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Fulltext Safe havens and rough waters: networks, place, and the navigation of risk among injection drug-using Malaysian fishermen

West BS, Choo M, El-Bassel N, Gilbert L, Wu E, Kamarulzaman A

Int J Drug Policy, 2014 May;25(3):575-82.
PMID: 24332971 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2013.11.007

BACKGROUND: HIV prevalence among Malaysian fishermen is ten times that of the general population. Fishing boats are a key place where drug use occurs, but we know little about how these environments shape HIV risk behaviour. Utilizing Rhodes' 'risk environment' framework, we assessed drug use contexts and how characteristics of place associated with fishing and fishermen's social networks served as key axes along which drug use and HIV risk behaviour occurred.
METHODS: Data were collected during 2009-2011 in Kuantan, a fishing port on the eastern coast of Malaysia, and include 28 in-depth interviews and 398 surveys collected using RDS. Logistic regression was used to determine the effect of occupational, network and risk environment characteristics on unsafe injection behaviour and access to clean needles/syringes; qualitative data were coded and analyzed thematically.
RESULTS: Drug injecting was common and occurred on boats, often with other crewmembers. Captains and crewmembers were aware of drug use. Unsafe injection practices were significantly associated with having a larger proportion of drug injectors in network (OR=3.510, 95% CI=1.053-11.700) and having a captain provide drugs for work (OR=2.777, 95% CI=1.018-7.576). Size of fishermen network (OR=0.987, 95% CI=0.977-0.996), crewmembers' knowledge of drug use (OR=7.234, 95% CI=1.430-36.604), and having a captain provide drugs for work (OR=0.134, 95% CI=0.025-0.720) predicted access to clean needles/syringes. Qualitative analyses revealed that occupational culture and social relationships on boats drove drug use and HIV risk.
CONCLUSIONS: While marginalized in broader society, the acceptance of drug use within the fishing community created occupational networks of risk. Fishing boats were spaces of both risk and safety; where drug users participated in the formal economy, but also where HIV risk behaviour occurred. Understanding the interplay between social networks and place is essential for developing HIV prevention and harm reduction policies appropriate for the unique needs of this fishing population.

Matched MeSH terms: Fisheries
Detection of channel catfish virus in cage-cultured Pangasius hypophthalmus (Sauvage, 1878) in Malaysia

Siti-Zahrah A, Zamri-Saad M, Firdaus-Nawi M, Hazreen-Nita MK, Nur-Nazifah M

J Fish Dis, 2014 Nov;37(11):981-3.
PMID: 24117659 DOI: 10.1111/jfd.12185
Matched MeSH terms: Fisheries
Fulltext Prevalence and Correlates of HIV and Hepatitis C Virus Infections and Risk Behaviors among Malaysian Fishermen

Choo MK, El-Bassel N, Adam PC, Gilbert L, Wu E, West BS, et al.

PLoS One, 2015;10(8):e0118422.
PMID: 26244844 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0118422

Fishermen in Southeast Asia have been found to be highly vulnerable to HIV, with research evidence highlighting the role of sexual risk behaviors. This study aims to estimate the rate of HIV as well as hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections among Malaysian fishermen, and the risky sexual and injection drug use behaviors that may contribute to these infections. The study also includes an assessment of socio-demographic, occupational and behavioral correlates of testing positive for HIV or HCV, and socio-demographic and occupational correlates of risk behaviors. The study had a cross-sectional design and recruited 406 fishermen through respondent-driven sampling (RDS). Participants self-completed a questionnaire and provided biological specimens for HIV and HCV testing. We conducted and compared results of analyses of both unweighted data and data weighted with the Respondent-Driven Sampling Analysis Tool (RDSAT). Of the participating fishermen, 12.4% were HIV positive and 48.6% had HCV infection. Contrary to expectations and findings from previous research, most fishermen (77.1%) were not sexually active. More than a third had a history of injection drug use, which often occurred during fishing trips on commercial vessels and during longer stays at sea. Of the fishermen who injected drugs, 42.5% reported unsafe injection practices in the past month. Reporting a history of injection drug use increased the odds of testing HIV positive by more than 6 times (AOR = 6.22, 95% CIs [2.74, 14.13]). Most fishermen who injected drugs tested positive for HCV. HCV infection was significantly associated with injection drug use, being older than 25 years, working on a commercial vessel and spending four or more days at sea per fishing trip. There is an urgent need to strengthen current harm reduction and drug treatment programs for Malaysian fishermen who inject drugs, especially among fishermen who work on commercial vessels and engage in deep-sea fishing.

