Purpose: Plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) is a rare, aggressive lymphoma that is characterized by terminal B-cell differ‑ entiation. In the West, PBL usually occurs in patients with immunodeficiencies, particularly those induced by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. We investigated the clinicopathological features of PBL at a single institute in Taiwan, where HIV infection is rare. Methods: This retrospective chart review identified PBL cases that were treated at a single institute in southern Tai‑ wan between 2008 and 2024. Results: We identified nine patients (four males and five females; median age 71 years). Of the eight patients tested for HIV, only one tested positive. Pathologically, the tumors showed plasmablastic morphology and immunopheno‑ type, and three (33%) cases tested positive for Epstein–Barr virus. Six (67%) patients presented with Stage IV disease, including five (56%) with malignant effusion. Six patients were treated with chemotherapy and the remaining three received only supportive care. During a median follow-up of 10 months, five patients died of progressive disease, two died of unrelated diseases, and two were alive with PBL relapse. Conclusion In Taiwan, PBL constitutes a rare and aggressive clinical condition and is frequently associated with malignant effusion. In contrast to Western patients, the PBL in most patients from Taiwan was unrelated to HIV infection.

Purpose: Plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) is a rare, aggressive lymphoma that is characterized by terminal B-cell differ‑ entiation. In the West, PBL usually occurs in patients with immunodeficiencies, particularly those induced by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. We investigated the clinicopathological features of PBL at a single institute in Taiwan, where HIV infection is rare. Methods: This retrospective chart review identified PBL cases that were treated at a single institute in southern Tai‑ wan between 2008 and 2024. Results: We identified nine patients (four males and five females; median age 71 years). Of the eight patients tested for HIV, only one tested positive. Pathologically, the tumors showed plasmablastic morphology and immunopheno‑ type, and three (33%) cases tested positive for Epstein–Barr virus. Six (67%) patients presented with Stage IV disease, including five (56%) with malignant effusion. Six patients were treated with chemotherapy and the remaining three received only supportive care. During a median follow-up of 10 months, five patients died of progressive disease, two died of unrelated diseases, and two were alive with PBL relapse. Conclusion In Taiwan, PBL constitutes a rare and aggressive clinical condition and is frequently associated with malignant effusion. In contrast to Western patients, the PBL in most patients from Taiwan was unrelated to HIV infection.

Purpose: Plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) is a rare, aggressive lymphoma that is characterized by terminal B-cell differ‑ entiation. In the West, PBL usually occurs in patients with immunodeficiencies, particularly those induced by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. We investigated the clinicopathological features of PBL at a single institute in Taiwan, where HIV infection is rare. Methods: This retrospective chart review identified PBL cases that were treated at a single institute in southern Tai‑ wan between 2008 and 2024. Results: We identified nine patients (four males and five females; median age 71 years). Of the eight patients tested for HIV, only one tested positive. Pathologically, the tumors showed plasmablastic morphology and immunopheno‑ type, and three (33%) cases tested positive for Epstein–Barr virus. Six (67%) patients presented with Stage IV disease, including five (56%) with malignant effusion. Six patients were treated with chemotherapy and the remaining three received only supportive care. During a median follow-up of 10 months, five patients died of progressive disease, two died of unrelated diseases, and two were alive with PBL relapse. Conclusion In Taiwan, PBL constitutes a rare and aggressive clinical condition and is frequently associated with malignant effusion. In contrast to Western patients, the PBL in most patients from Taiwan was unrelated to HIV infection.

INTRODUCTION: It is vital to diagnose and treat pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) early, in the interests of the patient and public health. At the Singapore Tuberculosis Control Unit (TBCU), it was not uncommon to discover abnormal chest radiographs (CXRs) predating their PTB diagnosis by months to years in the electronic medical records (EMRs) of sputum acid-fast bacilli smear-positive patients. Our study explored this observation. METHODS: The EMRs of sputum smear-positive PTB patients treated at the TBCU from January to July 2014 were viewed for abnormal CXRs preceding their PTB diagnosis. Information in the EMRs pertaining to the indication for the CXRs, radiological reports (including whether the possibility of PTB was stated) and action taken was captured. RESULTS: Of the 254 sputum smear-positive patients, 108 had previous CXRs in their EMRs, of whom 39 (36.1%) had previous CXRs compatible with PTB. Most of these were performed in tertiary institutions and for reasons unrelated to PTB. No action was taken in response to these CXRs in 24 (61.5%) patients. 27 (69.2%) patients had abnormal CXRs dating back more than six months, with 12 (30.8%) dating back more than 30 months before the PTB diagnosis. Patients aged ≥ 55 years were significantly more likely to have previous CXRs that were compatible with PTB. CONCLUSION PTB patients may be asymptomatic or have chronic indolent disease and remain undiagnosed for years. There is a need for vigilance within our healthcare system to seize opportunities for early diagnosis and treatment to prevent the spread of this infectious disease in Singapore.

