Displaying publications 41 - 60 of 61 in total

Abstract:
Sort:
  1. Fulltext Global metabolomics profiling of colorectal cancer in Malaysian patients
    Amir Hashim NA, Ab-Rahim S, Wan Ngah WZ, Nathan S, Ab Mutalib NS, Sagap I, et al.
    Bioimpacts, 2021;11(1):33-43.
    PMID: 33469506 DOI: 10.34172/bi.2021.05
    Introduction:
    The serum metabolomics approach has been used to identify metabolite biomarkers that can diagnose colorectal cancer (CRC) accurately and specifically. However, the biomarkers identified differ between studies suggesting that more studies need to be performed to understand the influence of genetic and environmental factors. Therefore, this study aimed to identify biomarkers and affected metabolic pathways in Malaysian CRC patients.
    Methods:
    Serum from 50 healthy controls and 50 CRC patients were collected at UKM Medical Centre. The samples were deproteinized with acetonitrile and untargeted metabolomics profile determined using liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOFMS, Agilent USA). The data were analysed using Mass Profiler Professional (Agilent, USA) software. The panel of biomarkers determined were then used to identify CRC from a new set of 20 matched samples.
    Results:
    Eleven differential metabolites were identified whose levels were significantly different between CRC patients compared to normal controls. Based on the analysis of the area under the curve, 7 of these metabolites showed high sensitivity and specificity as biomarkers. The use of the 11 metabolites on a new set of samples was able to differentiate CRC from normal samples with 80% accuracy. These metabolites were hypoxanthine, acetylcarnitine, xanthine, uric acid, tyrosine, methionine, lysoPC, lysoPE, citric acid, 5-oxoproline, and pipercolic acid. The data also showed that the most perturbed pathways in CRC were purine, catecholamine, and amino acid metabolisms.
    Conclusion:
    Serum metabolomics profiling can be used to identify distinguishing biomarkers for CRC as well as to further our knowledge of its pathophysiological mechanisms.
  2. Draft Genome Sequence of Mangrove-Derived Streptomyces sp. MUSC 125 with Antioxidant Potential
    Ser HL, Tan WS, Ab Mutalib NS, Yin WF, Chan KG, Goh BH, et al.
    Front Microbiol, 2016;7:1470.
    PMID: 27695452
  3. Fulltext Author Correction: Streptomyces monashensis sp. nov., a novel mangrove soil actinobacterium from East Malaysia with antioxidative potential
    Law JW, Ser HL, Ab Mutalib NS, Saokaew S, Duangjai A, Khan TM, et al.
    Sci Rep, 2020 Jan 10;10(1):319.
    PMID: 31924829 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-55964-4
    An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
  4. Fulltext Streptomyces monashensis sp. nov., a novel mangrove soil actinobacterium from East Malaysia with antioxidative potential
    Law JW, Ser HL, Ab Mutalib NS, Saokaew S, Duangjai A, Khan TM, et al.
    Sci Rep, 2019 02 28;9(1):3056.
    PMID: 30816228 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-39592-6
    A new Streptomyces species discovered from Sarawak mangrove soil is described, with the proposed name - Streptomyces monashensis sp. nov. (strain MUSC 1JT). Taxonomy status of MUSC 1JT was determined via polyphasic approach. Phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic properties of strain MUSC 1JT were in accordance with those known for genus Streptomyces. Based on phylogenetic analyses, the strains closely related to MUSC 1JT were Streptomyces corchorusii DSM 40340T (98.7%), Streptomyces olivaceoviridis NBRC 13066T (98.7%), Streptomyces canarius NBRC 13431T (98.6%) and Streptomyces coacervatus AS-0823T (98.4%). Outcomes of DNA-DNA relatedness between strain MUSC 1JT and its closely related type strains covered from 19.7 ± 2.8% to 49.1 ± 4.3%. Strain MUSC 1JT has genome size of 10,254,857 bp with DNA G + C content of 71 mol%. MUSC 1JT extract exhibited strong antioxidative activity up to 83.80 ± 4.80% in the SOD assay, with significant cytotoxic effect against colon cancer cell lines HCT-116 and SW480. Streptomyces monashensis MUSC 1JT (=DSM 103626T = MCCC 1K03221T) could potentially be a producer of novel bioactive metabolites; hence discovery of this new species may be highly significant to the biopharmaceutical industry as it could lead to development of new and useful chemo-preventive drugs.
