1.A Combination of Trimethoprimsulfamethoxazole and Ceftazidime Showed Good In Vitro Activity against Stenotrophomonas maltophilia
Nabilah Ismail ; Siti Asma Hassan ; Zaidah Abdul
Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences 2017;24(2):21-27
Background: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia has emerged as an important nosocomial
pathogen, capable of causing a wide spectrum of infections. Treatment is difficult because it is
resistant to many antimicrobial agents, thus reducing the treatment options. The aims of this
study were to describe the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and synergistic effect of selected
antimicrobial combinations against S. maltophilia isolates.
Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study undertaken in the Hospital
Universiti Sains Malaysia from April 2011 to March 2012. S. maltophilia isolated from various
clinical specimens were included in the study. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was done
using the epsilometer test (E-test) and interpreted according to the guidelines of the Clinical and
Laboratory Standards Institute. In the synergy test, the isolates were tested against six different
antimicrobial combinations.
Results: In total, 84 S. maltophilia isolates were collected and analysed. According
to the E-test, the antimicrobial susceptibility of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX),
tigecycline, and ciprofloxacin was 100%, 91.1%, and 88.9% respectively. The antimicrobial
combination of TMP-SMX and ceftazidime showed the highest synergistic effect.
Conclusion: TMP-SMX remains the antimicrobial of choice to treat S. maltophilia
infection. TMP-SMX and ceftazidime was the most effective combination in vitro.
2.Non-O1, non-O139 Vibrio cholerae bacteraemia in splenectomised thalassaemic patient from Malaysia.
Deris ZZ ; Leow VM ; Wan Hassan MN ; Nik Lah AZ ; Lee SY ; Siti Hawa H ; Siti Asma H ; Ravichandran M
Tropical Biomedicine 2009;26(3):320-325
Vibrio cholerae infection is mainly caused acute diarrhoea disease. Bacteraemia due to non-O1 V. cholerae is rare and mainly reported in liver cirrhotic patients. We report one case of non-O1 V. cholerae bacteraemia in splenectomised thalassaemic patient who presented with septic shock secondary to abdominal sepsis. She had undergone emergency laporatomy and was managed in the intensive care unit for nine days. She was treated with meropenem and doxycyline and discharged well after fourteen days of admission. The V. cholerae was identified by API 20NE, serotype and polymerase chain reaction showed as non-O1, non-O139 strain. Besides known cholera-like toxin and El Tor hemolysin, with increasing reported cases of V. cholerae bacteraemia, there is possibility of other virulence factors that allow this organism to invade the bloodstream.
3.Prevalence of Clostridium difficile toxin in diarhoeal stool samples of patients from a tertiary hospital in North Eastern Penisular Malaysia
Siti Asma' Hassan ; Norlela Othman ; Fauziah Mohd Idris ; Zaidah Abdul Rahman ; Nurahan Maning ; Rosliza Abdul Rahman ; Chan Guan Tiong
The Medical Journal of Malaysia 2012;67(4):402-405
This study describes the prevalence of Clostridium difficile toxin (CDT) in loose stool samples from inpatients aged more than two years of a tertiary hospital. A total of 175 samples that had been examined were from stool samples that were sent to the Medical Microbiology & Parasitology Laboratory for various clinical indications. The toxin was detected by a commercial immunochromatograhic test, and
the patients’ demography, clinical features, treatment and
outcomes were analyzed from their medical records.
Clostridium difficile toxin was positive in 24 (13.7%) of the stool samples. Male and female were 11 (45.8 %) and 13
(54.2 %) respectively, with the majority of them aged more
than 50 years. Most were from medical wards (n=21, 87.5%),
with the rest from surgical wards (n=2, 8.3%) and intensive
care units (n=1, 3.4%). All the CDT positive patients had
history of prior antibiotic usage within 6 weeks before the
detection of the toxin. The mean duration of antibiotics
usage was 17.75 (±13.75) days, while the mean duration of
diarrhea was 5.21((± 5.85) days. Eighteen patients had
underlying medical illnesses that were diabetes mellitus,
chronic renal disease, hypertension, ischaemic heart
disease, cerebrovascular disease and malignancy; with
seven of them being CDT positive while on chemotherapy.