Objectives: To estimate prevalence levels of and time trends for active syphilis, gonorrhoea and chlamydia in women aged 15–49 years in four countries in the Pacific (Fiji, the Federated States of Micronesia [FSM], Papua New Guinea [PNG] and Samoa) to inform surveillance and control strategies for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Methods: The Spectrum-STI model was fitted to data from prevalence surveys and screenings of adult female populations collected during 1995−2017 and adjusted for diagnostic test performance and to account for undersampled high-risk populations. For chlamydia and gonorrhoea, data were further adjusted for age and differences between urban and rural areas. Results: Prevalence levels were estimated as a percentage (95% confidence interval). In 2017, active syphilis prevalence was estimated in Fiji at 3.89% (2.82 to 5.06), in FSM at 1.48% (0.93 to 2.16), in PNG at 3.91% (1.67 to 7.24) and in Samoa at 0.16% (0.07 to 0.37). For gonorrhoea, the prevalence in Fiji was 1.63% (0.50 to 3.87); in FSM it was 1.59% (0.49 to 3.58); in PNG it was 11.0% (7.25 to 16.1); and in Samoa it was 1.61% (1.17 to 2.19). The prevalence of chlamydia in Fiji was 24.1% (16.5 to 32.7); in FSM it was 23.9% (18.5 to 30.6); in PNG it was 14.8% (7.39 to 24.7); and in Samoa it was 30.6% (26.8 to 35.0). For each specific disease within each country, the 95% confidence intervals overlapped for 2000 and 2017, although in PNG the 2017 estimates for all three STIs were below the 2000 estimates. These patterns were robust in the sen sitivity analyses. Discussion This study demonstrated a persistently high prevalence of three major bacterial STIs across four countries in WHO’s Western Pacific Region during nearly two decades. Further strengthening of strategies to control and prevent STIs is warranted.

Objective: To understand the pattern and burden of neurological disorders at Department of Neurology, Yangon General Hospital (YGH), Myanmar. Method: All patients admitted to Department of Neurology had been prospectively registered and then analyses were performed on one year data from 1st January to 31st December 2019. Results: Among study population of total 17606 cases, 65.5% attended to neurology out-patient clinics, 20.1% were seen as referral cases and 14.4% were inpatients at neurology ward. When analyzed the inpatients, 58% were male. Mean age was 47.2 ±19.1 years and 41-65 year age group was most commonly affected. The most common inpatient neurological diseases were cerebrovascular diseases (CVD)(40.8%), central nervous system (CNS) infections (15.2%) and peripheral nerve lesions (9.4%). Autoimmune diseases and headache disorders were more common in women. Mortality rate in inpatients was 4.6%, among which stroke occupied for 55.1% and CNS infection was 23.7%. Three most common neurological diseases in out-patient clinic were seizure disorders (21.9%), CVD (20.7%) and headache disorders (11.2%). Among the referral cases, 43.7% were CVD, 17.8% were CNS infections and 11% had seizures disorders. The most referred patients (93.3%) came from general medical wards. Conclusions: Entire range of neurological disorders was present in YGH. CVD and CNS infections were the most common cause of incidence as well as the mortality. Knowing the burden can raise the awareness about it and point out the prioritizing provision of essential health services. As similar in controlling the communicable diseases, the importance of health education, preventive measures on non-communicable disorders should be considered as national concern.

