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Wan Puteh SE, Aazmi MS, Aziz MN, Kamarudin N‘A, Sam JIC, Thayan R, Wan Mahiyuddin WR, Wan Mohamed Noor WN, Cheong A, El Guerche-Séblain C, Khor J, Zamri EN, Lam JY, Sekawi Z. Cross-sectional study of influenza trends and costs in Malaysia between 2016 and 2018. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0301068. [PMID: 38517867 PMCID: PMC10959333 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES While influenza circulates year-round in Malaysia, research data on its incidence is scarce. Yet, this information is vital to the improvement of public health through evidence-based policies. In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to determine the trends and financial costs of influenza. METHODS Data for the years 2016 through 2018 were gathered retrospectively from several sources. These were existing Ministry of Health (MOH) influenza sentinel sites data, two teaching hospitals, and two private medical institutions in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. Expert consensus determined the final estimates of burden for laboratory-confirmed influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI). Economic burden was estimated separately using secondary data supplemented by MOH casemix costing. RESULTS Altogether, data for 11,652 cases of ILI and 5,764 cases of SARI were extracted. The influenza B subtype was found to be predominant in 2016, while influenza A was more prevalent in 2017 and 2018. The distribution timeline revealed that the highest frequency of cases occurred in March and April of all three years. The costs of influenza amounted to MYR 310.9 million over the full three-year period. CONCLUSIONS The study provides valuable insights into the dynamic landscape of influenza in Malaysia. The findings reveal a consistent year-round presence of influenza with irregular seasonal peaks, including a notable influenza A epidemic in 2017 and consistent surges in influenza B incidence during March across three years. These findings underscore the significance of continuous monitoring influenza subtypes for informed healthcare strategies as well as advocate for the integration of influenza vaccination into Malaysia's national immunization program, enhancing overall pandemic preparedness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh
- Department of Community Health, Pusat Perubatan Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Shafiq Aazmi
- School of Biology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | | | - Noor ‘Adilah Kamarudin
- Department of Community Health, Pusat Perubatan Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Jamal I-Ching Sam
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Ravindran Thayan
- Infectious Disease Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Putrajaya, Malaysia
| | - Wan Rozita Wan Mahiyuddin
- Environmental Health Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Putrajaya, Malaysia
| | | | | | | | - Jean Khor
- Medical Department, Sanofi, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
| | - Eva Nabiha Zamri
- Infectious Disease Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Putrajaya, Malaysia
| | - Jia-Yong Lam
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Zamberi Sekawi
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
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Mad Tahir NS, Ismail A, Aljunid SM, Abdul Aziz AF, Azzeri A, Alkhodary AA. Estimating the economic burden of influenza on the older population in Malaysia. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0294260. [PMID: 37971972 PMCID: PMC10653489 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Influenza is a contagious respiratory illness that can cause life-threatening complications among high-risk groups. Estimating the economic burden of influenza is essential to guide policy-making on influenza vaccination programmes, especially in resource-limited settings. This study aimed to estimate the economic burden of influenza on older adults (those aged ≥60 years) in Malaysia from the provider's perspective. METHODS The main data source in this study was the MY-DRG Casemix database of a teaching hospital in Malaysia. Cases with principal and secondary diagnoses coded in the International Classification of Diseases version 10 (ICD-10) as J09, J10.0, J10.1, J10.8, J11.0, J11.1, J11.8, J12.8, and J12.9, which represent influenza and its complications, were included in the study. The direct cost of influenza at all severity levels was calculated from the casemix data and guided by a clinical pathway developed by experts. The effect of the variations in costs and incidence rate of influenza for both the casemix and clinical pathway costing approaches was assessed with sensitivity analysis. RESULTS A total of 1,599 inpatient and 407 outpatient influenza cases were identified from the MY-DRG Casemix database. Most hospitalised cases were aged <18 years (90.6%), while 77 cases (4.8%) involved older people. Mild, moderate, and severe cases comprised 56.5%, 35.1%, and 8.4% of cases, respectively. The estimated average annual direct costs for managing mild, moderate, and severe influenza were RM2,435 (USD579), RM6,504 (USD1,549), and RM13,282 (USD3,163), respectively. The estimated total annual economic burden of influenza on older adults in Malaysia was RM3.28 billion (USD782 million), which was equivalent to 10.7% of the Ministry of Health Malaysia budget for 2020. The sensitivity analysis indicated that the influenza incidence rate and cost of managing severe influenza were the most important factors influencing the total economic burden. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our results demonstrated that influenza imposes a substantial economic burden on the older Malaysian population. The high cost of influenza suggested that further efforts are required to implement a preventive programme, such as immunisation for older people, to reduce the disease and economic burdens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nur Syazana Mad Tahir
