Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 22 in total

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  1. Medicine in Malaysia: parasitic diseases
    Mak JW
    Med J Malaysia, 1995 May;50 Suppl A:S60-4.
    PMID: 10968018
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasitic Diseases/epidemiology
  2. Ige, parasites, and allergy
    Kok A, Robinson MJ
    Lancet, 1976 Sep 18;2(7986):633.
    PMID: 61371
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasitic Diseases/epidemiology*
  3. A profile of certain infections in Malaysia
    Kutty MK
    Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health, 1978 Jun;9(2):244-6.
    PMID: 725657
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasitic Diseases/epidemiology*
  4. Parasitic infections among aborigine children at Post Brooke, Kelantan, Malaysia
    Rahmah N, Ariff RH, Abdullah B, Shariman MS, Nazli MZ, Rizal MZ
    Med J Malaysia, 1997 Dec;52(4):412-5.
    PMID: 10968120
    This study investigated the prevalence of parasitic infections among aborigine children at Post Brooke, Kelantan. Eighty-four formalin-fixed specimens and 78 PVA-fixed specimens were obtained. 79.8% and 35.9% of the samples were positive for helminth ova and protozoa respectively. The parasites detected (single plus mixed infections) were A. lumbricoides (50/84, 59.5%), T. trichiura (35/84, 41.7%), hookworm (5/84, 6.0%), S stercoralis (1/84, 1.2%), G. intestinalis (18/78, 23.1%), E. histolytica (7/78, 9.0%) and E. coli (7/78, 9.0%). Two hundred thick blood film examinations detected only one case of Plasmodium falciparum infection. A high prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among the children at Post Brooke was demonstrated in this study; thus there is an urgent need to improve the hygiene, education and living standards of this population.
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasitic Diseases/epidemiology*
  5. Fulltext Diagnosis of human visceral pentastomiasis
    Tappe D, Büttner DW
    PLoS Negl Trop Dis, 2009;3(2):e320.
    PMID: 19238218 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0000320
    Visceral pentastomiasis in humans is caused by the larval stages (nymphs) of the arthropod-related tongue worms Linguatula serrata, Armillifer armillatus, A. moniliformis, A. grandis, and Porocephalus crotali. The majority of cases has been reported from Africa, Malaysia, and the Middle East, where visceral pentastomiasis may be an incidental finding in autopsies, and less often from China and Latin America. In Europe and North America, the disease is only rarely encountered in immigrants and long-term travelers, and the parasitic lesions may be confused with malignancies, leading to a delay in the correct diagnosis. Since clinical symptoms are variable and serological tests are not readily available, the diagnosis often relies on histopathological examinations. This laboratory symposium focuses on the diagnosis of this unusual parasitic disease and presents its risk factors and epidemiology.
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasitic Diseases/epidemiology*
  6. Neglected diseases and ethnic minorities in the Western Pacific Region exploring the links
    Schratz A, Pineda MF, Reforma LG, Fox NM, Le Anh T, Tommaso Cavalli-Sforza L, et al.
    Adv Parasitol, 2010;72:79-107.
    PMID: 20624529 DOI: 10.1016/S0065-308X(10)72004-2
    Ethnic minority groups (EMGs) are often subject to exclusion, marginalization and poverty. These characteristics render them particularly vulnerable to neglected diseases, a diverse group of diseases that comprise bacteria, ecto-parasites, fungi, helminths and viruses. Despite the health policy relevance, only little is known of the epidemiological profile of neglected diseases among EMGs. We reviewed country data from Australia, Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam and found several overlaps between regions with high proportions of EMG population and high prevalence rates of neglected diseases (infections with soil-transmitted helminths, filarial worms, schistosomes, food-borne trematodes and cestodes). While the links are not always clearly evident and it is impossible to establish correlations among highly aggregated data without control variables-such as environmental factors-there appear indeed to be important linkages between EMGs, socio-economic status and prevalence of neglected diseases. Some determinants under consideration are lack of access to health care and general health status, poverty and social marginalization, as well as education and literacy. Further research is needed to deepen the understanding of these linkages and to determine their public health and socio-economic significance. In particular, there is a need for more data from all countries in the Western Pacific Region that is disaggregated below the provincial level. Selected case studies that incorporate other control variables-such as risk factors from the physical environment-might be useful to inform policy makers about the feasibility of prevention and control interventions that are targeted at high-risk EMGs.