Stool occult blood test was positive in 15 patients whereas
presence of pus cells in the CD positive stool samples were
detected in 21 patients. The duration of hospitalization
among the patients was 27.96 (± 23.22) days.
4.The Significant Association between Polymicrobial Diabetic Foot Infection and Its Severity and Outcomes
Sharifah Aisyah Syed Hitam ; Siti Asma& ; rsquo ; Hassan ; Nurahan Maning
Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences 2019;26(1):107-114
Background: Foot infection is a major complication of diabetes mellitus (DM) and
its agents are usually polymicrobial. This study aims to describe the agent and determine the
association between polymicrobial infections and the severity of diabetic foot infections (DFI) and
their outcomes.
Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted during one year and it involved
104 patients. Their records were reviewed and assessed. The causative agents and its sensitivity
pattern were noted. The results were presented as descriptive statistic and analysed.
Results: A total of 133 microorganisms were isolated with 1.28 microorganisms per lesion.
The microorganism isolated were 62% (n = 83) GN (Gram-negative) and 38% (n = 50) GP (Grampositive).
GN microorganisms include Pseudomonas spp (28%), Proteus spp (11%), Klebsiella spp
(8%) and E. coli (4%). Staphylococcus aureus (54%) was predominant among GP, followed by
Group B Streptococci (26%) and Enterococcus spp (6%). Thirty patients (28.8%) had polymicrobial
infections. The association between the quantity of microorganisms and severity of DFI was
significant. Among severe DFI cases, 77.8% with polymicrobial microorganisms underwent
amputation compared to 33.3% with monomicrobial infection.
Conclusion: GN microorganisms were predominantly isolated from DFIs and remained
sensitive to widely used agents. Polymicrobial infections were associated with DFI severity.
5.Development and validation of a new vision screening test algorithm for public use mobile application- A pilot study
Siti Nor Aishah Abdul Rahman ; Abdul Mutalib ; Asma Hassan ; Atif Amin Baig ; Nyi Nyi Naing ; Syaratul Emma Hashim ; Muhammad Aiman Hau
The Medical Journal of Malaysia 2020;75(6):685-690
algorithm for mobile application and perform a pilot study todetermine its validity and reliability as a tool for vision testin the community.Methods: A simple visual acuity test algorithm in the form ofa single letter E display was designed as the optotype fordevelopment of a mobile application. The standardisedoptotype is presented at random to test visual acuity forcorresponding level of 3/60, 6/60, 6/18, and 6/12. The finalresult is auto-generated based on the classification of theWHO for visual impairment and blindness. The Snellen chartwas used as the gold standard to determine its validity whilefive different users were involved to determine its inter-raterreliability. A pilot study was performed between April tillNovember 2019, in the Universiti Sultan Zainal AbidinMedical Centre (UMC) at Kuala Nerus and MoorisOptometrist Centre at Marang, Terengganu. A total of 279participants aged four years old and above were involved inthis study. Results: The highest sensitivity was found at the vision levelcut-off point of 6/12 with the percentage of 92.7% and 86.8%for the right and left eye, respectively. The specificity wasmore than 89% for all vision levels in both eyes. TheKrippendorff’s alpha value for the inter-rater reliability was0.87 and 0.83.Conclusion: The relatively high level of validity andreliability obtained indicate the feasibility of using thedesigned optotype to develop a valid and reliable mobile appfor vision test. The app can be used to screen vision by non-medical persons, at anytime and anywhere to help improvepublic awareness and capability to correctly determine theirvisual status.
6.Mini Review on Laboratory Practices During Covid-19 Pandemic: From Microbiologists Perspective
Azlinda Abu Bakar ; Siti Asma&rsquo ; Hassan ; Tuan Noorkorina Tuan Kob ; Zeti Norfidiyati Salmuna @Ayub
Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences 2021;17(No.4):358-365
Laboratory practices in a laboratory have changed worldwide due to the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The
changes occur concerning specimen collection, handling, transportation, processing, and disposal. Infection control
practices are applied in all aspects, starting from specimen collection until the clinician gets the results. A retrospective review of laboratory practices used in a tertiary teaching hospital laboratory from microbiologists’ perspectives
was performed, and the practices were compared with previously published articles.
