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Fulltext Hepatitis C virus genotyping methods: evaluation of AmpliSens(®) HCV-1/2/3-FRT compared to sequencing method

Mohamed NA, Rashid ZZ, Wong KK

J Clin Lab Anal, 2014 May;28(3):224-8.
PMID: 24478138 DOI: 10.1002/jcla.21670

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotyping is important for treatment and epidemiological purposes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of AmpliSens(®) HCV-1/2/3-FRT kit in comparison to sequencing method for genotyping.
METHODS: A total of 17 samples collected from December 2009 to January 2011 were analyzed. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed, followed by sequencing technique. Results were analyzed based on sequence information in GenBank. A second genotyping method (AmpliSens(®) HCV-1/2/3-FRT) was done, which differentiates HCV genotypes by means of real-time hybridization-fluorescence detection.
RESULTS: From 17 samples, four were untypeable by AmpliSens(®) HCV-1/2/3-FRT. Eleven of 13 (84.6%) results showed concordant genotypes. A specimen that was determined as genotype 3a by sequencing was genotype 1 by the AmpliSens(®) HCV-1/2/3-FRT. Another specimen that was genotype 1 by sequencing was identified as genotype 3 by AmpliSens(®) HCV-1/2/3-FRT.
CONCLUSION: HCV genotyping with AmpliSens(®) HCV-1/2/3-FRT using real-time PCR method provides a much simpler and more feasible workflow with shorter time compared to sequencing method. There was good concordance compared to sequencing method. However, more evaluation studies would be required to show statistical significance, and to troubleshoot discordant results. AmpliSens(®) HCV-1/2/3-FRT does differentiate between genotype but not until subtype level.
Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a Malaysian tertiary centre

Rashid ZZ, Bahari N, Othman A, Jaafar R, Mohamed NA, Jabbari I, et al.

Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. Public Health, 2013 Jan;44(1):104-8.
PMID: 23682444

Abstract. Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) is a pathogen recognized to be distinct in both phenotype and genotype from hospital-acquired MRSA. We have identified CA-MRSA cases in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, including their antibiotic susceptibility patterns and genotypic characteristics. Cases were identified during January to December 2009 from routine clinical specimens, where culture and antibiotic susceptibility results yielded pauci-resistant MRSA isolates suspected as being CA-MRSA. The patients' clinical data were collected and their specimens were sent for molecular confirmation and analysis. Five cases of CA-MRSA were identified, which had a multi-sensitive pattern on antibiotic susceptibility tests and were resistant to only penicillin and oxacillin. All cases were skin and soft-tissue infections, including diabetic foot with gangrene, infected scalp hematoma, philtrum abscess in a healthcare worker, thrombophlebitis complicated with abscess and infected bedsore. All five cases were confirmed MRSA by detection of mecA. SCCmec typing (ccr and mec complex) revealed SCCmec type IV for all cases except the infected bedsore case. Panton-Valentine leukocidin gene was positive in all isolates. As clinical features among methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus, CA-MRSA and "nosocomial CA-MRSA" are indistinct, early recognition is necessary in order to initiate appropriate antibiotics and infection control measures. Continual surveillance of pauci-resistant MRSA and molecular analysis are necessary in order to identify emerging strains as well as their epidemiology and transmission, both in the community and in healthcare setting.
Fulltext Aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 transmission risk: Surgical or N95 masks?

Periyasamy P, Ng BH, Ali UK, Rashid ZZ, Kori N

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol, 2021 09;42(9):1150-1152.
PMID: 32928321 DOI: 10.1017/ice.2020.465
INFLUENZA VACCINATION UPTAKE AMONG HEALTHCARE WORKERS AT A MALAYSIAN TEACHING HOSPITAL

Rashid ZZ, Jasme H, Liang HJ, Yusof MM, Sharani ZZ, Mohamad M, et al.

Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. Public Health, 2015 Mar;46(2):215-25.
PMID: 26513924

Annual influenza vaccination is the most important preventive strategy against influenza illness in healthcare workers (HCWs), who could acquire influenza from and transmit influenza to patients and other HCWs. Despite the well established benefits and strong recommendations for influenza vaccination for all HCWs, influenza vaccination uptake at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC) for the past 3 years has been low and is decreasing. We aimed to determine the factors associated with influenza vaccination uptake among HCWs at UKMMC. We conducted a cross sectional study via questionnaire among 211 randomly selected HCWs, consisting of 106 HCWs who were vaccinated in 2011 and 105 HCWs who were not vaccinated in 2010 or 2011. We had a 100% response rate. Influenza vaccination uptake was significantly associated with age and previous vaccination history, with older HCWs being more likely to be vaccinated (adjusted OR = 12.494; 95% CI:6.278-24.863; p < 0.001) and HCWs with previous vaccination history being more likely to be vaccinated (adjusted OR = 1.038; 95% CI:1.001-1.077; p = 0.045). Influenza vaccination uptake was not associated with gender (p = 0.926) or job category (p = 0.220). Publicity at the workplace was the main source of information about the vaccine (51.2% of respondents), followed by colleagues (29.9%). Despite the low uptake, 85.3% of respondents believed influenza vaccination was important for disease prevention. The most common reason given for vaccination was protection against influenza infection (73.6%). The most common reason for not having the vaccine was time constraints (56.2%). An evidenced-based strategy needs to be developed to improve vaccine uptake or having mandatory vaccination.
Fulltext Seroprevalence of acute dengue in a Malaysian tertiary medical centre

Ding CH, Rashid ZZ, Rahman MM, Khang N, Low WN, Hussin N, et al.

