analyzed from the reporting forms for a period of five months from January 15th to June 15th 2002. The initial half of the period was a process of evaluation during which 118 events were reported, coded, analyzed and corrective measures adopted to prevent the recurrence of the same event. The latter half saw the reporting of 122 events following the adoption of corrective measures. There was a reduction in the occurrence of some events and an increase in others, which were mainly beyond the organization's control. A longer period of evaluation is necessary to identify the underlying contributory causes that can be useful to develop plans for corrective and preventive action and thereby reduce the rate of recurrence of errors through proper training and adoption of just culture.

Matched MeSH terms: Hospital Information Systems
Fulltext A standardized dataset for conservation prioritization of songbirds to support CITES

Juergens J, Bruslund S, Staerk J, Oegelund Nielsen R, Shepherd CR, Leupen B, et al.

Data Brief, 2021 Jun;36:107093.
PMID: 34041313 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2021.107093

In this article we present a standardized dataset on 6659 songbirds (Passeriformes) highlighting information relevant to species conservation prioritization with a main focus to support the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Data were collected from both scientific and grey literature as well as several online databases. The data are structured into six knowledge categories: Conventions and Treaties, Human Use, Extinction Risk, Management Opportunities, Biological Information, and Intrinsic Values. The Conventions and Treaties category includes the listings for two international conventions, CITES and the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), as well as EU listings for the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations and the EU Birds Directive. The Human Use category contains information on both regulated trade collected from the CITES Trade Database and the United States' Law Enforcement Management Information System (LEMIS), and highly aggregated data on seizures which we obtained from TRAFFIC, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and two data sources on traditional medicine. We also present, for the first time, the complete Songbirds in Trade Database (SiTDB), a trade database curated by taxon expert S. Bruslund based on expert knowledge, literature review, market surveys and sale announcements. Data on the types of human use, including traditional medicine are also provided. The knowledge area on Extinction Risk contains data on the species' IUCN Red List status, the Alliance for Zero Extinction Trigger Species status, site and population at the site, the species' IUCN Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment, and the listing of priority species at the Asian Songbird Crisis Summit. In the Management Opportunities category, we gathered data on ex-situ management from Species360 zoo holdings as well as species management plans from the European and North American Zoo Associations (EAZA and AZA, respectively). Biological Information includes data on body mass, clutch size, diet, availability of data from the IUCN Red List on habitat systems, extent of occurrence, generation length, migration pattern, distribution, and biological data from the Demographic Species Knowledge Index, number of occurrences recorded by the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) as well as genomic data from the Bird 10 000K Genomes (B10K) project, Vertebrate Genome Project (VGP) and GenBank. Information on invasive species is also part of this knowledge area. The Intrinsic Value category refers to two measures of the species' intrinsic value, namely Ecological and Evolutionary Distinctiveness. In order to make these knowledge areas comparable, we standardized data following the taxonomy of the Handbook of the Birds of the World and Birdlife (Version 4, 2019). The data enable a broad spectrum of analyses and will be useful to scientists for further research and to policymakers, zoos and other conservation stakeholders for future prioritization decisions.

Matched MeSH terms: Management Information Systems
Occurrence, fate and environmental risk of linear alkylbenzene sulfonate in the Langat and Selangor River basins, Malaysia

Sakai N, Shirasaka J, Matsui Y, Ramli MR, Yoshida K, Ali Mohd M, et al.

Chemosphere, 2017 Apr;172:234-241.
PMID: 28081507 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.12.139

Five homologs (C10-C14) of linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) were quantitated in surface water collected in the Langat and Selangor River basins using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). A geographic information system (GIS) was used to spatially analyze the occurrence of LAS in both river basins, and the LAS contamination associated with the population was elucidated by spatial analysis at a sub-basin level. The LAS concentrations in the dissolved phase (<0.45 μm) and 4 fractions separated by particle size (<0.1 μm, 0.1-1 μm, 1-11 μm and >11 μm) were analyzed to elucidate the environmental fate of LAS in the study area. The environmental risks of the observed LAS concentration were assessed based on predicted no effect concentration (PNEC) normalized by a quantitative structure-activity relationship model. The LAS contamination mainly occurred from a few populated sub-basins, and it was correlated with the population density and ammonia nitrogen. The dissolved phase was less than 20% in high contamination sites (>1000 μg/L), whereas it was more than 60% in less contaminated sites (<100 μg/L). The environmental fate of LAS in the study area was primarily subject to the adsorption to suspended solids rather than biodegradation because the LAS homologs, particularly in longer alkyl chain lengths, were considerably absorbed to the large size fraction (>11 μm) that settled in a few hours. The observed LAS concentrations exceeded the normalized PNEC at 3 sites, and environmental risk areas and susceptible areas to the LAS contamination were spatially identified based on their catchment areas.

Matched MeSH terms: Geographic Information Systems
Fulltext How does exposure to pesticides vary in space and time for residents living near to treated orchards?

