Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) are autoantibodies directed against primary granules of neutrophils and monocytes’ lysosomes. In general, c-ANCA is strongly associated with vasculitic disorders mainly in ANCA-associated systemic vasculitis (AASV). p-ANCA have been identified in several diseases such as primary (AASV) and secondary vasculitis such as collagen vascular diseases, rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel diseases given the term ‘ANCA-associated disease.’ The objective of this study was to determine the rate of ANCA positivity by indirect immunofluorescent (IF) and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and its association with AASV and ANCA associated diseases. Serum from patients with history suspicion of systemic vasculitis were tested for ANCA by IF. Those samples positive for ANCA by IF were further tested for antibodies against myeloperoxidase (MPO) and proteinase 3 (PR3) using the ELISA. Clinical data from medical records were obtained and analyzed. Of 468 samples, a total of 110 were positive for ANCA by IF. IF results showed a p-ANCA pattern in 96 patients and c-ANCA in 14. Of 110 IF positive ANCA, 45 patients were positive by ELISA. Seventeen were positive for MPO-ANCA, 9 were PR3-ANCA positive and 19 were both MPO and PR3 positive. Only 2 patients were classified AASV ie Wegener granulomatosis and the other with microscopic polyangiitis. The remaining patients (n = 108) may be classified as ANCA associated diseases. Our study showed that p-ANCA (87.3%) was the more common ANCA pattern and 40.9% of IF positive samples were positive for PR3- and MPOANCA.

Health-care workers are at risk of exposure to occupational infections with subsequent risk of contracting diseases, disability, and even death. A systematic collection of occupational disease data is useful for monitoring current trends in work situations and disease exposures; however, these data are usually limited due to under-reporting. The objective of this study was to review literature related to knowledge, risk perceptions, and practices regarding occupational exposures to infectious diseases in Malaysian health-care settings, in particular regarding blood-borne infections, universal precautions, use of personal protective equipment, and clinical waste management. The data are useful for determining improvements in knowledge and risk perceptions among health-care workers with developments of health policies and essential interventions for prevention and control of occupational diseases.
Communicable Diseases ; Health Policy ; Malaysia* ; Occupational Diseases ; Occupational Exposure ; Personal Protective Equipment ; Universal Precautions ; Waste Management

OBJECTIVETo characterize the major allergens of Macrobrachium rosenbergii (giant freshwater prawn).

METHODSRaw and cooked extracts of the giant freshwater prawn were prepared. The IgE reactivity pattern was identified by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and immunoblotting technique with the sera of 20 skin prick test (SPT) positive patients. The major allergen identified was then characterized using the proteomics approach involving a combination of two-dimensional (2-DE) electrophoresis, mass spectrometry and bioinformatics tools.

RESULTSSDS-PAGE of the raw extract showed 23 protein bands (15-250 kDa) but those ranging from 40 to 100 kDa were not found in the cooked extract. From immunoblotting experiments, raw and cooked extracts demonstrated 11 and 5 IgE-binding proteins, respectively, with a molecular mass ranging from 15 to 155 kDa. A heat-resistant 36 kDa protein was identified as the major allergen of both extracts. In addition, a 42 kDa heat-sensitive protein was shown to be a major allergen of the raw extract. The 2-DE gel fractionated the prawn proteins to more than 50 different protein spots. Of these, 10 spots showed specific IgE reactivity with patients' sera. Matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) analysis led to identification of 2 important allergens, tropomyosin and arginine kinase.

CONCLUSIONSIt can be concluded that the availability of such allergens would help in component-based diagnosis and therapy of prawn allergies.