  5. Fulltext Deep Transcriptome Sequencing of Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients at Diagnosis, Remission and Relapse: Experience in 3 Malaysian Children in a Single Center Study
    Osman SH, Abu N, Aziz H, Chow YP, Wan Mohamad Nazarie WF, Ab Mutalib NS, et al.
    Front Genet, 2020;11:66.
    PMID: 32174960 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.00066
  6. Fulltext Streptomyces sp.-A Treasure Trove of Weapons to Combat Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm Associated with Biomedical Devices
    Pusparajah P, Letchumanan V, Law JW, Ab Mutalib NS, Ong YS, Goh BH, et al.
    Int J Mol Sci, 2021 Aug 28;22(17).
    PMID: 34502269 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22179360
    Biofilms formed by methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) are among the most frequent causes of biomedical device-related infection, which are difficult to treat and are often persistent and recurrent. Thus, new and effective antibiofilm agents are urgently needed. In this article, we review the most relevant literature of the recent years reporting on promising anti-MRSA biofilm agents derived from the genus Streptomyces bacteria, and discuss the potential contribution of these newly reported antibiofilm compounds to the current strategies in preventing biofilm formation and eradicating pre-existing biofilms of the clinically important pathogen MRSA. Many efforts are evidenced to address biofilm-related infections, and some novel strategies have been developed and demonstrated encouraging results in preclinical studies. Nevertheless, more in vivo studies with appropriate biofilm models and well-designed multicenter clinical trials are needed to assess the prospects of these strategies.
  7. Fulltext Genome sequence of Streptomyces mangrovisoli MUSC 149T isolated from intertidal sediments
    Ser HL, Tan WS, Ab Mutalib NS, Yin WF, Chan KG, Goh BH, et al.
    Braz J Microbiol, 2017 09 06;49(1):13-15.
    PMID: 28927873 DOI: 10.1016/j.bjm.2017.01.013
    As the largest genus in Actinobacteria family, Streptomyces species have the ability to synthesize numerous compounds of diverse structures with bioactivities. Streptomyces mangrovisoli MUSC 149T was previously isolated as a novel streptomycete from mangrove forest in east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The high quality draft genome of MUSC 149T comprises 9,165,825bp with G+C content of 72.5%. Through bioinformatics analysis, 21 gene clusters identified in the genome were associated with the production of bioactive secondary metabolites. The presence of these biosynthetic gene clusters in MUSC 149T suggests the potential exploitation of the strain for production of medically important compounds.
  8. Fulltext Anticancer Drug Discovery from Microbial Sources: The Unique Mangrove Streptomycetes
    Law JW, Law LN, Letchumanan V, Tan LT, Wong SH, Chan KG, et al.
    Molecules, 2020 Nov 17;25(22).
    PMID: 33212836 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25225365
    Worldwide cancer incidence and mortality have always been a concern to the community. The cancer mortality rate has generally declined over the years; however, there is still an increased mortality rate in poorer countries that receives considerable attention from healthcare professionals. This suggested the importance of the prompt detection, effective treatment, and prevention strategies. The genus Streptomyces has been documented as a prolific producer of biologically active secondary metabolites. Streptomycetes from mangrove environments attract researchers' attention due to their ability to synthesize diverse, interesting bioactive metabolites. The present review highlights research on mangrove-derived streptomycetes and the production of anticancer-related compounds from these microorganisms. Research studies conducted between 2008 and 2019, specifically mentioning the isolation of streptomycetes from mangrove areas and described the successful purification of compound(s) or generation of crude extracts with cytotoxic activity against human cancer cell lines, were compiled in this review. It is anticipated that there will be an increase in prospects for mangrove-derived streptomycetes as one of the natural resources for the isolation of chemotherapeutic agents.
  9. Fulltext Insights into Bacteriophage Application in Controlling Vibrio Species
    Letchumanan V, Chan KG, Pusparajah P, Saokaew S, Duangjai A, Goh BH, et al.
    Front Microbiol, 2016;7:1114.
    PMID: 27486446 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01114
    Bacterial infections from various organisms including Vibrio sp. pose a serious hazard to humans in many forms from clinical infection to affecting the yield of agriculture and aquaculture via infection of livestock. Vibrio sp. is one of the main foodborne pathogens causing human infection and is also a common cause of losses in the aquaculture industry. Prophylactic and therapeutic usage of antibiotics has become the mainstay of managing this problem, however, this in turn led to the emergence of multidrug resistant strains of bacteria in the environment; which has raised awareness of the critical need for alternative non-antibiotic based methods of preventing and treating bacterial infections. Bacteriophages - viruses that infect and result in the death of bacteria - are currently of great interest as a highly viable alternative to antibiotics. This article provides an insight into bacteriophage application in controlling Vibrio species as well underlining the advantages and drawbacks of phage therapy.
