Development and Validation of a simple score for diagnosis of Leptospirosis at outpatient departments.

Background: Leptospirosis is an important zoonotic disease within the tropics. Diagnosing leptospirosis is a clinical obstacle, as clinical presentations are similar to other tropical infectious diseases. Available serological tests are often insensitive and not cost-effective.

Risk factors for malaria infection among rubber tappers living in a malaria control program area in southern Thailand.

Rubber tappers work begins at midnight during the feeding time of Anopheles maculatus and An. minimus, two common malaria vectors in southern Thailand. We studied the association between rubber tapper behavior and malaria infections as reported to the Notified Disease Surveillance System during 2010 in Prachuab Khiri Khan Province, Thailand.

Factors related to community participation by stroke victims six month post-stroke.

Participation in the community socially by stroke victims is an optimal outcome post-stroke. We carried out a cohort study to evaluate a model for community participation by Thai stroke victims 6 months post-stroke. Six standardized instruments were used to assess the patient's status 1, 3 and 6 months after stroke.

Epidemiology of radiographically-confirmed and bacteremic pneumonia in rural Thailand.

Pneumonia remains a leading public health concern in Thailand. Using population-based surveillance during January 2004-December 2006, we describe incidence, mortality, and bacterial etiologies of chest radiograph-confirmed pneumonia requiring hospitalization in one rural Thai province. Of 19,316 patients who met the case definition for clinical pneumonia, 9,596 (50%) had a chest radiograph, and 4,993 (52%) of those had radiographically-confirmed pneumonia.

Sexual behavior and HIV infection among pregnant hilltribe women in northern Thailand.

A case-control study was carried out to determine factors associated with HIV infection among pregnant hilltribe women who attended the antenatal clinics of six hospitals in northern Thailand (Mae Suai, Wieng Pa Pao, Mae Sai, Mae Chan, Wieng Kaen, Mae Fa Luang, and Chiang Rai hospitals) between 1 January 2005- 31 May 2007. Data were collected using questionnaires and analysis was by univariate (p-value = 0.100) and multivariate analysis (p-value = 0.

Increased risk of preterm birth among non- smoking, non- alcohol drinking women with maternal periodontitis.

The aim of this case-control study was to examine the association between periodontitis and preterm birth among non-smoking, non-alcohol drinking women. The cases were 130 women who delivered a live singleton newborn before 37 weeks gestation. A random sample of 260 women who delivered a normal child on the same day as the cases were selected as controls.