The populations of scrub typhus vector chiggers were compared in two developing oil palm areas, one 5 years old and the other 7 years old at the inception of the study. Both areas were located within the same oil palm scheme in central Peninsular Malaysia. Leptotrombidium (L.) deliense, a principal vector of scrub typhus in Malaysia, was found in reduced numbers in the older oil palm habitat. This reduction is attributed to changes in the microhabitat, specifically the elimination of grasses between the oil palm trees due to canopy shading and to cultural practices.
Relatively few cases of myocardial infarction associated with coronary artery atherosclerosis have been described previously in macaques. In this study the authors report the prevalence and characteristics of coronary artery atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction in 10 rhesus (Macaca mulatta) and two cynomolgus (Macaca fascicularis) macaques that were fed atherogenic diets for 16 months or longer. Our findings show clearly that myocardial infarction occurs in macaques with diet-induced atherosclerosis. The frequency seems to be related to the species, composition of the atherogenic diet, and length of time fed the atherogenic diet. The myocardial lesions are remarkably similar to those described in human beings in terms of location and gross and microscopic characteristics. The characteristics of coronary artery atherosclerosis, including the occurrence of thrombosis, severe stenosis, mineralization, atheronecrosis, and sterol clefts, especially in animals fed the atherogenic diets for longer periods of time, also closely resemble those of the arterial lesions found in human beings. The greatest prevalence of myocardial infarcts was found in rhesus monkeys fed a cholesterol-containing diet with 40% of calories supplied by peanut oil and in cynomolgus macaques from Malaya that were fed the same amount of cholesterol with 40% of calories from lard. Electrocardiographic abnormalities as well as the occurrence of unexpected and relatively sudden death in several of these nonhuman primates are also consistent with signs frequently observed in human beings.
Demographic and drug abuse characteristics of 3,484 new drug abuse contacts presenting to the General Hospital, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia are reported. The large majority were heroin inhalers. They were different from the traditional Eastern opium inhalers and similar to Western heroin injectors in that they were young, male, single, and frequently unemployed. These features and the relative underrepresentation of Chinese suggest that the Chinese of this study did not learn narcotic abuse from opium-smoking relatives.
Serological surveillance for up to two years of 114 patients with laboratory confirmed scrub typhus showed that antibody to Rickettsia tsutsugamushi as demonstrated by the indirect fluorescent antibody test is short-lived. The mean reversion time from mean peak titre (1:499) was 48.9 weeks and the calculated annual reversion rate to a titre less than 1:50 was 61%. This can be used to estimate attack rates based on point prevalence of antibody. The relationship between antibody prevalence and attack rates observed by other workers was confirmed using this model. The possible uses of the finding and its implications in Malaysia are briefly discussed.
A T III values in patients undergoing surgery were found to be lower post-operatively but the fall in value was not significant while women on oral contraceptives were found to have similar AT III values as that of women not on oral contraceptives. The observed values are discussed.
Morphological and neuroelectrical changes of the skeletal muscle fibres after various types of injury to the nerve was studied in monkey. The percentage of normal and atrophic muscle fibres after various types of injury to the nerve was compared with the proportion of innervated and denervated muscle as shown by the position of the bend (kink) on the I.D. at corresponding stages. It was found that the pattern and the position of the I.D. curve when considered together only gave an approximate estimation of the proportion of all innervated and denervated muscle fibres as well as the condition ofthe muscle after denervation.
PIP: A model of the determinants of child quality and of the value of a woman's time is developed and tested using data from the Malaysian Family Life Survey of 1976-1977. Child quality is measured by educational attainment; factors influencing the value of the mother's time include size and age composition of household, family income, education, and hours worked. The results indicate that size and age composition of household affect a woman's asking wage. However, more data are needed before the effects of family structure on schooling can be measured with confidence.
