Fasciolosis is a zoonotic disease, considered an emerging neglected tropical disease threatening ruminant productivity and causing economic losses. Controlling fasciolosis is challenging due to the complex life cycle of Fasciola, which involves snail intermediate hosts. The high rainfall status in Taiping makes it an optimal region for snail abundance, which increases the opportunity to complete Fasciola's life cycle. Previous studies showed that liver condemnation caused by fasciolosis was highly prevalent in the Taiping abattoir compared to other investigated main abattoirs of Peninsular Malaysia. Therefore, the present study determined the prevalence of bovine fasciolosis and risk factors in farms from Larut and Matang (Taiping), Malaysia. Sampling was carried out from February until August 2020. In this cross-sectional study, a total of 371 fecal samples from bovines (dairy cattle, beef cattle, buffalo) were examined from 23 farms selected based on location, farmer consent, and history of anthelmintic usage. Animal's intrinsic and farm management details were recorded, and interview sessions were conducted with farmers to collect information on the potential risk factors. Individual fecal samples were examined for the presence of Fasciola egg using Flukefinder® sedimentation. There was moderate prevalence of bovine fasciolosis in Taiping (36.9%, n = 137/371). Significant risk factors (p < 0.05) were observed, which include buffalo group (OR = 9.5, 95% CI: 9.44-9.55), age of >3 years (OR = 5.5, 95% CI: 5.43-5.57), thinner animals with body condition score of 1 to 4 (OR = 1.2-14.9, 95% CI: 1.09-15.08), and larger grazing area (OR = 1.3, 95% CI: 1.30-1.31). Additional risk factors include the presence of more than one ruminant species in the same farm (OR = 2.0-2.1, 95% CI: 2.00-2.22), extensive housing system (OR = 4.0, 95% CI: 3.77-4.23), farm age (OR = 1.2, 95% CI: 1.20-1.21), and also co-infection with Paramphistomes (OR = 1.4, 95% CI: 1.10-1.71). The present study underscores the importance of local bovine fasciolosis epidemiology, which could be used to conduct future veterinary and public health programmes to inform effective parasitic management aimed at reducing the prevalence of fasciolosis.

Ruminant fascioliasis is a neglected yet important tropical zoonotic disease that affects both the livestock and humans. The disease has a worldwide distribution, and Malaysia is one of the countries that face problems related to this parasite. These retrospective studies were conducted in Makmal Diagnosa Veterinar Kota Kinabalu (MDVKK) and Sabah Meat Technology Centre (SMTC), Kinarut over a period of eleven years (20082018). For MDVKK, the overall occurrence of fascioliasis was 24.9. Out of 769 cattles and buffaloes faecal samples submitted, Fasciola spp ova were detected in 189 of the samples. A total of 2297 cattle, buffaloes, and goats were slaughtered at SMTC over that period, and 21 livers were condemned due to fascioliasis, giving the total occurrence of 0.91. This investigation provides information on the occurrence of ruminant fascioliasis in Sabah, East Malaysia. The results from this study highlight the alarming incidence of fascioliasis and the urgent need for action to control this neglected tropical disease in East Malaysia.

Purpose: This prospective, longitudinal study aims to evaluate the durability and functionality of SARS-CoV-2 Ancestral strain (Wuhan-Hu-1)-specific immune responses induced by COVID-19 vaccination and natural infection over a 12-month period. This article reviews the study protocol, design, methodology, ongoing data collection, analysis procedures, and demographic characteristics of the cohort enrolled. Participants: Between March 2021 and May 2022, 400 participants were enrolled with a 12-month follow-up, concluding in May 2023. Two main groups of participants: (1) serologically SARS-CoV-2-naïve individuals receiving the BNT162b2 primary series vaccination (referred to as VAC) and (2) those who recently recovered from COVID-19 infection within 30 days, regardless of vaccination history (referred to as COV). Additionally, a subset of 45 participants with selected COVID-19 exposure histories provided peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) for cross-sectional analysis six months after enrollment. Findings to date: Out of 400 participants, 66.8% (n=267) completed the follow-up. Among them, 52.8% (n=141) were in VAC, and 47.2% (n=126) were in COV. As the study progressed, we acknowledged cross-over between initial groups, leading to restructuring into five revised groups based on sequential exposure events. Sociodemographic factors revealed statistically significant age distribution differences (p=0.001) in both initial and revised groups, with no significant differences observed for sex. Future plans: LONGTONG-SARS2 assesses the host-pathogen interactions central to the development of COVID-19 immunity. With enrollment spanning two years of the pandemic, most participants exhibited mixed SARS-CoV-2 exposures—via vaccination and infection—resulting in diverse subgroups of interest. Notably, the inclusion of SARS-CoV-2-naïve, pre-exposure serum samples allowed for robust comparator and reduced potential biases. Ongoing analyses will include serology kinetics, memory cells ELISpots, B cells repertoire analysis, cytokine/chemokine profiling, and proteomic pathway to comprehensively examine the immune response against the SARS-CoV-2, thus informing and potentially predicting dynamic longitudinal responses against new more transmissible, immune-evasive SARS-CoV-2 variants. STRENGTH AND LIMITATIONS OF THIS STUDY: - LONGTONG-SARS2 is a prospective longitudinal study that comprehensively evaluates the SARS-CoV-2 immune response among a diverse group of individuals, stratified based on the sequential order of SARS-CoV-2 exposure events, whether from COVID-19 vaccination or infection. - Pre-vaccination serum samples were collected from serologically SARS-CoV-2 naive individuals scheduled to receive the BNT162b2 primary series vaccination during the initial mass COVID-19 vaccination phase in Malaysia in early 2021. - The longitudinal serum sample collection spanned two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, from March 2021 to May 2023. This extended duration allows for robust monitoring of the immune response against SARS-CoV-2 variants in comparison to the ancestral strain. - There is a risk of misclassification of some individuals’ SARS-CoV-2 exposure status through serology, as certain sampling timepoints had intervals of three months. Additionally, our study relies on self-reported data through the MySejahtera application (Malaysia’s electronic medical record by the Ministry of Health) for second confirmation, potentially leading to underdiagnosed and underreported cases of asymptomatic infection.

