Perceived Severity and Susceptibility towards Leptospirosis Infection in Malaysia.

Background: Perceived severity and susceptibility refers to one's belief of the seriousness and the risk of contracting a specific disease. It is an essential study in public health as it assists in the understanding of the motivating factors towards disease prevention. This qualitative study aimed to explore perceived severity and susceptibility towards leptospirosis infection among respondents in two states of Malaysia.

Economic benefit of leptospirosis prevention in Kelantan, Malaysia: Willingness-to-contribute approach.

Leptospirosis is an endemic disease in Malaysia. Despite the increasing incidence rate, knowledge on the economic assessment of preventing leptospirosis is still limited. This paper introduces the willingness-to-contribute (WTC) method for estimating the economic benefit of preventing leptospirosis.

A qualitative exploration of the misconceptions, knowledge gaps and constructs of leptospirosis among rural and urban communities in Malaysia.

This qualitative study aimed to explore the misconceptions, knowledge gaps and constructs of leptospirosis among 72 respondents from rural and urban districts in two states of Malaysia. We conducted focus group discussions and data were examined using thematic analyses. The layman term of 'rat urine disease' contributed the most to the misconceptions regarding leptospirosis.

Knowledge, attitude and practice about leptospirosis prevention among town service workers in northeastern Malaysia: a cross sectional study.

Introduction: Many efforts have been done to reduce leptospirosis infections in Malaysia especially among high risk groups including town service workers. Town service workers are more likely to be exposed to the leptospiral infection resulting from their occupational activities.

Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in northeastern Malaysia involving 321 town service workers who were subjected to answer an interviewer-guided validated questionnaire which consists of sociodemographic, knowledge, attitude and practice information.

Development and validation of a new knowledge, attitude, belief and practice questionnaire on leptospirosis in Malaysia.

Background: In Malaysia, leptospirosis is considered an endemic disease, with sporadic outbreaks following rainy or flood seasons. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a new knowledge, attitude, belief and practice (KABP) questionnaire on leptospirosis for use in urban and rural populations in Malaysia.

Methods: The questionnaire comprised development and validation stages.

Sample Size Calculation in Animal Studies Using Resource Equation Approach.

Animal research plays an important role in the pre-clinical phase of clinical trials. In animal studies, the power analysis approach to sample size calculation is recommended. Whenever it is not possible to assume the standard deviation and the effect size, an alternative to the power analysis approach is the 'resource equation' approach, which sets the acceptable range of the error degrees of freedom (DF) in an analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Seroprevalence of leptospiral antibodies among market workers and food handlers in the central state of Malaysia.

Objective: The high prevalence of leptospirosis in humans is of great public health concern, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of leptospiral antibodies and distribution of serovars, and to assess the usefulness of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) as a screening method for leptospiral antibodies in a high-risk healthy community.

Methods: Cross-sectional study of 231 market workers and food handlers in wet markets and food premises from two localities in central Malaysia.

Study on Seroprevalence and Leptospiral Antibody Distribution among High-risk Planters in Malaysia.

Objectives: To determine the leptospirosis seroprevalence and to identify the predominant infecting serovars among oil palm plantation workers.

Methods: The cross-sectional study involved 350 asymptomatic oil palm plantation workers in Melaka and Johor. A serological test using the microscopic agglutination test was conducted in the Institute of Medical Research with a cut-off titre for seropositivity of ≥1:100.

Work Environment-Related Risk Factors for Leptospirosis among Plantation Workers in Tropical Countries: Evidence from Malaysia.

Background: Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease that is recognized as a re-emerging global public health issue, especially in tropical and subtropical countries. Malaysia, for example, has increasingly registered leptospirosis cases, outbreaks, and fatalities over the past decade. One of the major industries in the country is the palm oil sector, which employs numerous agricultural workers.

Efficacy and safety of Labisia pumila var alata water extract among pre- and postmenopausal women.

This study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of Labisia pumila var alata (L. pumila) water extract for improving quality of life, cardiovascular and hormonal balance. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group, 16-week study in healthy pre- and postmenopausal women aged 40-60 years was conducted in Kelantan, Malaysia.

The Effectiveness of Methadone Maintenance Therapy Among Opiate - Dependants Registered with Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II Kota Bharu, Kelantan.

Background: The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of MMT program among injecting drug users (IDUs) in Kota Bharu, Kelantan.

Methods: The study was a retrospective study based on the records of injecting drug users (IDUs) involved in the MMT program from November 2005 to 31st Jan 2008, registered at the Psychiatric Clinic of Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II. Opiate Treatment Index (OTI) was used as the research instrument.

Effect of combined psycho-physiological stretching and breathing therapy on sexual satisfaction.

Background: During the last few decades, marital tensions and stresses have influenced various dimensions of life. The objective of the current study was to examine the effects of combined psycho-physiological therapy (stretching therapy combined with breathing exercise) on sexual satisfaction among heterosexual men.

Methods: For this research, we used "convenience sampling" to select 80 males, who were then split equally into two groups, the intervention group and the control group, both groups containing men who had voiced a desire to be in the experimental group.

A hospital-based study on seroprevalence of leptospirosis among febrile cases in northeastern Malaysia.

Objective: To determine the seroprevalence of leptospirosis among febrile inpatient cases in northeastern Malaysia.

Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 999 febrile cases admitted to 10 hospitals in northeastern Malaysia. A survey using a proforma sheet was used to obtain sociodemographic and occupational information.

Risk factors of leptospirosis among febrile hospital admissions in northeastern Malaysia.

Background: Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonotic disease. Risk factors for the disease may vary among countries.

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the risk factors of leptospirosis among febrile cases.

Impaired microvascular endothelial function in vitamin D-deficient diabetic nephropathy patients.

Aims: This study aims to compare microvascular endothelial function between vitamin D-deficient and nondeficient groups of patients with diabetic nephropathy. Serum levels of the inflammatory marker high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were also measured.

Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study involved 70 patients with diabetic nephropathy; 40 were categorized into the group with nondeficient serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels [25(OH)D >50 nmol/l], whereas 30 patients were categorized to the group with deficient serum 25(OH)D (<50 nmol/l).

Combination of SMN2 copy number and NAIP deletion predicts disease severity in spinal muscular atrophy.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive neuromuscular disorder caused by mutations in the SMN1 gene. The SMN2 gene is highly homologous to SMN1 and has been reported to be correlated with severity of the disease. The clinical presentation of SMA varies from severe to mild, with three clinical subtypes (type I, type II, and type III) that are assigned according to age of onset and severity of the disease.