7.The Benefits and Challenges of Clinical Work-based Surface Anatomy Learning Among Preclinical Medical Students
Yasrul Izad Abu Bakar ; Asma&rsquo ; Hassan ; Husnaida Abdul Manan @Sulong ; Muhamad Saiful Bahri Yusoff ; Fazlina Kasim ; Siti Nurma Hanim Hadie
Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences 2022;18(No.2):173-180
Knowledge on surface anatomy enables medical students and graduates to locate anatomical structures exteriorly,
improve their clinical and procedural skills and interpret ultrasonographic and radiographic images. Hence, a standard surface anatomy knowledge is essential for attainment of clinical skill competency. Nevertheless, there is lack
of attention given on surface anatomy in the medical curriculum as it is usually delivered didactically or during selfstudy by the students. Owing to limitations in cadaveric dissection in many institutions, lecture-based instruction,
e-learning materials, living anatomy models, radiological imaging and anatomy software are used in teaching surface
anatomy; however, none of these methods proved to be effective over the others. Furthermore, some of these teaching resources lack clinical relevancy, possibly impeding students’ appreciation on learning surface anatomy. Hence,
integrating clinical input during surface anatomy teaching by involving patients in an actual clinical environment is
pertinent. This article demonstrates the benefits and challenges of teaching surface anatomy in the clinical setting to
medical students and highlights the need to design an evidence-based framework of work-based surface anatomy
learning.
8.Antifungal effects and phytochemical screening of Andrographis paniculata extracts on dermatomycoses
Tuan Kub Tuan Noorkorina ; Farhaana Mohd Ab Aziz ; Anis Amiera Muhamad Alojid ; Nursaadatun Nisak Ahmad ; Zeti Nurfidiyati Salmuna ; Siti Asma&rsquo ; Hassan ; Sabarisah Hashim ; Azian Harun
Malaysian Journal of Microbiology 2021;17(5):576-587
Aims:
Andrographis paniculata (AP), a medicinal herb was selected to investigate the antifungal activity on selected dermatophyte fungi. The phytochemical screening was also carried out to evaluate its chemical constituents.
Methodology and results:
The potato dextrose agar (PDA) incorporated with aqueous, ethanol and methanol AP extracts at concentrations 0.99% (v/v), 1.96% (v/v) and 7.41% (v/v) were used for selected fungi culturing; Trichophyton mentagrophytes, T. rubrum, T. interdigitale, Microsporum fulvum, M. nanum, M. gypseum, M. canis, Fusarium solani and Aspergillus fumigatus. Phytochemical screening showed the presence of flavonoids, saponins and tannins in the ethanol extract and flavonoids alone in both aqueous and methanol extracts. Studies on antifungal effects indicated that the ethanol extract significantly increased the mycelial inhibition percentage of all tested fungi, especially at a concentration of 7.41% (v/v). All ethanol AP extract concentrations inhibited M. gypseum and M. canis (p<0.05) with at least 36.00% mycelial inhibition. In aqueous AP extract, it significantly increased the mycelial inhibition of T. mentagrophytes, T. interdigitale and M. gypseum (p<0.05), while the methanol AP extract significantly inhibited all fungi at a concentration of 7.41% (v/v) except for T. rubrum, M. gypseum and F. solani (p<0.05). No spore sedimentation was recorded for the fungal spores of T. rubrum, M. nanum, T. mentagrophytes, M. gypseum and T. interdigitale at 7.41% (v/v) ethanol AP.
Conclusion, significance and impact of study
It is concluded that the ethanol AP extract contained phytochemical constituents and showed the highest antifungal activity. In addition, this extract has a great potential to treat dermatophytes effectively.
Antifungal Agents
;
Phytochemicals
;
Andrographis paniculata
;
Dermatomycoses