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Isolated remote site musculoskeletal Mycobacterium bovis infections after BCG immunisation in immunocompetent children

Dear Editor, The Bacillus Calmette–Guerin (BCG) vaccine, derived from wild-type Mycobacterium bovis, is administered in an attenuated form to prevent Mycobacterium tuberculous (MTB) infections in children residing in endemic regions. Since the introduction of the Singapore Tuberculosis Elimination Programme in 1997—specifying mandatory BCG-immunisation at birth—the incidence fell drastically to 32.6...

The emergence of otter attacks in Singapore: A case series and strategies for management

Dear Editor, Singapore is experiencing an unprecedented increase in the number of smooth-coated otters (Lutrogale perspicillata). Since 2017, the local otter population has more than doubled to at least 170. This has led to an increase in the number of otter-human attacks since 2021.1,2 While common animal attacks like dog...

Gaps in primary care management of urinary tract infections in Singapore

Dear Editor, Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common presentation in primary care, but gaps of care have not been well established in Singapore. UTIs are one of the most common bacterial infections worldwide,1 constituting around 1% of all ambulatory clinic visits.2 The healthcare burden of UTIs remains highly significant,...

Seroprevalence of cytomegalovirus over the last 2 decades (2001–2020): A retrospective data analysis from a single laboratory in Singapore

Dear Editor, Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is ubiquitous and infects human of all ages, where it remains latent after primary infection and can reactivate upon various triggers.1 Reactivated CMV may cause complications and end organ damages in immunocompromised hosts, leading to increased morbidity and mortality.2 In addition, the presence of actively replicating...

Singapore tuberculosis (TB) clinical management guidelines 2024: A modified Delphi adaptation of international guidelines for drug-susceptible TB infection and pulmonary disease

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. For decades, it was the leading cause of death worldwide from a single infectious disease before being displaced by COVID-19 during the pandemic years.1 TB is endemic in Singapore, with over 2000 cases of TB disease (formerly active TB)...

Hantavirus haemorrhagic fever and renal syndrome, caused by the Hantaan virus in Singapore: A case report

Dear Editor, We outline a case of a 59-year-old Malaysian man of Indian origin with no known past medical history apart from diabetes mellitus and hypertension, who presented with a 7-day history of unrelenting fever, myalgia, confusion and unsteady gait. He worked as a shipyard engineer and travelled between Singapore...

Singapore’s experience in managing the COVID-19 pandemic: Key lessons from the ground

In the early days of the pandemic when information on COVID-19 infection was lacking, all COVID-19 positive patients were admitted into acute hospitals for isolation and monitoring. With the exponential increase in the number of infections, COVID-19 Treatment Facilities (CTFs) were set up to help hospitals manage in-patient loads....

Impact of pre-existing depression on severe COVID-19 outcomes

The outbreak of the COVID-19 virus in 2019 had rapidly developed into a global pandemic, causing more than 6.8 million deaths and impacting the lives of billions of individuals around the world.1 Public healthcare around the work have mainly focused on the clinical manifestations and treatment of the deadly...

Delayed treatment with nirmatrelvir/ritonavir could remain effective in patients with Omicron BA2.2 variant of COVID-19

Dear Editor, In late February 2022, the Omicron BA.2.2 subvariant drove the outbreak of COVID-19 and rapidly spread through many parts of the world. Omicron-infected individuals aged ≥80 years who are unvaccinated are particularly at high risk of poor outcomes. COVID-19 vaccines and antiviral therapeutics have protected individuals most at risk...

Rash characteristics of paediatric patients with COVID-19 in Singapore

Dear Editor, Children with COVID-19 infection can present with a variable spectrum of clinical manifestations, and sometimes mucocutaneous manifestations can be the only manifestation of COVID-19 infection in children.1,2,3 We report 4 cases of paediatric patients who had COVID-19 with mucocutaneous involvement, admitted to a tertiary children’s hospital in Singapore....

Immune and coagulation profiles in 3 adults with multisystem inflammatory syndrome

A spectrum of immune dysregulation has been described following SARS-CoV-2 infections—from the cytokine storm in the acute phase, to hyperinflammatory syndromes that occur after the resolution of the initial infection.1 Multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS) was first reported in children in April 2020 as a hyperinflammatory syndrome with features similar...

Clinical outcome of bacterial endogenous endophthalmitis in 15 patients

Dear Editor, Endophthalmitis refers to the inflammation of the ocular cavities and their immediate adjacent structures without extension beyond the sclera, usually secondary to infection. Endogenous endophthalmitis (EE) results from haematogenous spread of microorganisms in patients with bacteraemia or fungaemia into the eye and represents 2–15% of endophthalmitis cases.1-3...

