A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of feline bartonellosis and the associated clinicopathological findings in cats presented to the University Veterinary Hospital, Selangor, Malaysia from 2013–2014. Out of 284 cats examined, Bartonella DNA was detected in 48 (16.9%) cats using a specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay targeting the internal transcribed spacer of Bartonella species. Bartonella henselae strain Houston was identified through BLAST analyses of randomly selected amplicons. Univariable analysis showed significant association of feline bartonellosis with cats < 2 years of age (OR 1.37, 95% CI 0.982–1.927, p = 0.036) and those presenting with ocular discharge (OR 3.211, 95% CI 1.422–7.248, p = 0.003). Significant associations of neutrophilia (OR 2.244, 95% CI 1.131–4.452, p = 0.019) and monocytosis (OR 2.476, 95% CI 1.154–5.312, p = 0.017) with bartonella infection in cats were observed. This study reports for the first time the prevalence (approximately 17%) of feline bartonellosis in Malaysia and highlights several clinicopathological factors associated with the disease.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is an emerging disease in Sri Lanka, more than 400 cases having been reported since 2001. However, the morphology and taxonomic status of the Sri Lankan strain of Leishmania is not known yet. Therefore, it is important to study the morphology and to analyze the phylogenetic position to predict the risk and expansion of the disease and thereby to develop an effective control programme. Morphology of the amastigote of the Sri Lankan isolate was checked by light microscopy and electron microscopic observation. Presence of amastigotes within macrophages was confirmed in skin biopsy samples. The promastigote had the characteristic appearance of a kinetoplastid cell in cultures. The kinetoplast minicircle DNA has been used for diagnosis of Leishmania for a long time and also for phylogenetic studies on trypanosomatid flagellates. The kinetoplast minicircle was amplified using PCR and subsequently sequenced from samples obtained from Sri Lankan patients with cutaneous lesions. Mitochondrial cytochrome b gene has been recently shown to be useful for identification and phylogenetic analysis of the genus Leishmania. The nucleotide sequence of the cytochrome b gene of Sri Lankan Leishmania was determined using the semi-nested PCR and 620 bp of this gene obtained. Phylogenetic analysis using these sequences unambiguously indicated that Sri Lankan isolate of Leishmania belongs to L. donovani complex. However, the Sri Lankan isolate forms a distinct lineage within the complex and probably represents a new branch.

Recent progress in chemotherapy has prolonged the survival of patients with malignant biliary strictures, leading to increased rates of stent occlusion. Even we employed metallic stents which contributed to higher rates and longer durations of patency, and occlusion of covered metallic stents now occurs in about half of all patients during their survival. We investigated the complication and patency rate for the removal of covered metallic stents, and found that the durations were similar for initial stent placement and re-intervention. In order to preserve patient quality of life, we currently recommend the use of covered metallic stents for patients with malignant biliary obstruction because of their removability and longest patency duration, even though uncovered metallic stents have similar patency durations.
Biliary Tract Diseases/*surgery ; Coated Materials, Biocompatible ; Device Removal ; Drainage/methods ; Endoscopy ; Foreign-Body Migration/surgery ; Humans ; Metals ; Postoperative Complications/surgery ; *Stents/adverse effects

BACKGROUND: Although the age-adjusted incidence and mortality of cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD) have been decreasing steadily in Japan, both diseases remain major contributors to morbidity and mortality along with the aging society. Herein, we aim to provide a prescription of 10 health tips for long and healthy life named the "Lifelong Health Support 10 (LHS10)." METHOD: The LHS10 was developed by the preventive medicine specialists at the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center in Suita, where it has been used for health guidance to prevent CVD, cancer, and cognitive decline in addition to their major risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. It consisted of the lifestyle modification recommendations of the 2014 Japanese Society of Hypertension guidelines and the 2017 Japan Atherosclerosis Society Guidelines for preventing atherosclerotic CVD. Further, it came in line with other international lifestyle modification guidelines. In this narrative review, we summarized the results of several Japanese epidemiological studies investigating the association between the LHS10 items and the risk of cancer, CVD, and other chronic diseases including dementia, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease. RESULTS: The LHS10 included avoiding smoking and secondhand smoke exposure, engaging in physical activity, refraining from excessive alcohol drinking, reducing fried foods and sugary soft drinks, cutting salt in food, consuming more vegetables, fruits, fish, soy foods, and fibers, and maintaining proper body weight. All items of the LHS10 were shown to reduce the risk of cancer, CVD, and other chronic diseases. CONCLUSIONS The LHS10 can be a helpful tool for health guidance.
Cardiovascular Diseases/prevention & control* ; Humans ; Hypertension/prevention & control* ; Japan/epidemiology* ; Life Style ; Neoplasms ; Prescriptions ; Risk Factors

Toxoplasma gondii, a zoonotic protozoan that has a worldwide distribution, is known to infect many warm-blooded vertebrates. The feline species including domestic cats are the definitive hosts for Toxoplama gondii and shed the infective oocyst. There is lack of information on the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in cats in Malaysia. The objective of this study was to determine both the seroprevalence of T. gondii and the prevalence of T. gondii DNA in cats’ feces in Klang Valley, Malaysia. 198 blood and 201 fecal samples were collected from pet and stray cats from the local council, Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) and University Veterinary Hospital, Universiti Putra Malaysia respectively. The overall seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in cats in the Klang Valley was found to be 5.5%. There was a high prevalence (10.5%) of T. gondii DNA detected in the cat fecal samples in both pet and stray cats suggestive of T. gondii oocyst shedding. Stray cats showed a higher seroprevalence and molecular prevalence of T. gondii than the pet cats. However, comparative analysis using Chi-square test showed no significant difference between both groups (P>0.05). Higher prevalence (10.5%) of cats shedding T. gondii DNA as compared to the seroprevalence (5.5%) was found in the cat population in the Klang Valley. The high prevalence of cats shedding T. gondii DNA is alarming as this may directly reflect the number of oocysts excreted into the environment posing a significant public health hazard.

Tritrichomonas foetus is known to cause chronic diarrhea in the feline species in many different regions of the world. However, there is a paucity of information on T. foetus among cats in Malaysia. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Tritrichomonas foetus in the pet and stray cat population in Klang Valley, Malaysia. A total of 201 pet and stray cats’ fecal samples were collected in Klang Valley. 24 samples were cultured in the InPouch® TF Feline to observe for motile trophozoites. A nested PCR protocol was used to screen for T. foetus in the collected samples. The prevalence of T. foetus in the cat population in Klang Valley was 33%. There was no association between Tritrichomonas infection and age, sex, breed or management of the cats. However, statistical analysis revealed that stray cats were more likely to be infected with T. foetus compared to pet cats. This study confirmed for the first time the presence of T. foetus among the cat population in Klang Valley, Malaysia.