Allergens ; isolation & purification ; Animals ; Computational Biology ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Fresh Water ; Humans ; Immunoblotting ; Immunoglobulin E ; immunology ; Mass Spectrometry ; Molecular Weight ; Palaemonidae ; chemistry

Objective To characterize the major allergens of Macrobrachium rosenbergii (giant freshwater prawn). Methods Raw and cooked extracts of the giant freshwater prawn were prepared. The IgE reactivity pattern was identified by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and immunoblotting technique with the sera of 20 skin prick test (SPT) positive patients. The major allergen identified was then characterized using the proteomics approach involving a combination of two-dimensional (2-DE) electrophoresis, mass spectrometry and bioinformatics tools. Results SDS-PAGE of the raw extract showed 23 protein bands (15-250 kDa) but those ranging from 40 to 100 kDa were not found in the cooked extract. From immunoblotting experiments, raw and cooked extracts demonstrated 11 and 5 IgE-binding proteins, respectively, with a molecular mass ranging from 15 to 155 kDa. A heat-resistant 36 kDa protein was identified as the major allergen of both extracts. In addition, a 42 kDa heat-sensitive protein was shown to be a major allergen of the raw extract. The 2-DE gel fractionated the prawn proteins to more than 50 different protein spots. Of these, 10 spots showed specific IgE reactivity with patients' sera. Matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) analysis led to identification of 2 important allergens, tropomyosin and arginine kinase. Conclusions It can be concluded that the availability of such allergens would help in component-based diagnosis and therapy of prawn allergies.

Introduction: Diabetes-associated autoantibodies (DAA) is the hallmark of T1DM and LADA which are frequently tested in young diabetes patients. It was noted that up to 10-15% of patients with initial diagnosis of T2DM also exhibit DAA. Regardless of the classification, the presence of DAA suggests an underlying islet autoimmunity which lead to progressive pancreatic β-cell failure. There is limited data reported on DAA in young diabetes patients in Malaysia. This study aims to determine the frequency of DAA positivity and its association with demographic and clinical characteristics among this cohort. Methods: A retrospective study using secondary data obtained from Allergy and Immunology Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, Malaysia. This study included 194 diabetes patients who were diagnosed before the age of 40 years old and tested for GADA, ICA, IA2A and IAA. Results: From 194 patients, 91 (46.9%) were positive for least one of the following DAA: ICA (79, 40.7%), GADA (61, 31.4%), IA2A (37, 19.1%) and IAA (9, 4.6%). Multiple positivity was higher (73.6%) compared to single positivity. Highest combination of double positivity was ICA+GADA (54, 59.3%) and triple positivity was ICA+GADA+IA2A (25, 27.5%). Simultaneous positivity of four autoantibodies was seen in only one (1.1%) patient. ICA, GADA and IA2A were associated with age group and ethnicity (all p < 0.001). Only IA2A was associated with gender (p = 0.012). Conclusions: GADA, ICA ad IA2A are more significant in young Malaysian diabetes patients. IAA has a very low frequency in this studied population.

Objective: The primary objective was to assess beta-cell function of recently-diagnosed young-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) individuals using basal and stimulated C-peptide levels. The secondary objective was to examine the association between C-peptide with metabolic factors and diabetes complications. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted for young-onset T2DM individuals aged 18-35 years with a disease duration of not more than 5 years. Plasma C-peptide was measured before and after intravenous glucagon injection. Demographic data, medical history and complications were obtained from medical records and clinical assessment. Continuous data were expressed as median and interquartile range (IQR). Categorical variables were described as frequency or percentage. Multivariable linear regression analysis was used to determine factors associated with C-peptide levels. Results: 113 participants with young-onset T2DM with a median (IQR) age of 29.0 (9.5) years and 24 (36) months were included in this study. The median (IQR) basal and stimulated C-peptide was 619 (655) pmol/L and 1231 (1024) pmol/L. Adequate beta-cell function was present in 78-86% of the participants based on the basal and stimulated C-peptide levels. We found hypertension, obesity and diabetic kidney disease (DKD) to be independently associated with higher C–peptide levels. In contrast, females, smokers, those on insulin therapy and with longer duration of disease had lower C–peptide levels. Conclusion Most recently diagnosed young-onset T2DM have adequate beta-cell function. Elevated C-peptide levels associated with obesity, hypertension and diabetic kidney disease suggest insulin resistance as the key driving factor for complications.
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; C-Peptide