- Department of Public Health Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Ministry of Health Malaysia, Federal Government Administrative Centre, Putrajaya, Malaysia
| | - Aniza Ismail
- Department of Public Health Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Syed Mohamed Aljunid
- International Centre for Casemix and Clinical Coding, Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, School of Medicine, International Medical University, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Aznida Firzah Abdul Aziz
- Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Amirah Azzeri
- Public Health Unit, Department of Primary Health Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
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Tan MP, Leong CL, Pang YK, Razali RM, Ismail AI, Sam IC, Abdul Rani R, Chong J, Mohd Zim MA, Musa AN, Leong JH, Idris S, Khor J, Cheong A, El Guerche-Séblain C, Hasmukharay K, Arumugam M, Khalid KE, Ismail I, Cheah WK. Dearth of influenza among older adults admitted with respiratory symptoms in Malaysia during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in 2021. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:977614. [PMID: 36300181 PMCID: PMC9589354 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.977614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Influenza is a common respiratory virus which leads to over 400,000 annual deaths globally. Mortality from influenza is highest among those aged 75 years and over living in Africa and Southeast Asia. Objective To determine the burden of influenza among older adults presenting to public hospitals with severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods This multi-center, prospective, observational study recruited individuals aged 65 years and over who presented to four Malaysian hospitals with SARI from 1 January to 31 December 2021. Those with prior confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection were excluded. SARS-CoV-2 was detected through real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with routine diagnostic kits. Influenza A, influenza B and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) viruses were detected with Xpress Flu/RSV kits using the GeneXpert rapid real-time PCR system (Cepheid, USA). Results Samples were obtained from 512 participants, comprising 296 (57.8%) men and 216 (42.2%) women, with a mean age (SD) of 74.0 (7.1) years. Inpatient death occurred in 48 (9.6%) individuals. Significant differences existed in age, ethnicity, and comorbidities across study sites. One (0.2%) case of influenza A, two (0.4%) cases of RSV and 63 (12.5%) cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection were detected over the 1-year period. Cases of COVID-19 mirrored national trends derived from open source data, while the dearth of influenza cases mirrored national and global Flunet figures. Conclusion Our observational study conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic detected only one case of influenza, alongside a high SARS-CoV-2 positivity rate. The poor uptake of influenza vaccination nationally, worsened by the recent pandemic restrictions, could lead to waning immunity from the absence of seasonal exposure. Potentially deadly outbreaks may then occur when lockdown and infection control measures are eventually removed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maw Pin Tan
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,*Correspondence: Maw Pin Tan,
| | - Chee Loon Leong
- Department of Medicine, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Yong Kek Pang
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | | | - Ahmad Izuanuddin Ismail
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi Majlis Amanah Rakyat, Sungai Buloh, Malaysia
| | - I-Ching Sam
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | | | - Jennifer Chong
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Arif Mohd Zim
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi Majlis Amanah Rakyat, Sungai Buloh, Malaysia
| | - Aisya Natasya Musa
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi Majlis Amanah Rakyat, Sungai Buloh, Malaysia
| | - Jia Hui Leong
- Department of Medicine, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Salmah Idris
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Jean Khor
- Department of Medical, Sanofi Pasteur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Adelina Cheong
- Department of Medical, Sanofi Pasteur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | | | - Kejal Hasmukharay
- Department of Medicine, University of Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | | | | | - Ismaliza Ismail
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Wee Kooi Cheah
- Department of Medicine, Hospital Taiping, Perak, Malaysia
