Plasmodium is a blood protozoan parasite that is responsible for malaria. To date, Plasmodium falciparum has shown multi-drug resistance, particularly in Thailand, Myanmar and Malaysia. The aim of the study is to screen the plant extracts that can effectively inhibit P. falciparum 3D7, a common lab strain malaria parasite. Nine plants were collected and processed through maceration using hexane, chloroform and ethanol, resulting in 24 crude plant extracts. Of these, extracts from Artabotrys crassifolius, Pericampylus glacus and Leuconotis eugeniifolia showed promising antiplasmodial activities at IC50 of 15.32 to 39.75 μg/mL in a modified schizont maturation assay. Further studies are warranted to explore its efficacies and lead compounds of these three plant extracts for the development of antiplasmodial drugs.

Measles virus causes three distinct neurological syndromes: acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, subacute sclerosing panencephalitis and the rare subacute measles encephalitis, or inclusion body measles encephalitis. There is a current debate of whether subacute measles encephalitis is an opportunistic infection or a subacute infection caused by a mutated measles strain. There is also no report of long term MRI of survivor. We reported a young Chinese girl with a history of relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and subacute measles encephalitis confirmed by brain biopsy who survived. Serial magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed cortical and basal ganglial involvement in the initial phase, and generalized cerebral atrophy in the subsequent scan four and a half years later. The patient recovered from subacute measles encephalitis with substantial neurological deficits with the cessation of maintenance chemotherapy without specific antiviral treatment. This suggested that reconstitution of host immunity was adequate in effecting the clearance of the virus, and supporting the hypothesis that subacute measles encephalitis is primarily an opportunistic infection.

Urban recreational lake acts as a source of waterborne parasites contamination, as reported in 2013 in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. This scenario will lead to the transmission of waterborne diseases due to exposure of water-related activities by humans. This study was conducted to reveal the occurrence of common waterborne parasites in a urban lake (i.e. Titiwangsa Lake). The lake is situated in the city of Kuala Lumpur and is known to be overcrowded with vast activities participated by both local and tourist. Results of study showed the presence of Cryptosporidium, Giardia, free-living amoeba, and helminthlike ova from the lake.

Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) is a group of parasitic nematodes, including Trichuris trichiura, Ascaris lumbricoides, Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus, which can cause gastrointestinal disorders in humans. STH is prevalent among neglected communities in both developing and developed countries. This present study aims to determine the current prevalence of STH infections in Aboriginal population after mass delivering of antihelminthic drugs was proposed by WHO in 2005 and a health education learning package (HELP) was initiated in Malaysia in 2012. A total of 235 human fecal samples were collected and a pre-tested questionnaire was given to gather information about the socio-demographic of the Aborigine communities living in Kedah and Selangor, Malaysia. The samples were screened by a direct-fecal smear and confirmed by formalin-ether sedimentation methods. From human faeces, 81.7% was found to be infected with one or more STH species. T. trichiura was the most commonly detected (76.6%), followed by hookworms (26.4%) and A. lumbricoides (19.1%). Triple infections were found in 6.4% of the studied population. Univariate analysis showed that individuals with age group, male, presence of indoor toilet, family size with <7 members and bad living habits (i.e., without antihelminthic drugs) were significantly associated with STH infections. The analysis further showed that walking barefoot was the significant contributing factor to hookworm infections. The high prevalence of human STH infections is alarming. Thus, the urgency in implementing health education related behavioral practice and hygiene to reduce disease burden in these rural communities are a crucial need.

One of the main indicators of an illness is fever and it is managed in different ways by mothers based on their existing culture. After a health diagnosis, dominant fever management of a certain community with inaccessible health center was the use of herbal plants despite easy access to relatively expensive over-the-counter medicine. Hence, we explored the meanings of using herbal plants in the management of children’s fever by Filipino using qualitative-phenomenological research philosophy (Colaizzi, ). Seven mothers were interviewed with the aid of recorders, journals, field notes and memos with the mothers’ consents. The narrative data were analyzed using the Morse and Field process. Themes were discovered highlighting the process of how the mothers managed their children’s fever through the utilization of herbal plants. Thematic variations in the use of herbal plants and their preparation, utilization and application were ascertained. From these thematic analysis emerged a cultural relationality which provided an integrated process of PAGDIKTA (Eng. dictation), the major theme of the experience. This summarized the selection, adoption and transfer of the herbal plants for management of fever with cultural involvement. PAGDIKTA [acronym which means PAG-pitas, DIK-dik, TA-pal] is the concept learned to present the views of cultural selection, adoption and transfer of fever management practice of motherinformants. PAGDIKTA can be further analyzed with the following subconcepts: Pagpitas (Eng. picking) is the process of choosing a culturally accepted herbal plant for their fever. Dikdik (Eng. pounding) is the progression of cultural adoptation and imbuement of practice by mother-informants. Tapal (Eng. application) is the application and transmission of the feverpractice based on the perceived and observed efficacy of practices directed to their children’s fever. Cultural awareness, assessment and competence are needed to completely understand specific populations with special needs such as the mothers in a community in the Philippines.
Herbal Medicine ; Plants, Medicinal ; Fever ; Child ; Culture ; Philippines

This article describes Viet Nam Ministry of Health’s (VMoH) activities to prepare for and respond to the threat Zika virus (ZIKV), including the adaptation of existing surveillance systems to encompass ZIKV surveillance.

Introduction : Health care providers must develop awareness and understanding of the rights of patients in order to render quality care. The study aimed to assess the awareness of students of the College of Medicine of the Patient's Bill of Rights. Methods : Medical students selected by stratified sampling were asked to answer a questionnaire on patients' rights. Respondents with scores of at least 80% were considered "aware". The proportion of respondents who were "aware" was determined. Results : The results revealed that 84.6% of the respondents have >80% awareness level. More than 90% of the medical students sampled were aware of the right to choose a physician, followed by the rights to be shown respect, dignity, and consideration, to be provided healthcare service of best quality by skilled healthcare professionals, to be included in decisions and choices about one's care, and to religious assistance. Less than 70% were aware of the right of the unconscious or legally incompetent patient and right to access and transfer of care and continuity of care. Conclusion More than 80% of medical students exposed to patients are aware of the Patient's Bill of Rights.
Awareness ; Education, Medical

Purinergic P2Y Receptor Antagonists ; Consensus ; Cardiovascular System ; Cardiology ; Asia

In the last two decades gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), initially thought to be a disease only common  in the West, is described  increasingly in Asia, including the Philippines. A recent local report indicated that the prevalence of erosive esophagitis (EE), a common complication of GERD, has more than doubled, i.e., 2.9% to  6.3%,  between the two time periods of 1994-1997 and 2000-2003, respectively. GERD causes recurrent annoying symptoms which are common  reasons  for  clinic  visits  and consultations thus, it is the objective of these guidelines to provide both primary care physicians  (PCPs) and specialists a current, evidence-based, country-specific recommendations for the optimal management  of  GERD.  These  guidelines  are  intended   to   empower   PCPs   to   make   a   clinic-based diagnosis of GERD, to start an empiric acid-suppressive therapy in the appropriate patient,and direct them to select which GERD patient may need to undergo investigations to ascertain further the diagnosis of GERD or to assess outcomes of therapy. We acknowledge that studies published in the future may influence the impact on our confidence on the recommendations enumerated in  these guidelines thus, we commit to update this document when it is deemed appropriate.