MyMedR

Fulltext Leprosy in Sarawak, Borneo: a 5 year review from 2008 to 2012

Ling HN

Lepr Rev, 2014 Dec;85(4):332-5.

PMID: 25675658

Matched MeSH terms: Borneo/epidemiology

Over two decades of Plasmodium knowlesi infections in Sarawak: Trend and forecast

Ooi CH, Bujang MA, Tg Abu Bakar Sidik TMI, Ngui R, Lim YA

Acta Trop, 2017 Dec;176:83-90.

PMID: 28768148 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2017.07.027

Malaria is still of great public health concern, especially in Malaysian Borneo. The aim of this study was to determine the trends of P. knowlesi infection in Sarawak, Malaysia and to forecast the incidence of P. knowlesi until the year 2040. Data on P. knowlesi malaria cases from 1992 to the year 2014 were obtained from the Sarawak Health Department, Malaysia. ARIMA model was applied to forecast the future incidence of P. knowlesi infection. The data for the whole of Sarawak and subsequently the selected six districts which have high incidence rates of P. knowlesi infection were analyzed. Results of the analysis showed that there was an increasing trend of P. knowlesi cases from the year 1992-2014 (p<0.001). The trend in the incidence started to increase in the year 2008 (p=0.029). The incidence rate per 100,000 populations was between 4.15 in the year 1992 and 42.03 in the year 2014. High incidence of P. knowlesi infections has been detected in the districts adjacent to each other within the interior region of Sarawak. The forecasted incidence and incidence rate per 100,000 populations in the year 2020 were 1229 and 44.04, respectively, while those in the year 2040 were 2056 and 62.91, respectively. The forecasted incidence showed an upward trend highlighting an urgent need to draw up strategic and holistic prevention plans to limit further the increase in P. knowlesi morbidity and mortality in Sarawak. It is imperative that these measures are customized taking into consideration the challenges faced in the interior areas of Sarawak and the behavior of the main vector of P. knowlesi (i.e., An. latens) in Sarawak.

Matched MeSH terms: Borneo/epidemiology

Prevalence and risk factors associated with alcohol consumption among indigenous people in Sabah Borneo Island

Abd Rashid RB, Mohd Daud MNB, Guad RM, Gan SH, Wan Husin WAIB, Giloi N, et al.

Aust J Rural Health, 2021 Jun;29(3):464-472.

PMID: 34148278 DOI: 10.1111/ajr.12732

OBJECTIVES: In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of alcohol use among a cohort of population in Sabah.

DESIGN: This is a prospective, cohort study involving rural community residents.

SETTING: Rural community resident at Bingkor, Keningau, Sabah.

PARTICIPANTS: 363 individuals aged 13 years old and above.

INTERVENTION: Community-based participatory research to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with alcohol use.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Measurement of alcohol use using Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and assessment of psychiatric morbidity using Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) questionnaires.

RESULTS: Most alcohol drinkers aged between 36-45 years old, followed by 26-35 years old and 46-55 years old. Interestingly, there are almost similar female to male ratio. Most were Kadazan-Dusun ethnic, non-Muslims, and married. Although only less than a third of the participants received tertiary education, the majority were working. Based on the findings, being a male, non-Muslim and having an obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) (current) posed a significantly higher risk of alcohol consumption.

CONCLUSION: A worryingly high prevalence of hazardous alcohol consumption among the locals is reported. There is a need for population-wide intervention towards preventive measures based on the identified risk factors for hazardous alcohol use.

Matched MeSH terms: Borneo/epidemiology

Fulltext Malaria distribution and performance of malaria diagnostic methods in Malaysia (1980-2019): a systematic review

Rahim MAFA, Munajat MB, Idris ZM

Malar J, 2020 Nov 07;19(1):395.

PMID: 33160393 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-020-03470-8

BACKGROUND: Malaysia has already achieved remarkable accomplishments in reaching zero indigenous human malaria cases in 2018. Prompt malaria diagnosis, surveillance and treatment played a key role in the country's elimination success. Looking at the dynamics of malaria distribution during the last decades might provide important information regarding the potential challenges of such an elimination strategy. This study was performed to gather all data available in term of prevalence or incidence on Plasmodium infections in Malaysia over the last four decades.

METHODS: A systematic review of the published English literature was conducted to identify malaria distribution from 1980 to June 2019 in Malaysia. Two investigators independently extracted data from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Elsevier databases for original papers.

RESULTS: The review identified 46 epidemiological studies in Malaysia over the 39-year study period, on which sufficient information was available. The majority of studies were conducted in Malaysia Borneo (31/46; 67.4%), followed by Peninsular Malaysia (13/46; 28.3%) and in both areas (2/46; 4.3%). More than half of all studies (28/46; 60.9%) were assessed by both microscopy and PCR. Furthermore, there was a clear trend of decreases of all human malaria species with increasing Plasmodium knowlesi incidence rate throughout the year of sampling period. The summary estimates of sensitivity were higher for P. knowlesi than other Plasmodium species for both microscopy and PCR. Nevertheless, the specificities of summary estimates were similar for microscopy (40-43%), but varied for PCR (2-34%).

CONCLUSIONS: This study outlined the epidemiological changes in Plasmodium species distribution in Malaysia. Malaria cases shifted from predominantly caused by human malaria parasites to simian malaria parasites, which accounted for the majority of indigenous cases particularly in Malaysia Borneo. Therefore, malaria case notification and prompt malaria diagnosis in regions where health services are limited in Malaysia should be strengthened and reinforced to achieving the final goal of malaria elimination in the country.

Matched MeSH terms: Borneo/epidemiology

Fulltext Two New Nepenthes Species from the Philippines and an Emended Description of Nepenthes ramos

Gronemeyer T, Suarez W, Nuytemans H, Calaramo M, Wistuba A, Mey FS, et al.

Plants (Basel), 2016;5(2).

PMID: 27164153 DOI: 10.3390/plants5020023

With 50 species of the genus Nepenthes L. currently described from the Philippines, it is without doubt that the country, along with the islands of Sumatra (Indonesia) and Borneo (Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei), should be considered the center of diversity of the genus. In this work, we describe two new species. One species, N. aenigma sp. nov., is from Ilocos Norte province on Luzon Island and has the-for Nepenthes-unusual ecological preference to grow in dense vegetation in deep shade. The other new species is from Mount Hamiguitan in Davao Oriental province on Mindanao Island. With this new entry, Mount Hamiguitan is now home to four endemic species (N. peltata, N. micramphora, N. hamiguitanensis, N. justinae sp. nov.). Furthermore, we provide an emended description of N. ramos based on field data. Nepenthes kurata is synonymized here with N. ramos.