Pak J Med Sci, 2016 Mar-Apr;32(2):495-8.
PMID: 27182269 DOI: 10.12669/pjms.322.9320

The aims of this study were to determine the seroprevalence of acute dengue in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Medical Centre and its correlation with selected haematological and biochemical parameters.
Fulltext Unravelling the link between SARS-CoV-2 mutation frequencies, patient comorbidities, and structural dynamics

Azzeri A, Mohamed NA, Wan Rosli SH, Abdul Samat MN, Rashid ZZ, Mohamad Jamali MA, et al.

PLoS One, 2024;19(3):e0291892.
PMID: 38483913 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291892

Genomic surveillance is crucial for tracking emergence and spread of novel variants of pathogens, such as SARS-CoV-2, to inform public health interventions and to enforce control measures. However, in some settings especially in low- and middle- income counties, where sequencing platforms are limited, only certain patients get to be selected for sequencing surveillance. Here, we show that patients with multiple comorbidities potentially harbour SARS-CoV-2 with higher mutation rates and thus deserve more attention for genomic surveillance. The relationship between the patient comorbidities, and type of amino acid mutations was assessed. Correlation analysis showed that there was a significant tendency for mutations to occur within the ORF1a region for patients with higher number of comorbidities. Frequency analysis of the amino acid substitution within ORF1a showed that nsp3 P822L of the PLpro protease was one of the highest occurring mutations. Using molecular dynamics, we simulated that the P822L mutation in PLpro represents a system with lower Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD) fluctuations, and consistent Radius of gyration (Rg), Solvent Accessible Surface Area (SASA) values-indicate a much stabler protein than the wildtype. The outcome of this study will help determine the relationship between the clinical status of a patient and the mutations of the infecting SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Fulltext Particulate matter (PM2.5) as a potential SARS-CoV-2 carrier

Nor NSM, Yip CW, Ibrahim N, Jaafar MH, Rashid ZZ, Mustafa N, et al.

Sci Rep, 2021 01 28;11(1):2508.
PMID: 33510270 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81935-9

The rapid spread of the SARS-CoV-2 in the COVID-19 pandemic had raised questions on the route of transmission of this disease. Initial understanding was that transmission originated from respiratory droplets from an infected host to a susceptible host. However, indirect contact transmission of viable virus by fomites and through aerosols has also been suggested. Herein, we report the involvement of fine indoor air particulates with a diameter of ≤ 2.5 µm (PM2.5) as the virus's transport agent. PM2.5 was collected over four weeks during 48-h measurement intervals in four separate hospital wards containing different infected clusters in a teaching hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Our results indicated the highest SARS-CoV-2 RNA on PM2.5 in the ward with number of occupants. We suggest a link between the virus-laden PM2.5 and the ward's design. Patients' symptoms and numbers influence the number of airborne SARS-CoV-2 RNA with PM2.5 in an enclosed environment.
Fulltext Level of fear towards COVID-19 and its determinants among healthcare providers in Malaysia: A cross-sectional study

Ching SM, Cheong AT, Yee A, Thurasamy R, Lim PY, Ismail IZ, et al.

Malays Fam Physician, 2023;18:56.
PMID: 37814673 DOI: 10.51866/oa.238

INTRODUCTION: Malaysia is one of the hardest-hit countries by COVID-19 in Asia. The rapidly rising number of cases had sparked fear among healthcare providers. This study aimed to assess the determinants of fear towards COVID-19 among healthcare providers in primary care settings.
METHOD: This online-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 1280 healthcare providers aged ≥18 years from 30 primary care clinics in the state of Selangor, Malaysia. The Fear of COVID-19 Scale was used to assess the level of fear, and the results were analysed using multiple linear regression.
RESULTS: The mean age of the respondents was 36 years, and the mean working experience was 11 years. The majority of the respondents were women (82.4%) and Malays (82.3%). The factors that were significantly correlated with higher levels of fear were underlying chronic disease (ß=1.12, P=0.002, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.08, 3.15), concern about mortality from COVID-19 (ß=3.3, P<0.001, 95% CI=0.19, 7.22), higher risk of exposure (ß=0.8, P<0.001, 95% CI=0.14, 5.91), concern for self at work (ß=2.8, P=0.002, 95% CI=0.08, 3.10) and work as a nurse (ß=3.6, P<0.001, 95% CI=0.30, 7.52), medical laboratory worker (ß=3.0, P<0.001, 95% CI=0.12, 4.27) and healthcare assistant (ß=3.9, P<0.001, 95% CI=0.17, 5.73). The level of fear was inversely correlated with a higher work-related stress management score (ß=-0.9, P<0.001, 95% CI=-0.14, -5.07) and a higher sleep quality score (ß=-1.8, P<0.001, 95% CI=-0.28, -10.41).
CONCLUSION: Family physicians should be vigilant and identify healthcare providers at risk of developing COVID-19-related fear to initiate early mental health intervention.