Matched MeSH terms: Fisheries
Fulltext Prevalence and factors associated with prediabetes and diabetes in fishing communities in Penang, Malaysia: A cross-sectional study

Rahim FF, Abdulrahman SA, Kader Maideen SF, Rashid A

PLoS One, 2020;15(2):e0228570.
PMID: 32040497 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228570

BACKGROUND: Diabetes is a metabolic disorder, characterized by hyperglycemic state of the body. A silent killer, which can take the lives of victims if undiagnosed at the earliest stage. Prediabetes has become an important health concern across countries due to its huge potential for the development of diabetes and other complications. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of prediabetes and diabetes and its associated factors among rural fishing communities in Penang, Malaysia.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among fishing communities in Southwest District of Penang, Malaysia from August to November 2017. Blood sample (finger prick test) and physical examination were performed on sample of 168 participants consented in this study. Pre-validated Malay versions of International Physical Activity 7 (IPAQ-7) and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) questionnaires were used to assess the level of physical activity and stress levels of the participants. Multinomial logistic regression models were fitted to identify factors associated with prediabetes and diabetes.

RESULTS: The prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes were 19.6% (95% CI: 14.3, 26.4) and 10.12% (95% CI: 6.4, 15.7) respectively. The median physical activity (interquartile range) in MET-minutes per week for those with diabetes (1071.0 (2120.0)) and prediabetes (1314.0 (1710.0)) was generally lower as compared to non-diabetes. Majority reported moderate stress (57.3%) from PSS system. Abdominal obesity, family history of diabetes and being hypertensive were significant factors associated with diabetes; while older age, bigger waist circumference and self-perceived poor routine diet were factors associated with prediabetes.

CONCLUSIONS: The screening for prediabetes in this population gives the opportunity to implement lifestyle interventions at the earliest possible, which could prevent the development of diabetes. The identification of diabetic individuals provides an opportunity to conduct health promotion and education to ensure good metabolic control and hence reduce the risks of complications.

Matched MeSH terms: Fisheries
Fulltext Prevalence, antimicrobial susceptibility and plasmid profiling of Vibrio spp. isolated from cultured groupers in Peninsular Malaysia

Amalina NZ, Santha S, Zulperi D, Amal MNA, Yusof MT, Zamri-Saad M, et al.

BMC Microbiol, 2019 11 11;19(1):251.
PMID: 31711432 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-019-1624-2