Combating a resurgence of poliomyelitis through public health surveillance and vaccination

Singapore was certified poliomyelitis (polio)-free by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 29 October 2000, together with 36 other countries in the Western Pacific Region.1 Prior to certification, there were multiple outbreaks in 1958, 1960 and 1963 with 415, 196 and 74 paralytic polio cases, respectively.2-4 The nationwide immunisation...

Clinical efficacy and long-term immunogenicity of an early triple dose regimen of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination in cancer patients

The spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has led to the ongoing worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. Initial studies have reported an increased vulnerability of patients with solid and haematological malignancies to SARS-CoV-2 infections.1,2 Global efforts to combat SARS-CoV-2 led to the unprecedented rapid development of multiple vaccines, with reported efficacies of...

Early COVID-19 booster is beneficial in cancer patients

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and its corresponding coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was first reported as a cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan, China, on 31 December 20191 and led to an unprecedented pandemic in modern times. It quickly overwhelmed healthcare systems around the world, and rendered...

Vaccination and surveillance: Two basic tools for a final poliomyelitis eradication

Over the past 3 decades, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) has strived to achieve a poliomyelitis (polio)-free world. Wild poliovirus (WPV) types 2 and 3 were eradicated in 2015 and 2019, respectively. The World Health Organization (WHO) South-East Asia Region was declared free of poliovirus in 2014, and...

A strategy to make COVID-19 vaccination more accessible to the elderly

Dear Editor, Singapore embarked on the COVID-19 National Vaccination Programme in early 2021. The main modality employed to achieve the mass vaccinations has been the Vaccination Centres (VCs). These are dedicated facilities created with the sole purpose of providing the public with safe and convenient access to vaccination services. While the...

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children: A unique manifestation of COVID-19

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, children have been relatively spared from the severe symptomatic infection affecting adults, particularly the elderly and those with comorbidities. One of the most challenging aspects of paediatric SARS-CoV-2 infection has been the discovery of a unique late manifestation of infection characterised by...

Managing adult asthma during the COVID-19 pandemic: A 2022 review and current recommendations

Asthma is the most prevalent chronic respiratory disease, estimated to affect more than 300 million people worldwide.1 First recognised in December 2019, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has evolved into an ongoing global pandemic.2 In May...

TB or not TB? The axillary lump question

An 81-year-old woman of healthy weight presented with a 2-week history of a painless right axillary lump. Physical examination revealed a 2cm firm nodule with a central keratinous plug in the right axilla (Fig. 1). The surrounding skin was pigmented, non-tender and indurated. Sonography of the nodule demonstrated an...

Antiphospholipid and other autoantibodies in COVID-19 patients: A Singapore series

Dear Editor, Thrombosis is an unexpected complication of COVID-19 initially reported in 3 patients from China.1 These patients tested positive for immunoglobulin (Ig) A anticardiolipin (ACA), IgG anti-β2-glycoprotein I antibodies (aβ2GPI) and IgA aβ2GPI, though not for the lupus anticoagulant (LAC). In a Singapore study comprising 47,527 patients, 19 (0.04%) developed...

Teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: Perspectives of medical students in Singapore

Dear Editor, The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in many changes to medical education, including the site and mode of teaching, conducting of examinations and a shift towards prioritising the mastery of clinical skills relevant to infection control. Hence, Ng et al.’s suggestions on how to maximise learning...

Global monkeypox outbreak 2022: First case series in Singapore

Monkeypox has been declared a public health emergency of international concern. Up until 2022, most cases of monkeypox have been reported in parts of Africa. On 7 May 2022, a returning traveller from Nigeria to the UK was confirmed to have contracted monkeypox. By the end of May 2022,...

The global emergence of monkeypox

Monkeypox is so named because the poxvirus was first identified in 2 outbreaks among cynomolgus monkeys housed at the Statens Serum Institut, Denmark, in 1958.1 Both outbreaks occurred approximately 2 months after the monkeys arrived by plane from Singapore.1 However, the natural reservoir of the virus is not monkeys...

Neuralgic amyotrophy in COVID-19 infection and after vaccination

Dear Editor, Various neurological manifestations associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been described,1 conditions which left a significant proportion of patients with permanent disability. Continued vigilance is crucial with emergence of new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants that cause the disease. Vaccination against COVID-19 remains the...

Attitude towards screening for congenital cytomegalovirus infection in newborns in Singapore

Dear Editor, Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the most common congenital infection.1 A systematic review that included 77 studies from 36 countries reported that the overall prevalence of CMV was 0.67% in their newborn population.1 Among newborns with CMV, it was estimated that 15–20% will suffer from potentially deleterious effects including...