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Chong YM, Chan YF, Jamaluddin MFH, Hasan MS, Pang YK, Ponnampalavanar S, Syed Omar SF, Sam IC. Rhinovirus/enterovirus was the most common respiratory virus detected in adults with severe acute respiratory infections pre-COVID-19 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0273697. [PMID: 36054088 PMCID: PMC9439195 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) pose a great global burden. The contribution of respiratory viruses to adult SARI is relatively understudied in Asia. We aimed to determine viral aetiology of adult SARI patients in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Methods The prevalence of 20 common (mainly viral) respiratory pathogens, and MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV and 5 bacterial select agents was investigated from May 2017 to October 2019 in 489 SARI adult patients in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, using molecular assays (Luminex NxTAG-RPP kit and qPCR assays). Viral metagenomics analysis was performed on 105 negative samples. Results Viral respiratory pathogens were detected by PCR in 279 cases (57.1%), including 10 (2.0%) additional detections by metagenomics analysis. The most detected viruses were rhinovirus/enterovirus (RV/EV) (49.1%) and influenza virus (7.4%). Three melioidosis cases were detected but no SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV or other bacterial select agents. Bacterial/viral co-detections and viral co-detections were found in 44 (9.0%) and 27 (5.5%) cases respectively, mostly involving RV/EV. Independent predictors of critical disease were male gender, chronic lung disease, lack of runny nose and positive blood culture with a significant bacterial pathogen. Asthma and sore throat were associated with increased risk of RV/EV detection, while among RV/EV cases, males and those with neurological disease were at increased risk of critical disease. Conclusions Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the high prevalence of respiratory viruses in adults with SARI was mainly attributed to RV/EV. Continued surveillance of respiratory virus trends contributes to effective diagnostic, prevention, and treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoong Min Chong
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Yoke Fun Chan
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- * E-mail: (YFC); (ICS)
| | | | - M. Shahnaz Hasan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Yong Kek Pang
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | | | | | - I-Ching Sam
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- * E-mail: (YFC); (ICS)
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Chong YM, Chan YF, Jamaluddin MFH, Hasan MS, Pang YK, Ponnampalavanar S, Syed Omar SF, Voon KGL, Sam IC. Detection of respiratory viruses in adults with suspected COVID-19 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. J Clin Virol 2021; 145:105000. [PMID: 34739838 PMCID: PMC8526124 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcv.2021.105000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Background Reports of co-circulation of respiratory viruses during the COVID-19 pandemic and co-infections with SARS-CoV-2 vary. However, limited information is available from developing countries. Objectives We aimed to investigate the incidence of respiratory viruses in adult patients with suspected COVID-19 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Study Design We collected 198 respiratory samples from adult patients hospitalized with suspected COVID-19 in a single teaching hospital in Kuala Lumpur in February-May 2020 and tested combined oro-nasopharyngeal swabs with the NxTAG Respiratory Pathogen Panel (Luminex) and Allplex RV Essential (Seegene) assays. Forty-five negative samples further underwent viral metagenomics analysis. Results Of the 198 samples, 74 (37.4%) had respiratory pathogens, including 56 (28.3%) with SARS-CoV-2 and 18 (9.1%) positive for other respiratory pathogens. There were five (2.5%) SARS-CoV-2 co-infections, all with rhinovirus/enterovirus. Three samples (6.7%; 3/45) had viruses identified by metagenomics, including one case of enterovirus D68 and one of Saffold virus genotype 6 in a patient requiring ICU care. Most of the COVID-19 patients (91.1%; 51/56) had mild symptoms but 5.4% (3/56) died. Conclusion During the early COVID-19 period, common respiratory viruses other than SARS-CoV-2 only accounted for 9.1% of hospitalization cases with ARI and co-infections with SARS-CoV-2 were rare. Continued surveillance is important to understand the impact of COVID-19 and its associated public health control measures on circulation of other respiratory viruses. Metagenomics can identify unexpected or rare pathogens, such as Saffold virus, which is rarely described in adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoong Min Chong
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Yoke Fun Chan
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | | | - M Shahnaz Hasan
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Yong Kek Pang
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | | | | | - Kenny Gah Leong Voon
- Division of Pathology, International Medical University, 57000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - I-Ching Sam
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Malaya Medical Centre, 59100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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