  10. Fulltext Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing Identifies Actionable Targets in Estrogen Receptor Positive and Estrogen Receptor Negative Endometriod Endometrial Cancer
    Suhaimi SS, Ab Mutalib NS, Khor SS, Zain RRM, Syafruddin SE, Abu N, et al.
    Front Pharmacol, 2018;9:750.
    PMID: 30057548 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00750
    Endometrioid endometrial cancer (EEC) is the commonest form of endometrial cancer and can be divided into estrogen receptor (ER) positive and negative subtypes. The mutational profiles of EEC have been shown to aid in tailoring treatment; however, little is known about the differences between the gene mutation profiles between these two subtypes. This study aims to investigate the gene mutation profile in ER positive and negative EEC, and to further elucidate the role of WHSC1 mutations in this cancer. EEC and normal endometrial tissues were obtained from 29 patients and subjected to next-generation sequencing (NGS) using Ion Ampliseq Comprehensive Cancer PanelTM targeting 409 cancer related. A total of 741 non-synonymous alterations were identified from 272 genes in ER positive subtype while 448 non-synonymous variants were identified from 221 genes in ER negative subtype. PTEN is the most frequently altered gene in ER positive subtype (64%, 7/11) while ARID1A is the most frequently altered gene in ER negative subtype (50%, 4/8). We also identified alterations in ERRB3 (36%, 4/11), GNAS (36%, 4/11), and WHSC1 (27%, 3/11) in the ER positive subtype. WHSC1 R1126H and L1268P were shown to significantly increase cell viability, proliferation, migration, and survival. In addition, reduction in ER expression sensitized EEC-1 cell with WHSC1 L1268P mutant to Fulvestrant treatment. We revealed the mutational spectra of ER positive and ER negative EEC that could lead to better understanding of the biological mechanisms of endometrial cancer and may ultimately result in improvement of treatment options and patient prognosis.
  11. Validation of immunogenic PASD1 peptides against HLA-A*24:02 colorectal cancer
    Soh JE, Abu N, Sagap I, Mazlan L, Yahaya A, Mustangin M, et al.
    Immunotherapy, 2019 10;11(14):1205-1219.
    PMID: 31478431 DOI: 10.2217/imt-2019-0073
    Colorectal cancer is the third commonest malignancy in Asia including Malaysia. The immunogenic cancer-testis antigens, which are expressed in a variety of cancers but with limited expression in normal tissues except the testis, represent an attractive approach to improve treatment options for colorectal cancer. We aimed to validate four PASD1 peptides as the immunotherapeutic targets in colorectal cancer. First, PASD1 mRNA and protein expression were determined via real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry. The PASD1 peptides specific to HLA-A*24:02 were investigated using IFN-y-ELISpot assay, followed by the cytolytic and granzyme-B-ELISpot assays to analyze the cytolytic effects of CD8+ T cells. Gene and protein expressions of PASD1 were detected in 20% and 17.3% of colorectal cancer samples, respectively. PASD1(4) peptide was shown to be immunogenic in colorectal cancer samples. CD8+ T cells raised against PASD1(4) peptide were able to lyze HLA-A*24:02+ PASD1+ cells. Our results reveal that PASD1(4) peptide represents a potential target for colorectal cancer.
  12. Fulltext Vibrio vulnificus: An Environmental and Clinical Burden
    Heng SP, Letchumanan V, Deng CY, Ab Mutalib NS, Khan TM, Chuah LH, et al.
    Front Microbiol, 2017;8:997.
    PMID: 28620366 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00997
    Vibrio vulnificus is a Gram negative, rod shaped bacterium that belongs to the family Vibrionaceae. It is a deadly, opportunistic human pathogen which is responsible for the majority of seafood-associated deaths worldwide. V. vulnificus infection can be fatal as it may cause severe wound infections potentially requiring amputation or lead to sepsis in susceptible individuals. Treatment is increasingly challenging as V. vulnificus has begun to develop resistance against certain antibiotics due to their indiscriminate use. This article aims to provide insight into the antibiotic resistance of V. vulnificus in different parts of the world as well as an overall review of its clinical manifestations, treatment, and prevention. Understanding the organism's antibiotic resistance profile is vital in order to select appropriate treatment and initiate appropriate prevention measures to treat and control V. vulnificus infections, which should eventually help lower the mortality rate associated with this pathogen worldwide.
