Population Abundance, Distribution, Forecasting Models And Breeding Habitat Ecology Of Dengue Vectors In Penang Island

Ovitrap study was carried out to determine the field population abundance of dengue vectors, Aedes albopictus (Skuse) and Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) in three dengue hotspots in Penang Island from February 2008 to March 2010 (108 weeks). Thirty ovitraps were placed in each study area and collected weekly. The urban squatter area (Sungai Nibong Kecil) had the highest total number of eggs and immatures throughout the sampling period, followed by urban area (Sungai Dua) and suburban area (Permatang Damar Laut). The amount of eggs collected were higher in wet season compared to dry season. The egg population showed a significant correlation with rainfall and relative humidity but not with mean temperature. Fogging activities were effectively reduced Aedes population during dry season as compared to wet season. An autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model was applied to the ovitraps data set from the three study sites. The models estimated were judged to both fit and forecast with sufficient accuracy to warrant their use in strategic Aedes control. The ARIMA (1,0,0), ARIMA (2,0,0) and ARIMA (0,1,1) models were judged to best fit the suburban area, urban squatter area and urban area data sets respectively

The infestation of Cylas formicarius (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Brentidae) and its effect on postharvest quality of storage sweet potatoes

Sweet potato is an important cash crop in Malaysia. The production and storage of sweet potato is facing huge problem from weevil, Cylas formicarius infestation. The attack of this weevil has caused massive losses due to reduction in sweet potato quality and consequently marketability. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the number of sweet potato weevil (SPW) emerged from infested sweet potatoes and the post-harvest parameters of sweet potatoes when infested by the weevil. The healthy and damaged sweet potatoes were purchased from roadside stalls at Pengkalan Kubur, Besut, Terengganu. A mean of 361.0 ± 135.57 weevils emerged from two kilograms of damaged sweet potatoes throughout 66 days of observation. There was no significant difference between male and female weevils emergence (p > 0.05). The sex ratio male to female is 1:1.2. The post-harvest parameters of weevil infested and not-infested (control) sweet potato were not significantly difference in regards of total soluble solid (TSS) and pH value. Similarly, the total anthocyanin in purple sweet potato and total carotenoid in orange sweet potato also had no significant different between infested and control. Significant difference was observed in percentage of weight loss between weevil infested and control groups

An overview of service quality towards guest’s satisfaction in hospitality industry / Aida Khalida Mohamed Idris... [et al.]

Sustainable development of hospitality industry in Malaysia has led numerous numbers of hotels, motels and other lodging accommodation to increase rapidly. It occurs due to the increment number of international and domestic tourist boarding in Malaysia. Owing to that, it is important for lodging provider to offer a good service quality because it will lead the guests feeling pleasant and satisfied during their stay. In return, it will increase the loyalty and high tendency of tourist to revisit or recommend to their friends. Researches have shown that service quality plays important elements in determining guest’s satisfaction. Guests are considered satisfied when they have the positive feeling throughout the process of evaluating the expectation and what they actually get. Due to the guest satisfaction mostly depended on the level of service quality and on how they are being treated during their stay at the lodging, it is crucial to search for a missing value in service quality towards guest’s satisfaction. Aforementioned by previous researchers shows that numerous issues have been raised pertaining of primary dimension and sub dimension in service quality when measuring satisfaction in several industries as many theories, measurements and models has been deformed recently. Therefore, this paper is to discuss the sub dimension for service quality towards guest’s satisfaction in Seberang Perai hotels

Co-breeding association of Aedes albopictus (Skuse) and Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) (Diptera: Culicidae) in relation to location and container size

The occurrence of major outbreaks of dengue, and other vector borne diseases such as chikungunya and zikain tropical and subtropicalregions has rendered control of the diseases a top-priority formany affected countries including Malaysia. Control of the mosquito vectors Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus through the reduction of breeding sites and the application of insecticidesto kill immature forms and adults are the main control efforts to combat these diseases. The present study describes the association between Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti in shared breeding sites. This study is important given that any measure taken against one species may affect the other. A yearlong larval survey was conducted in four dengue endemic areas of Penang Island.Sorenson’s coefficient index indicated that no association between number of the immatures of the two species regardless of container size and study location.Therefore, the mean number Ae. albopictusimmature was not decreased in the presence of Ae. aegypti in shared breeding container. However Ae. aegypti appeared to prefer breeding in habitats not occupied by Ae. albopictus, the two species sharing breeding sites only where available containers were limited. In control efforts, eliminating the preferred breeding containers for one species might not affect or reduce the population of the other species

Effects of jasmonic acid on the feeding activity and reproductive performance of the two-spotted spider mites, Tetranychus Urticae Koch (Tetranychidae: Acari)