BACKGROUND: Numerous prevalence studies of Vibrio spp. infection in fish have been extensively reported worldwide, including Malaysia. Unfortunately, information on the prevalence of Vibrio spp. in groupers (Epinephelus spp.) is limited. In this study, groupers obtained from nine farms located at different geographical regions in Malaysia were sampled for the presence of pathogenic Vibrio spp. and their susceptibility profiles against seven antibiotics.
RESULTS: Out of 270 grouper samples, 195 (72%) were detected with the presence of Vibrio spp. Vibrio communis showed highest prevalence in grouper (28%), followed by V. parahaemolyticus (25%), V. alginolyticus (19%), V. vulnificus (14%), V. rotiferianus (3%), Vibrio sp. (3%), V. campbellii (2%), V. mytili (2%), V. furnissii (2%), V. harveyi (1%), V. tubiashii (1%), V. fluvialis (0.3%) and V. diabolicus (0.3%). Assessment on the antibiotic susceptibility profiles of the Vibrio spp. revealed that majority of the isolates were susceptible to tetracycline, streptomycin, erythromycin and bacitracin, but resistance to ampicillin, penicillin G and vancomycin. The mean MAR index of the Vibrio isolates was 0.51, with 85% of the isolates showed MAR index value of higher than 0.2. Results indicate that the Vibrio spp. were continuously exposed to antibiotics. Furthermore, the plasmid profiles of Vibrio spp. showed that 38.7% of the isolates harbored plasmid with molecular weight of more than 10 kb, while 61.3% were without plasmid. During curing process, Vibrio spp. lost their plasmid, but remained resistant to ampicillin, penicillin G, bacitracin and vancomycin while a few isolates remained resistant to erythromycin, streptomycin and tetracycline. The results suggested that the resistance to antibiotics in isolated Vibrio spp. might be due to chromosomal and plasmid borne.
CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the prevalence of Vibrio spp. in groupers and the distribution of multidrug resistance strains that could be of concern to the farmers in Malaysia. In addition, data from this study can be further used in fish disease management plan.

Matched MeSH terms: Fisheries
A biomarker for exposure to organophosphate and carbamate pesticides

Lubis SH, El Sersi M, Hussein SH, Sakian NI, Salleh R, Rafai J, et al.

Asia Pac J Public Health, 2008 Oct;20 Suppl:162-5.
PMID: 19533876

A cross sectional study was conducted to investigate the effects of pesticide exposure (organophosphate and carbamate) using nerve conductive velocity, current perception threshold (CPT). Cluster random sampling was employed to recruit 64 paddy farmers and 22 fishermen in June 2006. The duration of pesticide exposure was between (5-20) years. The CPT values were measured using Neurometer CPT/Eagle, on the index finger and the great toe with three neuroselective frequencies range (2000, 250, and 5 Hz). The results showed that at the three different frequencies, the CPT values were significantly elevated among farmers on both the medial and peroneal nerves (P < .002). The measurement of CPT can be used as a biomarker to determine and monitor the effects of organophosphate and carbamate exposure among workers who may have been exposed.

Matched MeSH terms: Fisheries
Fulltext High-value components and bioactives from sea cucumbers for functional foods--a review

Bordbar S, Anwar F, Saari N

Mar Drugs, 2011;9(10):1761-805.
PMID: 22072996 DOI: 10.3390/md9101761

Sea cucumbers, belonging to the class Holothuroidea, are marine invertebrates, habitually found in the benthic areas and deep seas across the world. They have high commercial value coupled with increasing global production and trade. Sea cucumbers, informally named as bêche-de-mer, or gamat, have long been used for food and folk medicine in the communities of Asia and Middle East. Nutritionally, sea cucumbers have an impressive profile of valuable nutrients such as Vitamin A, Vitamin B1 (thiamine), Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), Vitamin B3 (niacin), and minerals, especially calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc. A number of unique biological and pharmacological activities including anti-angiogenic, anticancer, anticoagulant, anti-hypertension, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antithrombotic, antitumor and wound healing have been ascribed to various species of sea cucumbers. Therapeutic properties and medicinal benefits of sea cucumbers can be linked to the presence of a wide array of bioactives especially triterpene glycosides (saponins), chondroitin sulfates, glycosaminoglycan (GAGs), sulfated polysaccharides, sterols (glycosides and sulfates), phenolics, cerberosides, lectins, peptides, glycoprotein, glycosphingolipids and essential fatty acids. This review is mainly designed to cover the high-value components and bioactives as well as the multiple biological and therapeutic properties of sea cucumbers with regard to exploring their potential uses for functional foods and nutraceuticals.

Matched MeSH terms: Fisheries