  13. Fulltext Parvimonas micra, Peptostreptococcus stomatis, Fusobacterium nucleatum and Akkermansia muciniphila as a four-bacteria biomarker panel of colorectal cancer
    Osman MA, Neoh HM, Ab Mutalib NS, Chin SF, Mazlan L, Raja Ali RA, et al.
    Sci Rep, 2021 02 03;11(1):2925.
    PMID: 33536501 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82465-0
    Dysbiosis of the gut microbiome has been associated with the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC). We profiled the microbiome of gut mucosal tissues from 18 CRC patients and 18 non-CRC controls of the UKM Medical Centre (UKMMC), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The results were then validated using a species-specific quantitative PCR in 40 CRC and 20 non-CRC tissues samples from the UMBI-UKMMC Biobank. Parvimonas micra, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Peptostreptococcus stomatis and Akkermansia muciniphila were found to be over-represented in our CRC patients compared to non-CRC controls. These four bacteria markers distinguished CRC from controls (AUROC = 0.925) in our validation cohort. We identified bacteria species significantly associated (cut-off value of > 5 fold abundance) with various CRC demographics such as ethnicity, gender and CRC staging; however, due to small sample size of the discovery cohort, these results could not be further verified in our validation cohort. In summary, Parvimonas micra, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Peptostreptococcus stomatis and Akkermansia muciniphila were enriched in our local CRC patients. Nevertheless, the roles of these bacteria in CRC initiation and progression remains to be investigated.
  14. Fulltext Molecular Characterization of Somatic Alterations in Dukes' B and C Colorectal Cancers by Targeted Sequencing
    Abdul SN, Ab Mutalib NS, Sean KS, Syafruddin SE, Ishak M, Sagap I, et al.
    Front Pharmacol, 2017;8:465.
    PMID: 28769798 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2017.00465
    Despite global progress in research, improved screening and refined treatment strategies, colorectal cancer (CRC) remains as the third most common malignancy. As each type of cancer is different and exhibits unique alteration patterns, identifying and characterizing gene alterations in CRC that may serve as biomarkers might help to improve diagnosis, prognosis and predict potential response to therapy. With the emergence of next generation sequencing technologies (NGS), it is now possible to extensively and rapidly identify the gene profile of individual tumors. In this study, we aimed to identify actionable somatic alterations in Dukes' B and C in CRC via NGS. Targeted sequencing of 409 cancer-related genes using the Ion Ampliseq(TM) Comprehensive Cancer Panel was performed on genomic DNA obtained from paired fresh frozen tissues, cancer and normal, of Dukes' B (n = 10) and Dukes' C (n = 9) CRC. The sequencing results were analyzed using Torrent Suite, annotated using ANNOVAR and validated using Sanger sequencing. A total of 141 somatic non-synonymous sequence variations were identified in 86 genes. Among these, 64 variants (45%) were predicted to be deleterious, 38 variants (27%) possibly deleterious while the other 39 variants (28%) have low or neutral protein impact. Seventeen genes have alterations with frequencies of ≥10% in the patient cohort and with 14 overlapped genes in both Dukes' B and C. The adenomatous polyposis coli gene (APC) was the most frequently altered gene in both groups (n = 6 in Dukes' B and C). In addition, TP53 was more frequently altered in Dukes' C (n = 7) compared to Dukes' B (n = 4). Ten variants in APC, namely p.R283(∗), p.N778fs, p.R805(∗), p.Y935fs, p.E941fs, p.E1057(∗), p.I1401fs, p.Q1378(∗), p.E1379(∗), and p.A1485fs were predicted to be driver variants. APC remains as the most frequently altered gene in the intermediate stages of CRC. Wnt signaling pathway is the major affected pathway followed by P53, RAS, TGF-β, and PI3K signaling. We reported the alteration profiles in each of the patient which has the potential to affect the clinical decision. We believe that this study will add further to the understanding of CRC molecular landscape.
