Living dangerously in a virus world: are we at the losing end?

Infectious diseases still contribute to significant morbidity and mortality in many countries around the world, which includes Malaysia. Human viruses are among the important causative pathogens that pose serious threats to the world population. It has been demonstrated in over the past centuries that viruses can kill millions through outbreaks, especially infections that involve the respiratory system, such as the influenza pandemic and SARS coronavirus outbreak. These kinds of infections can spread rapidly across the world. Malaysia has had its fair share of fatal outbreaks such as the enterovirus 71 and Nipah virus outbreaks. Four important issues will be highlighted in this paper: the molecular epidemiology of respiratory viruses, prevention of the hand-foot and-mouth disease, beyond childhood hepatitis B immunisation and adult immunisation. Respiratory viruses are the cause of the most common infections among humans. The vast majority of the infections are asymptomatic and mild in nature, and they are also mostly self-limiting. Molecular methods offer increased sensitivity and specificity in detecting these respiratory viruses. Such methods can also be used to detect other uncommon but important viruses. Molecular epidemiology is a useful and increasingly valuable tool. It can be used to explain viral evolution, its geographical transmission and hospital infection transmission. From these data, we can design strategies and interventions to counteract and prevent infections. The use of single interfering RNA as an anti-RSV agent will also be highlighted. Hand-foot-and-mouth disease used to be a mild and self-limiting childhood disease, but in recent years an increasing number of deaths have been reported due to complications involving the central nervous system particularly involving the related enterovirus 71. This clearly shows that the virus has evolved and mutated and increased in pathogenicity. To counteract such infections, in addition to maintaining a high level of hygiene, an effective vaccine against the virus is also badly needed. The development of a vaccine for the enterovirus 71 will be highlighted, where it shows good potential, through the use of a combination of inter-buccal and intra-dermal routes, to achieve maximum protection. This combination was shown to elicit the production of both IgA and IgG. Further, the childhood hepatitis B immunisation program has been successful in reducing the prevalence of hepatitis B and hepatocellular carcinoma in Malaysia. However, beyond this childhood programme, we are now increasingly facing the issue of hepatitis B virus mutants and occult hepatitis B infections. This poses a threat of transmissions, particularly during blood transfusion and also organ transplants. What is worrying is that this condition has been found to occur more among vaccinees than unvaccinated individuals. The impact of these mutants and occult infections is also explored. Adult immunisation is thus of growing concern particularly because of its low uptake despite the availability of effective vaccines. Adults need to be vaccinated just like children as the effectiveness of childhood vaccines wanes with aging. Majority of adults, particularly the elderly, have increasing morbidity due to the onset of chronic diseases and thus it is vital for them to get themselves protected via immunisation. Health care professionals should also be immunised against specific diseases to protect themselves and to prevent transmission to their patients. Unfortunately, the uptake of such has been inconsistent, and thus strategies and interventions should be carried out to remedy the situation. We face constant threats from viral infections which have the potential to affect mankind adversely, as we have experienced before. It would therefore be prudent to be at the forefront in tackling these threats

A review on the global widespread of TTV infection among humans population

Torque Teno Virus (TTV) is a human-infected virus that is present ubiquitously in nature. Globally, it infects up to 95% of the healthy individuals without any clinical manifestations. The widely used laboratory diagnosis of TTV infection is Polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Nevertheless, several other methods have been developed. The rapid growth of TTV variants over time has posed a challenge in estimating the global TTV infection as none of the PCR protocol has the ability to detect the entire spectrum of TTV variants. Multiple TTV epidemiological studies have been conducted among Asian population, whereas other continents showed a limited number of studies. The horizontal and vertical transmission of TTV among humans population, as well as interspecies transmission are potentially related to the global widespread of TTV infection

A Review on The Global Widespread of TTV Infection Among Humans Population

Torque Teno Virus (TTV) is a human-infected virus that is present ubiquitously in nature. Globally, it infects up to 95% of the healthy individuals without any clinical manifestations. The widely used laboratory diagnosis of TTV infection is Polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Nevertheless, several other methods have been developed. The rapid growth of TTV variants over time has posed a challenge in estimating the global TTV infection as none of the PCR protocol has the ability to detect the entire spectrum of TTV variants. Multiple TTV epidemiological studies have been conducted among Asian population, whereas other continents showed a limited number of studies. The horizontal and vertical transmission of TTV among humans population, as well as interspecies transmission are potentially related to the global widespread of TTV infection

In vitro investigation of antifungal activity of allicin alone and in combination with azoles against Candida species.

