PURPOSE: To report the clinical profile of 34 ocular TB cases observed during 6 years period in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM).
METHOD: A retrospective review of medical records from 34 patients diagnosed with ocular TB in HUSM from January 2011 until December 2016.
RESULTS: The mean age was 43 ± 14.6 years old. Both male and female affected in about 1:1 ratio. The majority of subjects were local Malays (91.2%). Risk factors included previous contact with pulmonary TB patients (38.2%), and patients with underlying diabetes mellitus (26.5%). Most patients showed normal chest radiography (79.4%). However they had positive Mantoux test (94.1%) and raised erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) value (58.8%). Uveitis was the most common ocular manifestation of ocular TB (70.6%) while the rare ocular manifestations included optic perineuritis and optic neuritis, orbital apex syndrome, orbital cellulitis, sclerokeratitis, corneal ulcer and conjunctival abscess. All patients responded well to anti-TB treatment, but visual outcome was variable.
CONCLUSIONS: This review shows the diverse entity of ocular TB spectrum in an endemic area. Good clinical response to anti-tuberculous therapy supported the presumed diagnosis of ocular TB in majority of the cases.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The most recent publications regarding the impact of various external factors on Pub Med, Google, TOXLINE, Chem Abstract, were analyzed with the radiological data that were found in Milan hospitals database.
RESULTS: The relationship between food consumption and nasopharyngeal cancer are not clear and statistically insignificant in Indonesia. In Malaysia, the preparation of natural rubber for the use of formaldehyde is a dangerous environmental factor. The same exposure is a risk factor in Guangdong, where many workers are employed in the wood panel industry. Incidence of cancer in these Chinese ethnic groups decreases when they migrate to other countries. In the last 5 years, few cases were recorded in Italy, without any apparent change in ethnic environmental factors or HBV infection Discussion: In the production of natural rubber, a lot of people are exposed to formaldehyde during the various steps of preparation and production such as stripping, drying and coagulation without observing proper environmental hygiene precautions. The same working conditions are present in industrial production of wood panels in Guangdong, China. The relationship between exposure to formaldehyde and nasopharyngeal cancer is demonstrated by the fact that epidemiological studies on the population of this Chinese district whose immigrant populations were not exposed to these pollutants, the appearance of these tumors decreases. Also an examination of our radiological data in Italy shows that in about one hundred sixty cases of nasopharyngeal cancer none of the patients were Indonesian or Chinese Conclusion: The preliminary results of our study suggest that EPST-BARR virus could be a risk factor if associated with exposure to compounds such as formaldehyde which is present in industrial productions of countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, and China.
METHODS: Gender specific population-attributable fractions (PAFs) for colorectal cancer in Malaysia were estimated for the three selected risk factors (physical inactivity, overweight, and alcohol consumptions). Exposure prevalence were sourced from a large-scale national representative survey. Risk estimates of the relationship between the exposure of interest and colorectal cancer were obtained from published meta-analyses. The overall PAF was then estimated, using the 2013 national cancer incidence data from the Malaysian Cancer Registry.
RESULTS: Overall, the mean incidence rate for colorectal cancer in Malaysia from 2008 to 2013 was 21.3 per 100,000 population, with the mean age of 61.6 years (±12.7) and the majority were men (56.6%). Amongst 369 colorectal cancer cases in 2013, 40 cases (20 men, 20 women), 10 cases (9 men, 1 woman) or 20 cases (16 men,4 women) would be prevented, if they had done physical exercises, could reduce their body weight to normal level or avoided alcohol consumption, assuming that these factors are causally related to colorectal cancer. It was estimated that 66 (17.8%;66/369) colorectal cancer cases (42 men, 24 women) who had all these three risk factors for the last 10 years would have been prevented, if they could control these three risk factors through effective preventive measures.
CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that approximately 18% of colorectal cancer cases in Malaysia would be prevented through appropriate preventive measures such as doing regular physical exercises, reducing their body weight to normal level and avoiding alcohol consumption, if these factors are causally related to colorectal cancer. Scaling-up nationwide public health campaigns tailored to increase physical activity, controlling body weight within normal limits and avoid alcohol intake are recommended. Future studies with other site-specific cancers and additional risk factors are needed.
METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study where 1293 healthy women aged between 18 and 60 years were recruited via convenience sampling from five community-based clinics in Selangor, Malaysia. Cervicovaginal self-samples were obtained and DNA was extracted for HPV detection and genotyping. A comprehensive questionnaire was administered to determine the sociodemographics and behavioural patterns of participants.
RESULTS: The median age at enrolment was 37 years old (IQR: 30-47). In total, 86/1190 (7.2%) of the samples collected were positive for HPV infection, with the highest HPV prevalence (11.9%) detected in the subgroup of 18-24 years old. The top three most prevalent HPV genotypes were HPV 16, 52 and 58. The independent risk factors associated with higher rates of HPV infection included Indian ethnicity, widowed status and women with partners who are away from home for long periods and/or has another sexual partner.
CONCLUSIONS: The overall prevalence of HPV infection in this Malaysian multiethnic population was 7.2%, with 6.5% being high-risk genotypes. The top three most common high-risk HPV types were HPV 16, 52 and 58. This information is important for the planning of primary (HPV vaccination) and secondary (screening) cervical cancer prevention programmes in Malaysia.
METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The target participants are infants born from January to June 2015 in the South East Asia Community Observatory (SEACO) platform. The SEACO is a Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) that is established in the District of Segamat in the state of Johor, Malaysia. For the quantitative strand, the sociodemographic data, feeding practices, anthropometry measurement and total nutrient intake will be assessed. The assessment will occur around the time complementary feeding is expected to start (7 Months) and again at 12 months. A 24-hour diet recall and a 2-day food diary will be used to assess the food intake. For the qualitative strand, selected mothers will be interviewed to explore their infant feeding practices and factors that influence their practices and food choices in detail.
ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical clearance for this study was sought through the Monash University Human Research and Ethics Committee (application number CF14/3850-2014002010). Subsequently, the findings of this study will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals, national and international conferences.