Adult ; Antitubercular Agents ; therapeutic use ; Contact Tracing ; Counseling ; Female ; Humans ; Latent Tuberculosis ; drug therapy ; prevention & control ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Odds Ratio ; Pamphlets ; Practice Patterns, Nurses' ; Prospective Studies ; Singapore ; Smoking Cessation ; methods

BACKGROUND: More than 140 million people drink arsenic-contaminated groundwater. It is unknown how much arsenic exposure is necessary to cause neurological impairment. Here, we evaluate the relationship between neurological impairments and the arsenic concentration in drinking water (ACDW). PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study design was employed. We performed medical examinations of 1867 residents in seven villages in the Thabaung township in Myanmar. Medical examinations consisted of interviews regarding subjective neurological symptoms and objective neurological examinations of sensory disturbances. For subjective neurological symptoms, we ascertained the presence or absence of defects in smell, vision, taste, and hearing; the feeling of weakness; and chronic numbness or pain. For objective sensory disturbances, we examined defects in pain sensation, vibration sensation, and two-point discrimination. We analyzed the relationship between the subjective symptoms, objective sensory disturbances, and ACDW. RESULTS: Residents with ACDW ≥ 10 parts per billion (ppb) had experienced a "feeling of weakness" and "chronic numbness or pain" significantly more often than those with ACDW < 10 ppb. Residents with ACDW ≥ 50 ppb had three types of sensory disturbances significantly more often than those with ACDW < 50 ppb. In children, there was no significant association between symptoms or signs and ACDW. CONCLUSION Subjective symptoms, probably due to peripheral neuropathy, occurred at very low ACDW (around 10 ppb). Objective peripheral nerve disturbances of both small and large fibers occurred at low ACDW (> 50 ppb). These data suggest a threshold for the occurrence of peripheral neuropathy due to arsenic exposure, and indicate that the arsenic concentration in drinking water should be less than 10 ppb to ensure human health.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Arsenic ; analysis ; toxicity ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Dietary Exposure ; adverse effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drinking Water ; adverse effects ; chemistry ; Female ; Groundwater ; chemistry ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myanmar ; epidemiology ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; chemically induced ; epidemiology ; physiopathology ; Sensation Disorders ; chemically induced ; epidemiology ; physiopathology ; Water Pollutants, Chemical ; analysis ; toxicity ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVEMyanmar has a long history of using medicinal plants for treatment of various diseases. To the best of our knowledge there are no previous reports on antiglycation activities of medicinal plants from Myanmar. Therefore, this study was aimed to evaluate the antioxidant, antiglycation and antimicrobial properties of 20 ethanolic extracts from 17 medicinal plants indigenous to Myanmar.

METHODSIn vitro scavenging assays of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), nitric oxide (NO), superoxide (SO) radicals were used to determine the antioxidant activities. Folin-Ciocalteu's method was performed to determine the total phenolic content. Antiglycation and antimicrobial activities were detected by bovine serum albumin-fluorescent assay and agar well diffusion method.

RESULTSTerminalia chebula Retz. (Fruit), containing the highest total phenolic content, showed high antioxidant activities with inhibition of 77.98% ± 0.92%, 88.95% ± 2.42%, 88.56% ± 1.87% and 70.74%± 2.57% for DPPH, NO, SO assays and antiglycation activity respectively. It also showed the antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans with inhibition zone of 19, 18, 17, 25 and 15 mm, respectively. Garcinia mangostana Linn. showed the strongest activities for SO and antiglycation assays with inhibition of 93.68% ± 2.63% and 82.37% ± 1.78%. Bark of Melia sp. was the best NO radical scavenger with inhibition rate of 89.39%± 0.60%.

CONCLUSIONThe results suggest that these plants are potential sources of antioxidants with free radical-scavenging and antiglycation activities and could be useful for decreasing the oxidative stress and glycation end-product formation in glycation-related diseases.

Anti-Bacterial Agents ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Anti-Infective Agents ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Antioxidants ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Bacteria ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Biphenyl Compounds ; metabolism ; Candida albicans ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Fruit ; Garcinia ; chemistry ; Glycation End Products, Advanced ; metabolism ; Humans ; Magnoliopsida ; chemistry ; Medicine, Traditional ; Melia ; chemistry ; Myanmar ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Phenols ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Phytotherapy ; Picrates ; metabolism ; Plant Bark ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Plants, Medicinal ; Superoxides ; Terminalia ; chemistry