The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, 1836 (Acari: Tetranychidae) is a common, yet major pest for rose cultivars. This study investigated the effect of jasmonic acid (JA), a key phytohormone in the mechanism of plant defence on the reproductive performance of T. urticae, and its damage to the leaves of roses (Rosa hybrida L.). The plants were initially treated with 10μM, 100μM and 1000μM, respectively of JA, and the female adults T. urticae were transferred to R. hybrida leaves after 1-hour and 12-hours of JA application. Results revealed that JA treatment at concentration of 100 μM (t4=4.51, P<0.05) and 1000 μM (t4 =10.82, P<0.001) reduced the infestation of T. urticae on leaves. Also, significantly fewer T. urticae eggs were observed after 1 hour (F4,15=32.869, P<0.001), and 12 hours (F4,15=44.149, P<0.001) of JA treatment. As compared to the control, a concentration of 1000μM JA exhibited the highest oviposition inhibition effect. Additionally, the 1-hour and 12-hours inhibition of oviposition (IOC50) values against T. urticae were 52.5 μM and 22.9 μM, respectively. These findings suggested that exogenous application of JA on R. hybrida was found to negatively affect the T. urticae feeding activity and its reproductive performance

THE SEASONAL ABUNDANCE OF SYNANTHROPIC FLY POPULATIONS IN TWO SELECTED FOOD OUTLETS IN PULAU PINANG, MALAYSIA

Abstract: The seasonal abundance study of adult synanthropic flies in two selected food outlets was conducted from July 2003 to July 2004. The two urban locations were a cafeteria in the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) main campus and an adjacent restaurant. Four synanthropic flies were identified from both study sites and they were Musca domestica (house fly), Musca sorbens, Chrysomya megacephala and Lucilia cuprina. The off-campus restaurant had a significantly higher (p &lt; 0.05) fly abundance than the university cafeteria and the dominant fly species at both sites was the M. domestica

Diversity and guild structure of insects during rice flowering stage at a selected rice field in Penang, Malaysia

A study on diversity of insects in rice field was conducted at Kg Terus, Guar Perahu in Penang. This study aims to determine the diurnality and guild structure of insect in rice field specifically during the flowering stage of rice. Insects were collected using sweep net method and light trap method. Overall, a total of 1936 insect specimens representing 28 species, 19 families and seven orders were collected. Twenty five species from 19 families were caught during day time while 17 species from 13 families were trapped at night. Coleopterans were the dominant insect captured during day time sampling with Micraspis crocea from family Coccinellidae captured in highest number (223). In contrast, Hemipterans was dominant during night time with Nilaparvata lugens from family Delphacidae found in highest number (258). The Odonata recorded the highest diversity index (H’= 1.2587) while Coleoptera recorded the highest richness index (Imargalef = 5.8390) values for diurnal insect. For nocturnal insect, Hemiptera recorded the highest values for both diversity index (H’= 1.2655) and richness index (Imargalef = 5.8390). In term of guild structure, the rice pest was the most dominant insect found in rice field for both diurnal and nocturnal group. This followed by predator, others (visitor/pollinator) and parasitoid groups. Result of this study will identify the classification of insect present during the flowering stage of rice allowing farmers to forecast pest population build up to assist in the pesticides selection that will be generally applied at the end of flowering stage. This consequently will help to conserve beneficial insects and lower the pest management cost

Coffee and its waste repel gravid Aedes albopictus females and inhibit the development of their embryos

Background Dengue is a prevalent arboviral disease and the development of insecticide resistance among its vectors impedes endeavors to control it. Coffee is drunk by millions of people daily worldwide, which is associated with the discarding of large amounts of waste. Coffee and its waste contain large amounts of chemicals many of which are highly toxic and none of which have a history of resistance in mosquitoes. Once in solution, coffee is brownish in colour, resembling leaf infusion, which is highly attractive to gravid mosquitoes. To anticipate the environmental issues related to the increasing popularity of coffee as a drink, and also to combat insecticide resistance, we explored the deterrence potentials of coffee leachates against the ovipositing and embryonic stages of the dengue vector, Aedes albopictus. Methods In a series of choice, no-choice, and embryo toxicity bioassays, we examined changes in the ovipositional behaviours and larval eclosion of Ae. albopictus in response to coffee extracts at different concentrations. Results Oviposition responses were extremely low when ovicups holding highly concentrated extract (HCE) of coffee were the only oviposition sites. Gravid females retained increased numbers of mature eggs until 5 days post-blood feeding. When provided an opportunity to oviposit in cups containing coffee extracts and with water, egg deposition occurred at lower rates in those containing coffee, and HCE cups were far less attractive to females than those containing water only. Females that successfully developed in a coffee environment preferentially oviposited in such cups when in competition with preferred oviposition sites (water cups), but this trait did not continue into the fourth generation. Larval eclosion occurred at lower rates among eggs that matured in a coffee environment, especially among those that were maintained on HCE-moistened substrates. Conclusions The observations of the present study indicate a pronounced vulnerability of Ae. albopictus to the presence of coffee in its habitats during the early phases of its life cycle. The observations that coffee repels gravid females and inhibits larval eclosion provide novel possibilities in the search for novel oviposition deterrents and anti-larval eclosion agents against dengue vectors.This work was supported by funds (No. 096010) from the Central Research Institute of Fukuoka University and “Long Term Research Grant (LRGS) for Infectious Diseases, 2011 – 2014, Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia” and USM (304/Pbiology/650575/U112)

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London