Congenital cytomegalovirus infection: Advocating for screening and education

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the leading non-genetic cause of congenital neurosensory hearing loss in children, accounting for 21% of cases of hearing loss at birth and 25% of deafness at age 4 years.1 It can also give rise to other serious sequelae such as cerebral palsy, cognitive impairment, seizures...

Epidemiological trends and outcomes of children with aural foreign bodies in Singapore

Aural foreign bodies (FBs) commonly present to the emergency department (ED) worldwide. Children represent the majority of the population, believed to be due to their inquisitive minds and experimental nature.1 Aetiologies for aural FBs include accidental or intentional insertion of FBs into body orifices, ear irritation caused by rhinitis...

Nutrition support practices for critically ill patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2: A multicentre observational study in Singapore

Within 3 weeks of the World Health Organization declaring the COVID-19 pandemic on 11 March 2020, the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) and American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) developed a set of nutrition guidelines that addresses issues on nutrition assessment; timing and feeding route; caloric...

Challenges and considerations in delivering nutritional therapy in the ICU during COVID-19 pandemic

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has created unprecedented challenges for healthcare workers in Singapore and across the world. Providing clinical nutrition and metabolic care to patients with COVID-19 has been highly challenging. In this issue of the Annals, Lew et al.1 reported the results of a multicentre retrospective observational study...

BNT162B2 COVID-19 mRNA vaccination did not promote substantial anti-syncytin-1 antibody production nor mRNA transfer to breast milk in an exploratory pilot study

Dear Editor, Vaccine hesitancy still threatens global efforts to end the COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 and its emerging variants. Social media-driven “conspiracy theories” cast doubts on vaccine safety for reproductive health,1 including concerns that vaccine-induced SARS-CoV-2-neutralising antibodies (NAb) cross-react with human syncytin-1—a protein involved in gamete fertilisation and...

COVID-19 vaccination acceptance of healthcare workers in Singapore

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic resulted in 511.0 million cases of confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and almost 6.2 million deaths globally as of end April 2022.1 With the introduction of vaccines that are effective in reducing severe COVID-19 illnesses and deaths, Singapore had since pivoted from a COVID-19 elimination...

Prevalence and correlates of psychological distress and coronavirus anxiety among hospital essential services workers in Singapore

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected almost all geographies in the world since 2020. Many countries have imposed strict isolation measures to contain the spread of this disease. While the majority of the population has been working from home, essential workers continue manning the frontlines, facing risks such...

Injection site reactions after COVID-19 mRNA vaccination

Dear Editor, The Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2 mRNA) and Moderna (mRNA-1273) COVID-19 vaccinations were approved for use in Singapore in December 2020 and February 2021, respectively. To date, over 10 million doses of mRNA vaccines have been administered for the primary series and booster doses.1 Initial studies have shown that 0.8% of...

Change in hepatitis B virus DNA status in patients receiving chronic immunosuppressive therapy for moderate-to-severe skin disease

Dear Editor, Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection poses a global health burden. Clinically, patients may present with chronic HBV infection, occult HBV infection, and fulminant hepatic failure. In 2010, the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroprevalence in Singapore was 3.6%.1 Patients with dermatological conditions receive prolonged corticosteroid and other immunosuppressive therapy...

Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma associated with sudden stridor arising from thyroid mucormycosis and concomitant bacterial infection

Dear Editor, Mucormycosis is a life-threatening fungal infection that mainly affects immunocompromised patients. It typically has low prevalence, but fatality rate is as high as 50%. We present a patient with intravascular lymphoma with secondary bacterial infection and invasive mucormycosis involving the thyroid gland, who experienced good outcomes following surgical...

Cryptococcal Prostatic Abscess in an Immunocompromised Patient: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Cryptococcosis is a well-recognised infection in immunocompromised patients, although its prevalence varies with the type of immune defect. We report a patient with myasthenia gravis (MG) on steroid therapy and non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) who developed cryptococcal meningitis and in whom a search for a persistent focus by...

Emerging Therapies for Sepsis and Septic Shock

Septic shock remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality among hospitalised patients despite advances in antimicrobial therapy and medical support. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Epidemiological Surveillance of Melioidosis in Singapore

Melioidosis was first described in 1911 among vagrants and morphine addicts brought into the mortuary in Rangoon, Burma. However, the disease received little attention until the Vietnam War when French and US military personnel were affected by it. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download...

The Global Pandemic of Dengue/Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever: Current Status and Prospects for the Future

The world has experienced unprecedented population growth in the past 50 years that continues unabated in the waning years of the 20th century. It is projected that by the year 2025, the global population will be 8.3 billion people, and by 2050, 10 billion people. This article is available only...

Palm Printing on Agar Plates of Hands of Health Care Workers from the Intensive Care Units of the National University Hospital of Singapore

Nosocomial infections are one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in hospitals resulting in increasing health care costs. The intensive care unit (ICU) is ideal for the acquisition of nosocomial pathogens. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view...

