Publications by authors named "S Zainah"

Introduction: Awareness for paediatric palliative care has resulted in the impetus for paediatrician-led palliative care services across Malaysia. However, there is paucity of local data on patients receiving hospital-based paediatric palliative care. We aim to review the clinical spectrum of patients referred to these services.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Dengue is a viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes, with four different serotypes, and has been affecting tropical and subtropical regions for many years, including Malaysia where all serotypes can coexist.
  • A study between 2010-2012 in Klang Valley analyzed serum samples from dengue patients to identify prevalent serotypes and any mutations linked to increased virus virulence.
  • The findings indicated that Dengue-1 was the most common serotype, with high genetic similarity among isolates, and severe dengue cases showed a distinct mutation from non-severe cases, linking them to earlier outbreak strains in Malaysia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

On 14 April 2014, the first laboratory-confirmed case of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection was reported in Malaysia in a man in his mid-fifties, who developed pneumonia with respiratory distress, after returning from a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. The case succumbed to his illness three days after admission at a local hospital. The follow-up of 199 close contacts identified through contact tracing and vigilant surveillance did not result in detecting any other confirmed cases of MERS-CoV infection.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Rubella infection in pregnant women during the first trimester of pregnancy can lead to fetal anomalies, commonly known as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). The objective of our study was to analyze the serological test results among infants suspected of having CRS aged < or = 12 months compared with their clinical status. Between January 2002 and December 2011, 3,279 serum samples from infants aged < or = 12 months from government hospitals in Malaysia were examined for rubella specific IgM and IgG antibodies using a Axsym, automated analyzer (Abbott Laboratories).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The Elecsys® HIV combi PT assay was developed to allow earlier detection of HIV infection with increased sensitivity and specificity.

Objectives: To validate the assay for screening and reliable early detection of HIV-1 infection in Asia.

Study Design: Samples tested reflected those routinely screened in Asia and comprised: HIV-1 antigen lysate (25 samples) and antibody (20 samples) dilutions; seven HIV-1 seroconversion panels (46 samples); 39 patient samples from early infection; 183 known-positive sera; HIV-1 p24 antigen sensitivity panel (seven samples); >500 routine clinical samples per center.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF