Serological confirmation of dengue in 1,410 school-going children aged 7-18 years provided prevalence data for 16 different sites in Malaysia. These sites ranged from highly urbanized cities to small towns. We found that at least ~7 % of children in the study group had been exposed to dengue by age 12 and ~16% by age 18. Here we report that the dengue seroprevalence correlates with i) increasing land development and decreased vegetation, and ii) the overall population growth. Water bodies did not significantly affect dengue prevalence. High prevalence of dengue was also recorded in few of the non-urban sites suggesting the expanding geographical locality of those who get dengue in Malaysia in tandem with increased land usage activities. These findings highlight the need to give closer consideration to future urban planning and development, taking into consideration the changing demography and the importance of built environment to mitigate the increasing incidence of dengue in the non-urban areas of Malaysia.

Twenty one polio patients with severe knee flexion contractures admitted at the Santo Tomas University Hospital, Clinical Division from 1984 to 1990 were studied. There were 11 males and 10 females with age ranging from 12 to 18 years with a mean of 14.3 years. The degree of knee flexion ranged from 45 to 120 degrees with an average of 62.5 degrees. Clinical data included the ranges of motion, the stability of the hip, knee and ankle. Manual muscle testing as well as limb length and girth were recorded. the technique as described by Huckstep was conducted either as a one or two staged procedure with or without preliminary skeletal tractions. One patient required an internal fixation on the osteotomized fragments for stability. Two patients had residual flexion contracture of 5 ad 10 degrees after removal of cast. Only one patient abandoned her braces and opted to use her wheel chair despite healed osteotomy. (Author)

Human ; Male ; Female ; Adolescent ; Child ; Osteotomy ; Patients ; Poliomyelitis