  15. Fulltext Streptomyces colonosanans sp. nov., A Novel Actinobacterium Isolated from Malaysia Mangrove Soil Exhibiting Antioxidative Activity and Cytotoxic Potential against Human Colon Cancer Cell Lines
    Law JW, Ser HL, Duangjai A, Saokaew S, Bukhari SI, Khan TM, et al.
    Front Microbiol, 2017;8:877.
    PMID: 28559892 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00877
    Streptomyces colonosanans MUSC 93JT, a novel strain isolated from mangrove forest soil located at Sarawak, Malaysia. The bacterium was noted to be Gram-positive and to form light yellow aerial and vivid yellow substrate mycelium on ISP 2 agar. The polyphasic approach was used to determine the taxonomy of strain MUSC 93JT and the strain showed a range of phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic properties consistent with those of the members of the genus Streptomyces. Phylogenetic and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that closely related strains include Streptomyces malachitofuscus NBRC 13059T (99.2% sequence similarity), Streptomyces misionensis NBRC 13063T (99.1%), and Streptomyces phaeoluteichromatogenes NRRL 5799T (99.1%). The DNA-DNA relatedness values between MUSC 93JT and closely related type strains ranged from 14.4 ± 0.1 to 46.2 ± 0.4%. The comparison of BOX-PCR fingerprints indicated MUSC 93JT exhibits a unique DNA profile. The genome of MUSC 93JT consists of 7,015,076 bp. The DNA G + C content was determined to be 69.90 mol%. The extract of strain MUSC 93JT was demonstrated to exhibit potent antioxidant activity via ABTS, metal chelating, and SOD assays. This extract also exhibited anticancer activity against human colon cancer cell lines without significant cytotoxic effect against human normal colon cells. Furthermore, the chemical analysis of the extract further emphasizes the strain is producing chemo-preventive related metabolites. Based on this polyphasic study of MUSC 93JT, it is concluded that this strain represents a novel species, for which the name Streptomyces colonosanans sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is MUSC 93JT (= DSM 102042T = MCCC 1K02298T).
  16. Fulltext COVID-19: Insights into Potential Vaccines
    Loo KY, Letchumanan V, Ser HL, Teoh SL, Law JW, Tan LT, et al.
    Microorganisms, 2021 Mar 15;9(3).
    PMID: 33804162 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9030605
    People around the world ushered in the new year 2021 with a fear of COVID-19, as family members have lost their loved ones to the disease. Millions of people have been infected, and the livelihood of many has been jeopardized due to the pandemic. Pharmaceutical companies are racing against time to develop an effective vaccine to protect against COVID-19. Researchers have developed various types of candidate vaccines with the release of the genetic sequence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in January. These include inactivated viral vaccines, protein subunit vaccines, mRNA vaccines, and recombinant viral vector vaccines. To date, several vaccines have been authorized for emergency use and they have been administered in countries across the globe. Meanwhile, there are also vaccine candidates in Phase III clinical trials awaiting results and approval from authorities. These candidates have shown positive results in the previous stages of the trials, whereby they could induce an immune response with minimal side effects in the participants. This review aims to discuss the different vaccine platforms and the clinical trials of the candidate vaccines.
  17. Fulltext A Keystone Gut Bacterium Christensenella minuta-A Potential Biotherapeutic Agent for Obesity and Associated Metabolic Diseases
    Ang WS, Law JW, Letchumanan V, Hong KW, Wong SH, Ab Mutalib NS, et al.
    Foods, 2023 Jun 26;12(13).
    PMID: 37444223 DOI: 10.3390/foods12132485
    A new next-generation probiotic, Christensenella minuta was first discovered in 2012 from healthy human stool and described under the phylum Firmicutes. C. minuta is a subdominant commensal bacterium with highly heritable properties that exhibits mutual interactions with other heritable microbiomes, and its relative abundance is positively correlated with the lean host phenotype associated with a low BMI index. It has been the subject of numerous studies, owing to its potential health benefits. This article reviews the evidence from various studies of C. minuta interventions using animal models for managing metabolic diseases, such as obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, and type 2 diabetes, characterized by gut microbiota dysbiosis and disruption of host metabolism. Notably, more studies have presented the complex interaction between C. minuta and host metabolism when it comes to metabolic health. Therefore, C. minuta could be a potential candidate for innovative microbiome-based biotherapy via fecal microbiota transplantation or oral administration. However, the detailed underlying mechanism of action requires further investigation.
  18. Fulltext Focused Review: Cytotoxic and Antioxidant Potentials of Mangrove-Derived Streptomyces
    Ser HL, Tan LT, Law JW, Chan KG, Duangjai A, Saokaew S, et al.