Wong HL, Garthwaite DG, Ramwell CT, Brown CD

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2017 Dec;24(34):26444-26461.
PMID: 28948535 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-017-0064-5

This study investigated changes over 25 years (1987-2012) in pesticide usage in orchards in England and Wales and associated changes to exposure and risk for resident pregnant women living 100 and 1000 m downwind of treated areas. A model was developed to estimate aggregated daily exposure to pesticides via inhaled vapour and indirect dermal contact with contaminated ground, whilst risk was expressed as a hazard quotient (HQ) based on estimated exposure and the no observed (adverse) effect level for reproductive and developmental effects. Results show the largest changes occurred between 1987 and 1996 with total pesticide usage reduced by ca. 25%, exposure per unit of pesticide applied slightly increased, and a reduction in risk per unit exposure by factors of 1.3 to 3. Thereafter, there were no consistent changes in use between 1996 and 2012, with an increase in number of applications to each crop balanced by a decrease in average application rate. Exposure per unit of pesticide applied decreased consistently over this period such that values in 2012 for this metric were 48-65% of those in 1987, and there were further smaller decreases in risk per unit exposure. All aggregated hazard quotients were two to three orders of magnitude smaller than one, despite the inherent simplifications of assuming co-occurrence of exposure to all pesticides and additivity of effects. Hazard quotients at 1000 m were 5 to 16 times smaller than those at 100 m. There were clear signals of the impact of regulatory intervention in improving the fate and hazard profiles of pesticides used in orchards in England and Wales over the period investigated.

Matched MeSH terms: Geographic Information Systems
Fulltext Accessibility and utilization patterns of a mobile medical clinic among vulnerable populations

Gibson BA, Ghosh D, Morano JP, Altice FL

Health Place, 2014 Jul;28:153-66.
PMID: 24853039 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2014.04.008

We mapped mobile medical clinic (MMC) clients for spatial distribution of their self-reported locations and travel behaviors to better understand health-seeking and utilization patterns of medically vulnerable populations in Connecticut. Contrary to distance decay literature, we found that a small but significant proportion of clients was traveling substantial distances to receive repeat care at the MMC. Of 8404 total clients, 90.2% lived within 5 miles of a MMC site, yet mean utilization was highest (5.3 visits per client) among those living 11-20 miles of MMCs, primarily for those with substance use disorders. Of clients making >20 visits, 15.0% traveled >10 miles, suggesting that a significant minority of clients traveled to MMC sites because of their need-specific healthcare services, which are not only free but available at an acceptable and accommodating environment. The findings of this study contribute to the important research on healthcare utilization among vulnerable population by focusing on broader dimensions of accessibility in a setting where both mobile and fixed healthcare services coexist.

Matched MeSH terms: Geographic Information Systems
Oral histoplasmosis in Malaysia: A retrospective analysis of cases reported in Stomatology Unit, Institute for Medical Research during 1995-2016

Noratikah AH, Ajura AJ, Lau SH

Trop Biomed, 2018 Dec 01;35(4):1041-1048.
PMID: 33601851

Histoplasmosis is a systemic fungal infection caused by inhalation of Histoplasma capsulatum, which is mainly found in bird and bat droppings. Oral manifestation of histoplasmosis may be the only initial manifestation of the disease or associated with chronic disseminated histoplasmosis. The first review of oral histoplasmosis among Malaysian population from 1967 to 1994 (27 years) revealed the occurrence of 37 cases, reported by Ng and Siar in 1996. This current study is the updated overview of oral histoplasmosis cases in Malaysia. The objective of the study was to review and describe clinical and demographic profile of oral histoplasmosis in Malaysia and to correlate histopathological features of oral histoplasmosis with patient's immunity status. We reviewed oral histoplasmosis cases diagnosed in Stomatology Unit, Institute for Medical Research (IMR), Kuala Lumpur from 1995 until 2016. The data was retrieved from the Oral Pathology Information system (OPIS) Stomatology Unit, IMR, which is the largest oral pathology database in Malaysia. Information regarding patients' sociodemographic data, medical illness, clinical presentation, histopathological features, and referring healthcare institutions was extracted from the clinical information which accompanied the biopsy request form. A total of 39 cases of oral histoplasmosis were identified from 1995-2016. Majority of them were male (89.7%). The age ranges from 29 to 85 years with mean age of 57.8 years. Almost half of them were Malays (51.3%), followed by Chinese (33.3%), Indians (7.7%), and other races (7.7%). The most common sites of oral histoplasmosis were tongue, gingiva, palate, and alveolar ridge. The main clinical presentation was ulcer (61.5%) whereas 38.5% presented clinically as swelling. 17.9% of patients were seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), 12.8% had tuberculosis, 10.3% had diabetes mellitus, and 2.6% with hepatitis C. The incidence of oral histoplasmosis should raise suspicion of hidden immunodepression and may be the first manifestation of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Early recognition and diagnosis is crucial to reduce risk of morbidity and mortality.

Matched MeSH terms: Information Systems

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