The toxic effects of Abate (temephos) on mosquito larvae and non-target organisms were studied in the rice-field and in the laboratory. In the laboratory tests, Culex tritaeniorhychus larvae and cladoceran zooplanktons (predominantly Diaphanosoma and Moinodaphnia species) were found to be highly susceptible to Abate with LC50 values of 0.27 and less than 0.10 parts per billion respectively. Other non-target species in decreasing degree of susceptibility to Abate were copepods (Tropodiaptomus spp.), Aplocheilus panchax and Tubifex worms. In field study, Abate at concentrations 60, 100 and 200 gm hectare-1 is effective in maintaining the rice-fields free of Anopheles and Culex mosquitoes for at least 2 days. No mortality was observed for Aplocheilus panchax and Tubifex worms at the above concentrations; nevertheless, populations of cladoceran zooplanktons and copepods were reduced up to seven days posttreatment.
Genital discharge from patients unth. smear positive gonorrhoea was transported from the clinic to the laboratory in. Stuart's transport medium (Oxoid CM 111). Within. six hours of transit time the recovery rate of gonococci was 94%. When compared with "bedside" inoculation onto Modified Thayer Martin medium, there was no significant difference in recovery rates up to 6 hours of transportation in Stuart's transport medium, However, the rate of isolation of gonococci was significantly reduced after 20 to 30 hours of transportation. It is concluded that Stuart's transport medium is an acceptable transport medium for specimens containing gonococci when specimens reach the laboratory within 6 hours of collection.
Congo-red screening demonstrated intratumor deposits of amyloid in 35 of 53 unselected cases of basal cell carcinoma. Male subjects had a higher amyloid positivity rate than female subjects. The amyloid deposits were permanganate-resistant and located in the stroma between clumps of tumor cells, as well as abutting the advancing front of the neoplasm. Solar elastosis was often observed in the overlying and adjacent subepidermis. The relationship between amyloid positivity and the different histological subtypes of basal cell carcinoma, tumor ulceration, and density of the lymphoplasmacytic stromal infiltrate were also studied. The possibility that amyloid originates from the tumor cells and is a result of tumor apoptosis (degeneration) is discussed.
The relationship between the timing of maternal tetanus toxoid immunization and the presence of protective antitoxin in placental cord blood was investigated among women admitted to the obstetrical service of the University Hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The 1st dose was given between 13-39 weeks of gestation, with a median of 29 weeks. The 2nd dose was given an average of 4 weeks later. Protection was conferred on 80% or more of newborns whose mothers received their 1st tetanus toxoid injection 60 days or more before delivery. Protective levels were seen in all cord blood samples from infants whose mothers had received their 1st injection 90 days before delivery. Similarly,protective titers were found in 100% of cord blood samples when the 2nd maternal injection was give 60 days or more before delivery. There was no significant degree of protection when immunization was carried out less than 20 days before delivery. A single-dose schedule provided no protection when less than 70 days before delivery. Cord and maternal antiotoxin titers differed by no more than 1 2-fold dilution for almost all of the individual paired sera. A cord: maternal antitoxin ratio of 2 was more likely to occur with increasing time between the 2nd injection and delivery. Overall, these findings indicate that the 1st injection of a 2-dose maternal tetanus toxoid schedule should be given at least 60 days and preferably 90 days before delivery.
One hundred and ten consecutive patients with falciparum malaria were treated with Fansidar and primaquine. Of the 61 patients who were followed up at one week, 4 (6.6%) failed to clear their parasitaemia (1 R III and 3 R II treatment failures). Of the subsequent 40 patients who were seen again at one month, another 3 (7.5%) had recrudesced (R I treatment failure). A total of 7 patients thus experienced some form of treatment failure in the cohort of 40 who completed the one month follow up. Only 1 of these 7 patients (with R III treatment failure) failed to respond to repeat Fansidar treatment, and may be the only one with true Fansidar resistance. The overall treatment failure rate of 17.5% (95% confidence interval: 6-29%) in the cohort who completed the study is consistent with the known clinical efficacy of Fansidar. These results suggest no significant Fansidar resistance in falciparum malaria found in Sabah.