Dengue is placing huge burdens on the Malaysian healthcare system as well as the economy. With the expansion in the number of high-rise residential buildings, particularly in the urban centers, the flight range and behavior of Aedes mosquitoes may be altered in this habitat type. In this study, we aimed to expand the understanding of the vertical distribution and dispersal of Aedes in nine selected high-rise residences in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, and Johor using ovitraps as the sampling method. We discovered that Ae. aegypti is the predominant species in all study sites. Both Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus are most abundant within the first three levels and could be found up to level 21 (approximately 61.1–63.0 m). Pearson correlation analyses exhibited negative correlations in eight out of nine study sites between the ovitrap indexes (OIs) within each floor level, suggesting that Aedes density decreased as the building level increased. Our findings provide information to the public health authorities on ‘hot spot’ floors for effective suppression of dengue transmission.

In this study, the Ficus deltoidea extract loaded nanostructured lipid carrier was prepared by using the melt emulsification homogenization method. Virgin coconut oil is used as liquid lipid, while glyceryl monostearate is the solid lipid. Particle size, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, drug loading and morphology of the obtained nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) were measured. The size of the nanostructured lipid carrier incorporated with Ficus deltoidea (FDNLC) is 158.0 ± 1.3 nm, with a polydispersity index of 0.15 ± 0.02. The zeta potential obtained is −42.3 ± 1.5 mV. The encapsulation efficiency and active ingredient loading capacity for FDNLC is 87.4% ± 1.3% and 8.5% ± 1.2%, respectively. The shape of FDNLC is almost spherical and the stability assessment showed that the obtained formulation is at least stable for 40 days. When compared with the positive controls, which are Trolox and ascorbic acid, FDNLC shows the highest antioxidant value. Cell proliferation activity study indicates that FDNLC is not toxic to cells, and FDNLC could potentially treat damage by ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic placed an unprecedented overload on healthcare system globally. With all medical resources being dedicated to contain the spread of the disease, the pandemic may have impacted the burden of other infectious diseases such as dengue, particularly in countries endemic for dengue fever. Indeed, the co‐occurrence of COVID‐19 made dengue diagnosis challenging because of some shared clinical manifestations between the two pathogens. Furthermore, the sudden emergence and novelty of this global public health crisis has forced the suspension or slow-down of several research trials due to the lack of sufficient knowledge on how to handle the continuity of research trials during the pandemic. We report on challenges we have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and measures that were implemented to continue the iDEM project (intervention for Dengue Epidemiology in Malaysia). Methods: This randomized controlled trial aims to assess the effectiveness of Integrated Vector Management (IVM) on the incidence of dengue in urban Malaysia by combining: targeted outdoor residual spraying (TORS), deployment of auto-dissemination devices (ADDs), and active community engagement (CE). Our operational activities started on February 10, 2020, a few weeks before the implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions to contain the spread of COVID-19 in Malaysia. Results: The three main issues affecting the continuity of the trial were: ensuring the safety of field workers during the interventions; ensuring the planned turnover of TORS application and ADD deployment and services; and maintaining the CE activities as far as possible. Conclusions: Even though the pandemic has created monumental challenges, we ensured the safety of field workers by providing complete personal protective equipment and regular COVID-19 testing. Albeit with delay, we maintained the planned interval time between TORS application and ADDs services by overlapping the intervention cycles instead of having them in a sequential scheme. CE activities continued remotely through several channels (e.g., phone calls and text messages). Sustained efforts of the management team, significant involvement of the Malaysian Ministry of Health and a quick and smart adaptation of the trial organisation according to the pandemic situation were the main factors that allowed the successful continuation of our research.

Aedes aegypti (Ae. aegypti) is the primary vector for dengue, Zika and chikungunya, which represent major global public health concerns. The use of Wolbachia as a biological control agent in Ae. aegypti has gained significant international attention following the successful establishment of field-released mosquitoes in Australia, Malaysia, Brazil, Indonesia and Singapore. This study presents a comprehensive scientometric analysis of the research landscape of Wolbachia and Ae. aegypti. Data comprising 662 English-language publications from 2000 to 2025 were extracted from the Scopus database. Analytic tools, including VOSviewer and R-based Biblioshiny, were employed to quantify author productivity, transcontinental collaboration networks, thematic evolution, research gaps and future directions, while Bradford’s Law of Scattering was used to identify core dissemination channels. Publications have shown a steady upward trajectory since 2000, with an overall relative growth rate of 0.3%, while annual citations peaked in 2009 and 2011 (3337 and 3460 citations, respectively). The dataset strictly conformed to Bradford’s distribution (0.16% error), identifying PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases (11.9%) and Parasites and Vectors (5.6%) as the core journals. Global research networks are predominantly led by Australia and the United States, supported primarily by the National Institutes of Health (14.8%) and the National Health and Medical Research Council (14.2%). Crucially, thematic analysis using a methodological triangulation approach demonstrates a progressive maturation in the field, shifting from foundational laboratory mechanisms toward large-scale deployment logistics and microbiome dynamics. Overall, this study highlights the intellectual landscape, underscores the vital role of global collaboration, and provides strategic insights to guide future evidence-based policies in Wolbachia–Aedes aegypti research.

For dengue, there is little evidence regarding community-level acceptance, facilitators and barriers for integrated vector management (IVM). We carried out a survey to measure these aspects in the context of a large cluster-randomized controlled trial of IVM against dengue vectors in urban Malaysia, in which the component control methods were (i) outdoor residual spraying, (ii) autodissemination devices (ADDs) and (iii) community engagement. The survey population comprised (i) members of the Joint Management Body (JMB) of building developments in both arms, and (ii) residents in the intervention arm. Members of both groups were requested to complete a structured questionnaire, through face-to-face interviews. Among JMB responders, 138 were the intervention clusters, and 94 from those receiving routine activities (control arm), and there were 604 responders among residents of intervention clusters. Among the JMB members, safety of the control methods (spraying and ADDs) was among the most important potential facilitators. Among barriers, the ones identified by over one-third of the participants were lack of information about the iDEM IVM methods, lack of communication and of involvement with the iDEM project personnel. Overall, the iDEM IVM methods were seen positively, and investment by the trial in community engagement may have contributed to this.