The integration of robotic systems in knee arthroplasty has accelerated, with early results indicating improved precision and outcomes. The ROSA^® Knee System facilitates the robotic-assisted positioning of cutting guides while enabling real-time assessment of ligament balance, with the surgeon retaining control of all bone resections. This study aimed to evaluate the precision of implant positioning, achievement of the planned hip–knee–ankle (HKA) axis, and consistency across different operating surgeons. A prospective observational study was conducted on patients undergoing robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty (RATKA) using the ROSA Knee System. Radiographic assessments included pre- and post-operative AP/lateral knee and long-limb radiographs, supplemented with post-operative CT to assess femoral component rotation. Intra-operative alignment data recorded by the ROSA console were compared to post-operative imaging. Complication rates were also evaluated. Among 94 knees analyzed, the mean difference between intra-operative and post-operative HKA measurements was 1.66 ± 2.09°, which was statistically significant. Minor but significant differences were observed in LDFA (0.32 ± 1.84°, p = 0.034), MPTA (0.84 ± 1.17°, p < 0.001), and femoral component rotation (1.63 ± 2.40°, p < 0.001). No significant variation was noted in LDFA or MPTA between surgeons, though differences were present in rotational alignment and HKA. The intra-operative HKA showed moderate correlation with both measured post-op HKA and arithmetic HKA (aHKA), with slightly stronger correlation with the latter. The ROSA Knee System enables reproducible and accurate implant positioning with reliable restoration of the planned HKA axis. Once a surgeon is proficient, results are consistent without increased complication risks.

Respiratory tract infections are a major cause of pediatric hospitalization. Post-COVID-19 pandemic, atypical surges and disrupted respiratory pathogen circulation underscore the need for continuous surveillance. We retrospectively analyzed respiratory pathogen detection among hospitalized children aged 28 days to 18 years at the largest quaternary hospital in Malaysia from January 2018 to May 2023. The study period was classified into pre-pandemic (2018-2019), pandemic (2020-2021), and post-pandemic (2022-2023) phases. Respiratory pathogens were identified using the FilmArray BioFire® Respiratory Panel 2.1. Among 20,556 hospitalized children, 7707 (37.5%) underwent BioFire® testing. Overall pathogen positivity remained similar during the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods (50.4% and 50.9%, respectively) and increased to 86.2% post-pandemic. Single-pathogen infections increased from 46.4% to 43.1% to 64.6%, while co-infections rose from 4.0% to 7.9% to 21.6%, respectively. Human rhinovirus/enterovirus and respiratory syncytial virus were consistently detected, whereas adenovirus and influenza viruses increased significantly post-pandemic. Influenza A and B re-emerged after minimal detection during the pandemic, returning to pre-pandemic detection rates. Monthly positivity varied substantially before and during the pandemic but remained consistently high post-pandemic, peaking at 94.4%. Despite increased pathogen detection, pediatric intensive care unit admissions remained low across all periods. Substantial post-pandemic increases in respiratory pathogen positivity, co-infections, and pathogen diversity were observed among hospitalized children despite stable pediatric intensive care unit admission rates. These findings likely reflect respiratory pathogen re-emergence following relaxation of non-pharmaceutical interventions, altered exposure patterns, and increased BioFire® testing after the COVID-19 pandemic.