Bee Yong Tay

Ms. Bee Yong Tay

orcid
Institute For Medical Research (IMR), National Institutes o...

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

2Years (2025-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

View All Publications
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
BTBee Yong Tay
Bee Yong Tay
FSFashihah Sherina Abdul Hadi Sabri
Fashihah Sherina Abdul Hadi Sabri
ZSZamtira Seman
Zamtira Seman
NONorlela Othman
Norlela Othman
HSHaida Subakir
Haida Subakir
SRSiti Ramli
Siti Ramli
Background: Rickettsioses are diseases caused by obligate intracellular non-motile coccobacilli transmitted via arthropods. The most common rickettsioses are scrub typhus (ST), typhus group rickettsioses (TGR), and spotted fever group rickettsioses (SFGR). This study aims to provide information and insight into rickettsioses seropositivity among suspected patients in East and Peninsular Malaysia over a six-year period from 2016 to 2021. Methodology/Principal Findings: Data obtained from four state hospitals and one national research institute providing rickettsial serological testing were analyzed using the IBM SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) software program. The six-year analysis revealed that ST had the highest number of seropositivity cases, followed by TGR, and SFGR, for both immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies. Of the 3228 samples, 21.6%, 16.1%, and 13.9% of suspected patients were IgM seropositive for ST, TGR, and SFGR, respectively. IgG seropositivity for ST was 21.9%, followed by TGR at 21.4%, and SFGR at 17.2% among suspected rickettsioses cases. All regions in Malaysia were significantly associated with IgM seropositivity for ST, TGR, and SFGR. IgM seropositivity for SFGR was significantly higher in females. Age group 41–65 years was highly associated with IgG seropositivity for ST, TGR, and SFGR. Conclusions/Significance: Analysis of six-year data on ST, TGR, and SFGR seropositivity in Malaysia revealed variations across regions, age groups, and genders. This seropositivity study underscores ST, TGR, and SFGR as possible causes of acute febrile illness among patients suspected of rickettsial disease in Malaysia. The findings contributed to the awareness of reemerging rickettsioses and warrant public health interventions that may reduce the incidence of rickettsioses in Malaysia. Abstract summary: Scrub typhus (ST), typhus group rickettsioses (TGR), and spotted fever group rickettsioses (SFGR) are significant global public health concerns. Our results showed that the highest number of IgM and IgG seropositivity cases was observed for ST, followed by TGR and SFGR. All regions in Malaysia were significantly associated with IgM seropositivity for ST, TGR, and SFGR. East Malaysia exhibited significantly higher seropositivity for ST, TGR, and SFGR than other regions in Malaysia. IgM seropositivity for SFGR was significantly higher in females. The age group 41–65 years was highly associated with IgG seropositivity for ST, TGR, and SFGR. This study highlights the value of serological data in uncovering the hidden burden of disease in Malaysia. In addition, the findings contributed to bridging knowledge gaps on the limited data from Malaysia spanning extended periods, despite being one of the countries in the endemic Tsutsugamushi Triangle. The findings from this study may direct future research on rickettsioses and warrant public health interventions in Malaysia.

24 June 2026 in Nutrients
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
MNMohd Naeem Mohd Nawi
Mohd Naeem Mohd Nawi
NINurliayana Ibrahim
Nurliayana Ibrahim
BTBee Yong Tay
Bee Yong Tay
ARAswir RASHED
Aswir RASHED
Vimala BalasubramaniamVimala Balasubramaniam
Vimala Balasubramaniam
Background/Objectives: Pulses are nutrient-dense, low-glycaemic legumes rich in fibre and bioactive compounds that may modulate carcinogenesis through effects on diet quality, metabolism, and the gut microbiome. This scoping review mapped human evidence on pulses in relation to cancer risk reduction and related mechanistic and survivorship-relevant outcomes. Methods: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) and Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Population, Concept and Context (PCC) guidance, we searched CENTRAL, Scopus and PubMed (2014–31 December 2025), supplemented by backward and forward citation tracking, for English-language human studies in which pulses were a defined exposure or intervention and cancer-specific clinical outcomes or biomarkers were reported. Exposures are described using the original ‘legume’ terminology, with pulse-specific interpretation restricted to FAO-defined pulses or clearly dry pulse forms and to pulse-dominant legume intake where the constituent items were predominantly pulses but preparation was not specified. Results: After screening 1244 records, 15 studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising five case–control studies, five 4-week randomised controlled trials (RCTs), one 8-week randomised crossover trial, one controlled feeding study, two prospective cohort studies, and one other prospective study. Observational data from a single pooled case–control study suggest that higher pulse-dominant legume intake is compatible with modestly lower colorectal cancer risk, although the findings are mixed and often attenuate after adjustment for lifestyle and dietary confounders. Evidence for breast and oesophageal cancer and all-cancer mortality is limited, frequently subgroup-specific or highly sensitive to confounder control, and survivorship endpoints are represented mainly by short-term mechanistic and feasibility trials in colorectal cancer survivors rather than by long-term clinical outcomes. Notably, five of these navy bean interventions were conducted by a single research group using similar protocols, which constrains the independence of replication. Conclusions: Pulses can be considered practical components of cancer-protective dietary patterns, especially for colorectal cancer, but the heterogeneity of study designs, short-term interventions, limited sample sizes, and lack of preparation-specific exposure data preclude firm causal inferences; longer-term, rigorously designed trials and detailed observational work are needed to refine pulse-based recommendations for cancer risk reduction and to clarify any role in survivorship care.