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasitic Diseases/epidemiology*
  7. Studies on parasitic infections in Orang Asli (Aborigines) in Peninsular Malaysia
    Dissanaike AS, Vijayamma T, Kan SP, Ong HT
    Med J Malaysia, 1977 Sep;32(1):48-55.
    PMID: 609344
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasitic Diseases/epidemiology*
  8. Current status of imported parasitic infection among foreign workers in northern Taiwan (1999-2000)
    Fan PC, Chung WC, Chen ER
    Kaohsiung J. Med. Sci., 2001 Oct;17(10):503-8.
    PMID: 11831113 DOI: 10.6452/KJMS.200110.0503
    In the present study, a simple, economic and practical technique was employed for stool examination. Of a total of 6,146 fecal samples from foreign workers in Northern Taiwan between 1999 and 2000 were examined, 615 were found to be positive for parasitic infection and the overall infection rate was 10%. Newly arriving foreign workers had a significantly higher infection rate (15%) than those who had worked in Taiwan for 6-12 months (8%). The foreign workers came from Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam. Except for the small number of workers from Malaysia which was not included, the infection rate order by nationality was Vietnamese (21%) > Indonesian (13%) > Philippino (10%) > Thai (4%). The female examined workers were about 3-fold of males and their infection rate (11%) was also significantly higher than the males (5%). The order of rates by age was 20-30 years (11%) > 31-40 years (8%) > 41-50 years (5%). According to the species of parasites, 569 foreign workers were infected with 1 species (9%) > with 2 species (0.7%) > with 3 species (0.1%). Totally, 14 species (10 helminths including 1 plant nematode, Heterodera and 4 protozoa; hookworm might include 2 or 3 species, but counted as one species here) were found, of which 10 species were pathogenic (9 helminths and 1 protozoa) and 4 non-pathogenic. Foreign workers from Indonesia harbored 12 species of parasites > from the Philippines, 9 species > from Thailand, 8 species > from Vietnam, 7 species.
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasitic Diseases/epidemiology*
  9. Food-borne parasitoses in Malaysia epidemiological assessment and research needs
    Shekhar KC
    J R Soc Health, 1995 Jun;115(3):178-85.
    PMID: 7643345
    Food-borne parasitic zoonoses have emerged as a major public health problem in many countries and are posing a medical challenge. They are not only important from the economic point of view but also because of their severe sequelae. In Malaysia, these parasitoses are a tip of an iceberg problem. The article documents all the food-borne parasitic zoonoses reported in Malaysia. An epidemiological assessment of the diseases with research needs is highlighted.
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasitic Diseases/epidemiology*
  10. Fulltext Current status of parasitic infections among Pangkor Island community in Peninsular Malaysia
    Ahmad AF, Ngui R, Muhammad Aidil R, Lim YA, Rohela M
    Trop Biomed, 2014 Dec;31(4):836-43.
    PMID: 25776610 MyJurnal
    Limited data is available on the prevalence of parasitic infections among the island communities in Malaysia with most studies performed between 1960s-1980s. This study was conducted to determine the current prevalence status of parasitic infections among communities living in Pangkor Island Peninsular Malaysia. A total of 131 stool and 298 serum samples were collected and subjected to microscopic examination for intestinal protozoa and helminths and detection of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies using commercial ELISA kits respectively. In addition, thin and thick peripheral blood films were microscopically screened for the presence of Plasmodium spp. and microfilariae respectively. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among Pangkor Island community was 9.9% (13/131) with T. trichiura (5.3%) being the most common intestinal parasite detected. Toxoplasmosis was reported in almost 60% of the community with the seroprevalence being significantly high among females (64.7%) compared to males (52.8%) (p=0.038). None of those examined samples were infected with intestinal sarcocystosis, malaria and filariasis. This study revealed that the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among Pangkor Island community has been greatly reduced compared to that reported 35 years ago. Massive improvements in the socioeconomic status, personal hygiene, water facilities and sanitation may have contributed to the low prevalence of parasitic infections in this community. Nevertheless, further studies still need to be performed to determine the possible risk factors for the high prevalence of toxoplasmosis in this community.
