exudates and Dermatitis

Topics: Dermatitis; Dermatology; Eczema; Humans; Indonesia; Malaysia; Sexually Transmitted Diseases; Singapore; Skin Diseases; Skin Diseases, Infectious

Surveillance studies on cercarial dermatitis were carried out in paddy growing areas in Peninsular Malaysia. It was observed that dermatitis in paddy planters occurred in paddy fields which were cultivated using animals such as bafflos or fields where domestic animals were allowed to graze during the off planting season as these animals harbored the parasite. The causative agent of cercarial dermatitis was Schistosoma spindale. A total of 215 small mammals trapped from Alor Setar and 126 trapped from Labu were examined for the schistosome. In Alor Setar Bandicota indica, Rattus argentiventer and Rattus rattus diardii were the only wild mammals found to be infected with the parasite, while in the Labu areas only Rattus tiomanicus jalorensis was positive for the schistosome. The occurrence of S. spindale in R. argentiventer and R.r. diardii in Alor Setar and in R.t. jalorensis in Labu constitute new host and geographic distribution records of the schistosome.

Topics: Agricultural Workers' Diseases; Animals; Animals, Domestic; Cattle; Dermatitis; Disease Reservoirs; Humans; Malaysia; Rats; Rodentia; Schistosomiasis; Skin Diseases, Parasitic

Marvelon, a monophasic oral contraceptive (OC) containing 30 mcg of ethinyl estradiol and 150 mcg of desogestrel, has been available to Malaysian women through the national family planning program since 1982. To assess the safety, effectiveness, and side effects associated with this OC, 247 women who requested the pill were enrolled in a multicenter prospective study that included follow-up after the first, third, and sixth cycles of use. 81% of participants had never used any form of contraception before Marvelon. 194 women (79%) completed the 6-month study. There were no pregnancies recorded. Although women reported a slightly increased incidence of nausea, breast tenderness, and headache in the first treatment cycle, these side effects had abated by the end of the third cycle. After six cycles, mean body weight had decreased by an average of 0.4 kg. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure were unaffected. An unexpected finding was a decrease in the severity of acne with continuous use of Marvelon. Although both spotting and breakthrough bleeding increased slightly in the first two cycles, irregular bleeding returned to pretreatment levels by the third cycle. The length of the withdrawal bleed in the pill-free week was reduced. The incidence of irregular bleeding and other side effects was substantially lower in this sample of Malaysian women than in Asian and Caucasian Marvelon users surveyed in other studies.

Topics: Acne Vulgaris; Asia; Asia, Southeastern; Contraception; Contraceptive Agents; Contraceptive Agents, Female; Contraceptives, Oral; Contraceptives, Oral, Combined; Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal; Dermatitis; Desogestrel; Developing Countries; Disease; Ethinyl Estradiol; Family Planning Services; Health Planning; Malaysia; Menstruation Disturbances; Prospective Studies; Research

Topics: Adult; Child; Darier Disease; Delivery of Health Care; Dermatitis; Female; Humans; Ichthyosis; Leprosy; Malaysia; Male; Mycobacterium; Pityriasis; Scabies; Skin Diseases; Sunlight

Topics: Animal Diseases; Animals; Cattle; Cattle Diseases; Dermatitis; Ear; Female; Filariasis; Filarioidea; Foot; Goats; Malaysia; Mammary Glands, Animal

Topics: Dermatitis; Malaysia; Schistosoma

Topics: Dermatitis; Humans; Malaysia; Tinea