Burkholderia pseudomallei is an important causative organism of fatal community bacteremia especially in Southeast Asia and northern Australia. Outbreaks of melioidosis have been reported post-floods and -typhoons. A cross sectional study was conducted in January 2015, following a major flood in Kelantan, Malaysia to detect presence of B. pseudomallei from soil. A total of 89 soil samples were cultured for B. pseudomallei on Ashdown agar. Putative colonies underwent further staining and biochemical testing prior to confirmation by PCR. Rate of detection was 1%, although low, it nevertheless indicated a risk for melioidosis among flood victims in Kelantan. Flood affected individuals should be made aware of symptoms of melioidosis and healthcare providers must have a high index of suspicion of patients presenting with fever. Such subjects should be screened for the possibility of melioidosis and given prompt treatment to avoid preventable death.
Concern about the zoonotic Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is rising. Since, food handlers are at greater risk in contracting HEV, the present study aims to determine awareness, knowledge, prevention practices against HEV, and immunization attitudes. A cross sectional study was conducted among 400 food handlers in Klang Valley, Malaysia from December 2021 to March 2022. A structured questionnaire was employed for data collection and analysis with Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 29. Approximately 4.5% of the respondents (18) reported having heard of HEV, while the median scores for the knowledge and practice domains were 0/10 and 1/5, respectively. A total of 316 (79%) respondents expressed willingness to obtain vaccination if made available. This study also found that those respondents who completed their tertiary education were significantly possessed better knowledge of the disease [odd ratio (OR) = 8.95, and 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.98-16.10]. Respondents with HEV awareness reported considerably better practices (OR = 8.24, 95% CI 1.72-39.63). Food handlers with one to five years of experience in the industry expressed notable willingness to take vaccination (OR = 7.71, 95% CI 1.79-33.18). Addressing poor HEV awareness and knowledge and poor practices against the disease is crucial in enlightening the policy makers about awareness among food handlers and general population. Nonetheless, a good immunization attitude, significant acceptance toward vaccination even with the vaccine being unavailable in Malaysia, and limited awareness of HEV highlight a promising development.
Contamination of water systems with endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) is becoming a major public health concern due to their toxicity and ubiquity. The intrusion of EDCs into water sources and drinking water has been associated with various adverse health effects on humans. However, there is no comprehensive overview of the occurrence of EDCs in Malaysia's water systems. This report aims to describe the occurrence of EDCs and their locations. Literature search was conducted electronically in two databases (PubMed and Scopus). A total of 41 peer-reviewed articles published between January 2000 and May 2021 were selected. Most of the articles dealt with pharmaceuticals (16), followed by pesticides (7), hormones (7), mixed compounds (7), and plasticisers (4). Most studies (40/41) were conducted in Peninsular Malaysia, with 60.9% in the central region and almost half (48.8%) in the Selangor State. Only one study was conducted in the northern region and East Malaysia. The Langat River, the Klang River, and the Selangor River were among the most frequently studied EDC-contaminated surface waters, while the Pahang River and the Skudai River had the highest concentrations of some of the listed compounds. Most of the risk assessments resulted in a hazard quotient (HQ) and a risk quotient (RQ) 1 in the Selangor River. An RQ > 1 for combined pharmaceuticals was found in Putrajaya tap water. Overall, this work provides a comprehensive overview of the occurrence of EDCs in Malaysia's water systems. The findings from this review can be used to mitigate risks and strengthen legislation and policies for safer drinking water.
This study is to determine total mercury in edible tissues of eight species of cephalopods and 12 species of crustaceans purchased from 11 identified major fish landing ports and wet markets throughout Peninsular Malaysia. The concentration of mercury was measured by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) technique using the Perkin Elmer Flow Injection Mercury System (FIMS-400). In general, the mercury levels were low with concentrations in cephalopods ranging from 0.099 to 2.715 mg/kg dry weight (or 0.0184-0.505 mg/kg wet weight) and in crustaceans ranging from 0.057 to 1.359 mg/kg dry weight (or 0.0111-0.265 mg/kg wet weight). The mercury levels showed no significant differences (P > 0.05) between species for both cephalopods and crustaceans. There was no significant correlation between mercury concentrations and the body size of individual for both groups as well. Comparisons with mercury levels obtained found from other previous studies and/or species noted that they were of the same magnitude or relatively low compared to various locations reported worldwide.
This study was conducted to determine the concentration of total mercury in the edible portion of 46 species of marine fish (n = 297) collected from selected major fish landing ports and wholesale markets throughout Peninsular Malaysia. Samples were collected in June to December 2009. Prior to analysis, the fish samples were processed which consisted of drying at 65 °C until a constant weight was attained; then, it was grounded and digested by a microwave digestion system. The analytical determination was carried out by using a mercury analysis system. Total mercury concentration among fish species was examined. The results showed that mercury concentrations were found significantly higher (p 20 cm) and were positively related with fish size (length and weight) in all fish samples. Despite the results, the level of mercury in marine fish did not exceed the permitted levels of Malaysian and JECFA guideline values at 0.5 mg/kg methylmercury in fish.
COVID-19 has spread rapidly worldwide. The role of fomites in facilitating onward transmission is plausible. This study aimed to determine the presence of viable virus and its persistence on the surfaces of fomites in wards treating COVID-19 patients in Malaysia. This study was conducted in two stages. First, environmental sampling was performed on random days in the intensive care unit (ICU) and general wards. Then, in the second stage, samples were collected serially on alternate days for 7 days in two selected general wards. In Stage 1, a total of 104 samples were collected from the surfaces of highly touched and used areas by patients and healthcare workers. Only three samples were tested positive for SARS-COV-2. In Stage 2, three surface samples were detected positive, but no persistence of the virus was observed. However, none of the SARS-CoV-2 RNA was viable through tissue culture. Overall, the environmental contamination of SARS-CoV-2 was low in this hospital setting. Hospitals' strict infection control and the compliance of patients with wearing masks may have played a role in these findings, suggesting adherence to those measures to reduce occupational exposure of COVID-19 in hospital settings.