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasitic Diseases/epidemiology*
  11. Fulltext Prevalence of intestinal and blood parasites among wild rats in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
    Siti Shafiyyah CO, Jamaiah I, Rohela M, Lau YL, Siti Aminah F
    Trop Biomed, 2012 Dec;29(4):544-50.
    PMID: 23202599 MyJurnal
    A survey was undertaken to investigate the prevalence of intestinal and blood parasites among wild rats in urban area of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A total of 137 stool and blood samples were collected from wild rats from Sentul and Chow Kit areas. Five species of rats were captured and supplied by Kuala Lumpur City Hall. The most common was Rattus rattus diardii (Malayan Black rat), 67%, followed by Rattus norvegicus (Norway rat), 10%, Rattus argentiventer (rice-field rat), 10%, Rattus tiomanicus (Malaysian field rat), 9% and Rattus exulans (Polynesian rat), 4%. Rattus rattus diardii is commonly known to live in human environment and they are normally identified as pests to human community. More male rats were captured (61%) compared to female (39%). Out of 137 samples, 81.8% samples were positive with intestinal parasites, with 86.2% from Sentul area and 78.5% from Chow Kit area. Six different parasites were detected. The most common intestinal helminth parasite detected was Nippostrongylus brasiliensis (80.3%), followed by Hymenolepis nana (23.4%), Capillaria hepatica (13.9%) and Hymenolepis diminuta (2.9%). Intestinal protozoan detected was Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar (8.8%). Trypanosoma lewisi (1.5%) was the only blood parasite detected.
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasitic Diseases/epidemiology*
  12. Fulltext Association between anaemia, iron deficiency anaemia, neglected parasitic infections and socioeconomic factors in rural children of West Malaysia
    Ngui R, Lim YA, Chong Kin L, Sek Chuen C, Jaffar S
    PLoS Negl Trop Dis, 2012;6(3):e1550.
    PMID: 22413027 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0001550
    BACKGROUND: Given that micronutrient deficiency, neglected intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) and poor socioeconomic status are closely linked, we conducted a cross-sectional study to assess the relationship between IPIs and nutritional status of children living in remote and rural areas in West Malaysia.

    METHODS/FINDINGS: A total of 550 children participated, comprising 520 (94.5%) school children aged 7 to 12 years old, 30 (5.5%) young children aged 1 to 6 years old, 254 (46.2%) boys and 296 (53.8%) girls. Of the 550 children, 26.2% were anaemic, 54.9% iron deficient and 16.9% had iron deficiency anaemia (IDA). The overall prevalence of helminths was 76.5% comprising Trichuris trichiura (71.5%), Ascaris lumbricoides (41.6%) and hookworm infection (13.5%). It was observed that iron deficiency was significantly higher in girls (p = 0.032) compared to boys. Univariate analysis demonstrated that low level of mother's education (OR = 2.52; 95% CI = 1.38-4.60; p = 0.002), non working parents (OR = 2.18; 95% CI = 2.06-2.31; p = 0.013), low household income (OR = 2.02; 95% CI = 1.14-3.59; p = 0.015), T. trichiura (OR = 2.15; 95% CI = 1.21-3.81; p = 0.008) and A. lumbricoides infections (OR = 1.63; 95% CI = 1.04-2.55; p = 0.032) were significantly associated with the high prevalence of IDA. Multivariate analysis confirmed that low level of mother's education (OR = 1.48; 95 CI% = 1.33-2.58; p<0.001) was a significant predictor for IDA in these children.

    CONCLUSION: It is crucial that a comprehensive primary health care programme for these communities that includes periodic de-worming, nutrition supplement, improved household economy, education, sanitation status and personal hygiene are taken into consideration to improve the nutritional status of these children.

    Matched MeSH terms: Parasitic Diseases/epidemiology*
  13. Fulltext Parasitic infections among Orang Asli (aborigine) in the Cameron Highlands, Malaysia
    Hakim SL, Gan CC, Malkit K, Azian MN, Chong CK, Shaari N, et al.
    Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health, 2007 May;38(3):415-9.
    PMID: 17877212
    In April 2004, an outbreak of acute diarrheal illness occurred among the Orang Asli (aborigine) in the Cameron Highlands, Pahang State, Peninsular Malaysia, where rotavirus was later implicated as the cause. In the course of the epidemic investigation, stool samples were collected and examined for infectious agents including parasites. Soil transmitted helminthes (STH), namely Ascaris lumbricoides (25.7%), Trichuris trichiura (31.1%) and hookworm (8.1%), and intestinal protozoa, which included Giardia lamblia (17.6%), Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar (9.4%), Blastocystis hominis (8.1%) and Cryptosporidium parvum (2.7%), were detected. Forty-four (59.5%) were infected with at least one parasite, 24 (32.4%), 12 (16.2%) and 8 (10.8%) had single, double and triple parasitic infections, respectively. STH were prevalent with infections occurring as early as in infancy. Giardia lamblia, though the most commonly found parasite in samples from symptomatic subjects, was within the normally reported rate of giardiasis among the various communities in Malaysia, and was an unlikely cause of the outbreak. However, heavy pre-existing parasitic infections could have contributed to the severity of the rotavirus diarrheal outbreak.
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasitic Diseases/epidemiology*
  14. Epidemiological assessment of parasitic zoonoses in Malaysia
    Shekhar KC
    Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health, 1991 Dec;22 Suppl:337-9.
    PMID: 1822920
    Food-borne parasitic zoonoses are emerging as major public health problems in most countries because they are widespread and pose a medical challenge. Not only are they important from an economic standpoint, but they also cause severe sequalae in all those affected. The extent of parasitic zoonoses in Malaysia is considered a "tip of the iceberg" problem. Cases of zoonotic diseases, like porocphaliasis, sarcocystosis, toxoplasmosis, cysticercosis, hydatidosis, echinostomiasis, and gnathostomiasis are traced and documented. An epidemiologic reassessment of methods is suggested to determine the extent of these parasitoses in Malaysia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasitic Diseases/epidemiology*
  15. Current public health status of some food-borne parasitic zoonoses in Malaysia
    Singh KI
    Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health, 1991 Dec;22 Suppl:11-5.
    PMID: 1822865
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasitic Diseases/epidemiology*
  16. Nutritional and socio-economic determinants of cognitive function and educational achievement of Aboriginal schoolchildren in rural Malaysia
    Al-Mekhlafi HM, Mahdy MA, Sallam AA, Ariffin WA, Al-Mekhlafi AM, Amran AA, et al.
    Br J Nutr, 2011 Oct;106(7):1100-6.
    PMID: 21492493 DOI: 10.1017/S0007114511001449
    A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out among Aboriginal schoolchildren aged 7-12 years living in remote areas in Pos Betau, Pahang, Malaysia to investigate the potential determinants influencing the cognitive function and educational achievement of these children. Cognitive function was measured by intelligence quotient (IQ), while examination scores of selected school subjects were used in assessing educational achievement. Blood samples were collected to assess serum Fe status. All children were screened for soil-transmitted helminthes. Demographic and socio-economic data were collected using pre-tested questionnaires. Almost two-thirds (67·6 %) of the subjects had poor IQ and most of them (72·6 %) had insufficient educational achievement. Output of the stepwise multiple regression model showed that poor IQ was significantly associated with low household income which contributed the most to the regression variance (r2 0·059; P = 0·020). Low maternal education was also identified as a significant predictor of low IQ scores (r2 0·042; P = 0·043). With educational achievement, Fe-deficiency anaemia (IDA) was the only variable to show significant association (r2 0·025; P = 0·015). In conclusion, the cognitive function and educational achievement of Aboriginal schoolchildren are poor and influenced by household income, maternal education and IDA. Thus, effective and integrated measures to improve the nutritional and socio-economic status of rural children would have a pronounced positive effect on their education.
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasitic Diseases/epidemiology
  17. Parasitic infections in Malaysian aborigines with pulmonary tuberculosis: a comparative cross-sectional study
    Wong WK, Mohd-Nor N, Noordin R, Foo PC, Mohamed Z, Haq JA, et al.