Candidiasis is a term describing infections by yeasts from the genus Candida, and the type of infection encompassed by candidiasis ranges from superficial to systemic. Treatment of such infections often requires antifungals such as the azoles, but increased use of these drugs has led to selection of yeasts with increased resistance to these drugs. In this study, we used allicin, an allyl sulfur derivative of garlic, to demonstrate both its intrinsic antifungal activity and its synergy with the azoles, in the treatment of these yeasts in vitro. In this study, the MIC50 and MIC90 of allicin alone against six Candida spp. ranged from 0.05 to 25 μg/ml. However, when allicin was used in combination with fluconazole or ketoconazole, the MICs were decreased in some isolates. Our results demonstrated the existing synergistic effect between allicin and azoles in some of the Candida spp. such as C. albicans, C. glabrata and C. tropicalis, but synergy was not demonstrated in the majority of Candida spp. tested. Nonetheless, In vivo testing needs to be performed to support these findings

Torque teno virus and hepatitis: a review on correlation

Torque teno virus (TTV) is one of the “orphan” viruses that have been discovered almost two decades ago, with little information on the relationship of the infection to any diseases. It is one of the 45% of the commensal virus which is found throughout the population and becoming one of the most extensively studied viruses on its prevalence among the various level of health status. From healthy blood donors to patients who suffered severe illness, TTV infection level seems to be high and the findings have triggered interest from the researcher. Even though the study on TTV prevalence is actively performed, the actual pathogenesis of TTV to any specific diseases is yet to be ascertained. Many suggestions on the possible association of TTV infection with severe diseases such as acute respiratory diseases, liver-related diseases and even cancer have been discussed. However, one type of diseases which might have an association with TTV is hepatitis. Albeit, it remains a theory as the actual pathogenicity of TTV is not fully understood

Antioxidant research in Asia in the period from 2000-2008.

Problem statement: Plant antioxidants are natural plant products that inhibit the adverse effects of the Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) produced in plants. Thus, antioxidants enable plants to survive. Depending on this principle, human beings started using some plants' parts to cure from diseases many centuries ago, even before the discovery of microbes or disclosing the etiology of many human diseases. Shed light on the importance of diet and natural products that have proved of great health impact on human traditionally and scientifically, disclosing the central role of natural antioxidants in this matter. Moreover, this review tried to give an overview on the research has so far done in Asian countries particularly in the field of natural antioxidants during the period 2000-2008. Therefore, the aim of this review is to present a comprehensive index for the antioxidant property of herbs and plants that have been traditionally used as well as experimentally proved beneficial in these countries. Approach: We had compared Asian and other nation's diet in the popularity of the traditional medicine and the type of daily meal in respect to their antioxidants contents and valuable health promoting effects. Many literatures had been collected using online search engines and the main library of University Putra Malaysia. The gathered data had been arranged alphabetically in a table depending on the plant's scientific name, common name, the used part(s) and the family name. Results: The research had shown that there were seventy-six plants with proved antioxidant activity which had been well studied by Asian scientists in the chosen period of time. Conclusion: The antioxidant components of the natural products constitute the major source of human health promotion and maintenance. The nature is still the perfect source for health promotion and for the supplementation of safe drugs. Great attention is mandatory from all the scientists around the world to explore many underestimated plants with highly effective antioxidant activity

Novel approaches of E. coli O157: H7 decontamination.

Researchers in the area of microbiological meat safety, in an attempt to reduce beef carcass contamination, try carcass-washing treatments as an effective method to control pathogenic bacteria. Spray wash treatments utilizing 3 concentrations (1, 1.5 and 2%) of acetic, lactic, propionic and formic acids were performed to evaluate their efficacy in reducing numbers of Escherichia coli O157: H7 on meat tissues at 4±1°C. The meat was decontaminated with hot water and then inoculated with E. coli O157: H7, which then was spray washed with organic acids for 15 sec separately. The population of E. coli O157: H7 significantly (p1.5% concentration >1% concentration. Mean log reductions of E. coli O157: H7showed that the antibacterial effect of formic acid >lactic acid >acetic acid >propionic acid. The results of this study also indicated that formic acid is a good antibacterial agent for decontaminating animals carcass surfaces

An overview of hepatitis B virus surface antigen mutant in the Asia Pacific

Hepatitis B virus infection is a serious health problem worldwide, and more than 350 million people are chronic carriers, constituting a major global threat. Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific have the highest levels of endemicity in the world, with an estimated seroprevalence ranging between 2% and 31%. Mutations in the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) have been reported in many parts of the world but are most common in Asian infants; such mutants have several clinical effects, such as the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Diagnostic failures by commercial assays have reduced the diagnostic effectiveness of HBsAg detection. For example the substitution of an amino acid in the major hydrophilic region of the S gene reduces the binding of hepatitis B surface antibodies leading to immune escape. The safety of blood transfusion may be compromised by current screening tests due to escape from being neutralised by antibodies induced by HBsAg mutants, and undetectable levels of viral surface protein. Data on the epidemiology of HBsAg mutation in Asia Pacific are scant; however, this manuscript has reviewed the available information on the epidemiology of HBsAg mutation in Asia Pacific