    Front Microbiol, 2017;8:2065.
    PMID: 29163380 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.02065
    Human life expectancy is rapidly increasing with an associated increasing burden of chronic diseases, such as neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. However, there is limited progress in finding effective treatment for these conditions. For this reason, members of the genus Streptomyces have been explored extensively over the past decades as these filamentous bacteria are highly efficient in producing bioactive compounds with human health benefits. Being ubiquitous in nature, streptomycetes can be found in both terrestrial and marine environments. Previously, two Streptomyces strains (MUSC 137T and MUM 256) isolated from mangrove sediments in Peninsular Malaysia demonstrated potent antioxidant and cytotoxic activities against several human cancer cell lines on bioactivity screening. These results illustrate the importance of streptomycetes from underexplored regions aside from the terrestrial ecosystem. Here we provide the insights and significance of Streptomyces species in the search of anticancer and/or chemopreventive agents and highlight the impact of next generation sequencing on drug discovery from the Streptomyces arsenal.
  19. Whole genome sequencing of Malaysian colorectal cancer patients reveals specific druggable somatic mutations
    Mohd Yunos RI, Ab Mutalib NS, Khoo JS, Saidin S, Ishak M, Syafruddin SE, et al.
    Front Mol Biosci, 2022;9:997747.
    PMID: 36866106 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.997747
    The incidences of colorectal cancer (CRC) are continuously increasing in some areas of the world, including Malaysia. In this study, we aimed to characterize the landscape of somatic mutations using the whole-genome sequencing approach and identify druggable somatic mutations specific to Malaysian patients. Whole-genome sequencing was performed on the genomic DNA obtained from 50 Malaysian CRC patients' tissues. We discovered the top significantly mutated genes were APC, TP53, KRAS, TCF7L2 and ACVR2A. Four novel, non-synonymous variants were identified in three genes, which were KDM4E, MUC16 and POTED. At least one druggable somatic alteration was identified in 88% of our patients. Among them were two frameshift mutations in RNF43 (G156fs and P192fs) predicted to have responsive effects against the Wnt pathway inhibitor. We found that the exogenous expression of this RNF43 mutation in CRC cells resulted in increased cell proliferation and sensitivity against LGK974 drug treatment and G1 cell cycle arrest. In conclusion, this study uncovered our local CRC patients' genomic landscape and druggable alterations. It also highlighted the role of specific RNF43 frameshift mutations, which unveil the potential of an alternative treatment targeting the Wnt/β-Catenin signalling pathway and could be beneficial, especially to Malaysian CRC patients.
  20. Fulltext COVID-19 in Malaysia: exposure assessment and prevention practices among healthcare workers at a teaching hospital
    Muhammad Azami NA, Abdul Murad NA, Mohammed Nawi A, Salleh SA, Periyasamy P, Kori N, et al.
    J Infect Dev Ctries, 2021 12 31;15(12):1816-1824.
    PMID: 35044938 DOI: 10.3855/jidc.15277
    INTRODUCTION: During the second wave of the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic, Malaysia reported several COVID-19 clusters related to healthcare workers. Thus, addressing and understanding the risk of exposure in healthcare workers is important to prevent future infection and reduce secondary COVID-19 transmission within the healthcare settings. In this study, we aim to assess exposure and prevention practices against COVID-19 among healthcare workers at the Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz, a university teaching hospital based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

    METHODOLOGY: A total of 571 healthcare workers at COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 wards as well as the emergency department and laboratory staff at COVID-19 testing labs were recruited. The presence of novel human coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and IgM/IgG antibodies were confirmed in all healthcare workers. The healthcare workers responded to an online Google Forms questionnaire that evaluates demographic information and comorbidities, exposure and adherence to infection prevention and control measures against COVID-19. Descriptive analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 24.0.

    RESULTS: Three healthcare workers (0.5%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, while the remaining 568 (99.5%) were negative. All were negative for IgM and IgG antibodies during recruitment (day 1) and follow-up (day 15). More than 90% of the healthcare workers followed infection prevention and control practices recommendations regardless of whether they have been exposed to occupational risk for COVID-19.

    CONCLUSIONS: The healthcare workers' high level of adherence to infection prevention practices at this hospital helped reduce and minimize their occupational exposure to COVID-19.

Related Terms
Filters
Contact Us

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

External Links