Disease Patterns in Malaysia

Disease Patterns & Health Problems in Malaysia

• The presentation is about disease patterns and health problems in Malaysia.
• A speaker, Tuan Mazlelaa Tuan Mahmood, PhD, RPh, from the Faculty of Pharmacy, UKM, delivered the presentation.

Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD)

• Communicable diseases are caused by pathogenic microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi) or their toxins.
• These diseases spread directly or indirectly from one person to another, or from animals to people (zoonotic diseases).
• Transmission can occur through airborne particles, blood, or other bodily fluids.
• The terms "infectious" and "contagious" are also used to describe communicable diseases.
• Non-communicable diseases (NCD), also known as chronic diseases, are not passed from person to person and typically have a long duration and slow progression, .

Examples of Communicable Diseases

• Malaria: spread by the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito, a parasitic disease.
• Hepatitis: a viral disease affecting the liver.
• HIV/AIDS: attacks the immune system.

Four Main Types of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD)

• Cardiovascular diseases (e.g., heart attacks, stroke).
• Cancers.
• Chronic respiratory diseases (e.g., COPD, asthma).
• Diabetes.

Top 5 Principal Causes of Death in Malaysia (2021)

• Data on the top 5 causes of death in 2021 in Malaysia is presented.
• The data shows ischaemic heart disease was one of the top causes of death.

Statistics on Causes of Death in Malaysia (2020, 2021, and 2022)

• Detailed statistics on the top 10 causes of death in Malaysia for 2020, 2021 and 2022 are presented.
• The data presented includes age groups and ethnicities breakdown.
• Data is from the Department of Statistics, Malaysia.

Notifiable Diseases

• Any disease that is required by law to be reported to government authorities is a notifiable disease.
• The Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342) regulates 25 diseases.
• Information collation allows monitoring and early warning of potential outbreaks.

List of Other Communicable Diseases

• Dengue fever
• Tuberculosis
• Food poisoning
• Hand, foot, and mouth diseases (HFMD)
• HIV/AIDS
• COVID-19

Incidence Rate and Mortality Rate of Communicable Diseases (2022)

• Data for various communicable diseases, including incidence and mortality rates (per 100,000 population), provided for the year 2022 from the Disease Control Division of the Ministry of Health (MOH).
• Includes rates for 2000, 2005, 2013 and 2020, providing a historical context.

Cholera (Communicable Disease)

• An acute diarrheal infection caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water
• Caused by Vibrio cholerae bacteria.
• Untreated, the infection can be fatal within hours.
• Related to drinking water quality and food prepared by carriers.
• Interventions commonly include proper sanitation, clean water, antibiotic treatment and hydration.

Typhoid (Communicable Disease)

• Typhoid fever is a bacterial disease caused by Salmonella Typhi (S.typhi).
• The bacterium is present in the blood and intestinal tract of infected individuals.
• Transmitted through ingestion of food or water contaminated with infected persons' feces or urine.
• Hygiene in food preparation and sanitation are key to prevention of Typhoid.
• Can be treated with hydration and antibiotic therapy with specific antibiotics like ciprofloxacin, azithromycin, and ceftriaxone.

Tuberculosis (TB) (Communicable Disease - Infectious)

• An infectious bacterial disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, mostly affecting the lungs.
• Transmitted via droplets from the respiratory tract of infected persons.
• Symptoms include cough, sputum, chest pain, weakness, weight loss, fever, and night sweats.
• Treatable with a six-month course of antibiotics.

HIV/AIDS (Communicable Disease- Infectious)

• A major public health concern.
• First case detected in 1986.
• Cases are reducing, but a considerable number of new cases are still recorded each year in Malaysia, with females having a rising trend.
• Transmission through sharing needles, sexual contact, and blood transfusions.
• Prevention strategies including harm reduction programs (such as needle exchange and methadone maintenance therapy) and prevention of mother-to-child transmission protocols.

Leprosy (Communicable Disease - Infectious)

• A chronic disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae.
• Incubation period can be as long as 20 years.
• Affects the skin, peripheral nerves, mucosa of the upper respiratory tract and eyes. Treatable with a course of antibiotics.

Causes of Death

• Approximately 50% of deaths are not certified in hospitals, but in homes, often due to old age.
• Cancer is a significant cause of death related to the aging population with specific cancers more prevalent in certain sexes.

National Immunization Programme

• Schedule and types of vaccinations, including BCG, Hepatitis B, DTaP-IPV-Hep B-Hib, MMR, PCV, Japanese Encephalitis (JE) vaccine.
• Specific information on the immunizations schedule and requirements varies based on the age of the person being vaccinated.

Immunization Compliance (2005)

• Vaccination compliance rates for various vaccines, including BCG, Hepatitis B, DPT, Oral polio, and MMR, are provided, showing the effectiveness of the program.

Childhood Immunization Coverage (2022)

• Data on vaccination coverage for various vaccines for children, showing the coverage rates.
• Details are available for different vaccines and different age groups of children.

Vector-borne diseases (Communicable) in Malaysia

• Specific data on Malaria and Dengue fever are reported in terms of incidence and trends in different regions (e.g., Sabah and Sarawak).
• Details and statistics are provided for Filariasis and Chikungunya, including incidence rates and affected regions within Malaysia.

Hospitalizations (2022)

• Data for the ten most common causes of hospitalization in both MOH Hospitals and private hospitals in 2022.
• Data categorized by cause (e.g., respiratory diseases, infectious diseases, or complications from pregnancy.)

This quiz explores the disease patterns and health problems affecting Malaysia, focusing on both communicable and non-communicable diseases. Discover the transmission methods of infectious diseases and the characteristics of chronic diseases prevalent in the region.