    Parasitol Res, 2019 Sep;118(9):2635-2642.
    PMID: 31363922 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-019-06406-7
    The geographical distribution of tuberculosis (TB) overlaps with various parasitic infections. Uncovering the characteristics of coinfecting parasites that potentially affect the host susceptibility to TB is pertinent as it may provide input to current TB therapeutic and prophylactic measures. The present study was aimed at examining the types of parasitic infections in TB patients and healthy TB contacts (HC) in Orang Asli, Malaysian aborigines, who dwelled in the co-endemic areas. Stool and serum samples were collected from Orang Asli who fulfilled the selection criteria and provided written informed consents. Selected parasitic infections in the two study groups were determined by stool examination and commercial serum antibody immunoassays. The prevalence of parasitic infections in TB and HC participants were 100% (n = 82) and 94.6% (n = 55) respectively. The parasitic infections comprised toxocariasis, trichuriasis, amoebiasis, toxoplasmosis, hookworm infection, ascariasis, strongyloidiasis, and brugian filariasis, in decreasing order of prevalence. Overall, helminth or protozoa infection did not show any significant association with the study groups. However, when the species of the parasite was considered, individuals exposed to trichuriasis and toxoplasmosis showed significant odds reduction (odds ratio (OR) 0.338; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.166, 0.688) and odds increment (OR 2.193; 95% CI 1.051, 4.576) to have active pulmonary TB, respectively. In conclusion, trichuriasis and toxoplasmosis may have distinct negative and positive associations respectively with the increase of host susceptibility to TB.
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasitic Diseases/epidemiology
  18. Molecular methods for diagnosis and epidemiological studies of parasitic infections
    Singh B
    Int J Parasitol, 1997 Oct;27(10):1135-45.
    PMID: 9394184
    Direct microscopy is widely used for the diagnosis of parasitic infections although it often requires an experienced microscopist for accurate diagnosis, is labour intensive and not very sensitive. In order to overcome some of these shortcomings, molecular or nucleic acid-based diagnostic methods for parasitic infections have been developed over the past 12 years. The parasites which have been studied with these techniques include the human Plasmodia, Leishmania, the trypanosomes, Toxoplasma gondii, Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia, Trichomonas vaginalis, Cryptosporidium parvum, Taenia, Echinococcus, Brugia malayi, Wuchereria bancrofti, Loa loa and Onchocerca volvulus. Early methods, which involved hybridisation of specific probes (radiolabelled and non-radiolabelled) to target deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), have been replaced by more sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based assays. Other methods, such as PCR-hybridisation assays, PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assays and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis have also proved valuable for epidemiological studies of parasites. The general principles and development of DNA-based methods for diagnosis and epidemiological studies will be described, with particular reference to malaria. These methods will probably not replace current methods for routine diagnosis of parasitic infections in developing countries where parasitic diseases are endemic, due to high costs. However, they will be extremely useful for genotyping parasite strains and vectors, and for accurate parasite detection in both humans and vectors during epidemiological studies.
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasitic Diseases/epidemiology*
  19. Health trends in three Asian countries--Ceylon, Malaysia and Singapore
    Arumanayagam P, San SJ
    Int J Epidemiol, 1972;1(2):101-9.
    PMID: 4204766
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasitic Diseases/epidemiology
  20. Prevalence of parasitic infections in Malaysian oil palm estate workers
    Sinniah B, Sinniah D, Singh M, Poon GK
    Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health, 1978 Jun;9(2):272-6.
    PMID: 725660
    A survey of workers and families resident in an oil palm estate in Malaysia revealed high incidence of parasitic infections. The commonest parasites are T. trichiura (56%), A. lumbricoides (52%), hookworm (28%), Entamoeba coli (11.3%) and Giardia lamblia (11.3%). Mixed infections by two or more parasites was seen in 46% of the subjects. Anaemia was present in 70% of children with hookworm infection. Eosinophilia was observed in 69% of subjects. One each of Hymenolepis nana and Hymenolepis diminuta infection was detected. This is the first report of Hymenolepis diminuta infection in man in Malaysia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Parasitic Diseases/epidemiology*
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