Disseminated Penicillium marneffei Infection: A Report of Five Cases in Singapore

Penicillium marneffei is a dimorphic fungus that can cause infection in immunocompromised hosts. Reports on infection with this organism were initially uncommon, but after the first report of disseminated P. marneffei infection in a HIV-infected individual from Bangkok in 1989, the incidence has increased markedly, almost exclusively in patients...

A Comparison of Antigen Dipstick Assays with Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Technique and Blood Film Examination in the Rapid Diagnosis of Malaria

According to the 1996 epidemiological studies in Singapore done by the Ministry of the Environment, a total of 364 cases of malaria were reported in 1995. 90.4% of the cases were imported. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the...

Correlation of Baseline Quantitative Plasma Human Immunodeficiency (HIV) Type 1 RNA Viral Load with Clinical Status and CD4+ T-cell Counts in Treatment-Naïve HIV-Positive Patients in Singapore

Quantitative plasma human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) ribonucleic acid (RNA) viral load is used clinically as a predictor of progression of HIV-1 infection to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and death, and as a marker of treatment response to anti-HIV agents. Higher viral load levels have been correlated with...

A Case of Mycobacterium scrofulaceum Osteomyelitis of the Right Wrist

Whilst infections caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis may be a common occurrence in this part of the world, those caused by atypical mycobacteria are rarely encountered. Many of the cases of atypical mycobacterial infections have been associated with underlying immunocompromised states. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click...

Case Report of Staphylococcus lugdunensis Native Valve Endocarditis and Review of the Literature

Coagulase-negative staphylococci cause 5% of native valve endocarditis. Of the 30 species identified currently, Staphylococcus epidermidis is a well-recognised cause of native valve endocarditis; however, it more commonly causes prosthetic valve endocarditis. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the...

Case Reports of Nocardiosis in Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection

Nocardiosis is an infection caused by a soil-borne aerobic filamentous bacterium in the genus Nocardia and the order Actinomycetales. Within the genus Nocardia, N. asteroides, N. brasiliensis and N. caviae are responsible for nearly all nocardial infections in man. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on...

Pericardial effusion and tamponade in a young woman

A young woman presented to the Singapore General Hospital with a history of cough in the 2 weeks prior. She had no significant past medical history and no history of immunocompromised state. Chest radiograph showed cardiomegaly. Electrocardiogram showed low voltages in precordial leads (Fig. 1A). A computed tomography scan...

The evolution of severity of paediatric COVID-19 in Singapore: Vertical transmission and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children

Dear Editor, Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) arrived in Singapore in January 2020 as imported cases, followed by local transmission predominantly involving dormitories, with later spread within the wider community. Children still represent the minority of cases in Singapore, with around 8,000 paediatric cases as of 6 November 2021 out of...

Pericarditis and myocarditis after COVID-19 mRNA vaccination in a nationwide setting

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in much morbidity and mortality worldwide. The development of mRNA vaccines has heralded much hope in the fight against the disease. The safety and efficacy of these vaccines have been well demonstrated in clinical trials,1,2 and also against severe disease from...

Histoplasmosis Presenting with Progressively Worsening Backache—A Case Report

A 55-year-old man presented with intermittent low back pain of 2 months’ duration which was progressively worsening, fever, anorexia and a 10-kg weight loss. He has travelled several times in the past few years to caves in Kuala Lumpur for worship. This article is available only as a PDF. Please...

In vitro Activity of Moxifloxacin against Local Bacterial Isolates

The introduction of newer generation fluoroquinolones has generated great interest, especially in this era of increasing antimicrobial resistance. Among gram-positive resistant bacteria, the most important are methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), β-lactam resistant and multidrug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae, and vancomycin-resistant enterococci. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on...

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci: Emerging Problems and New Prospects for Management

The prevalence of nosocomial infections due to Gram-positive bacteria has increased dramatically over the last two decades. In North America, Gram-positive cocci now are responsible for nearly two thirds of all bloodstream and skin and soft tissue infections. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download...

Bugs for the Next Century: The Issue of Antibiotic Resistance

Emerging antibiotic resistance is a global problem. Antibiotic resistance results in morbidity and mortality from treatment failures and increased health care costs. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Melioidosis Splenic Abscess—An Unusual Presentation as Osteomyelitis of Rib

A 74-year-old Chinese gentleman first presented in February 1999 with an abscess over his left lower chest. He was treated for pulmonary tuberculosis in 1977. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Fluconazole Susceptibility of Candida Species in Singapore by Disc Diffusion Test

Candida species is becoming increasingly important as a cause of serious infections particularly in immunocompromised patients. Surveillance in the USA between April 1995 and June 1996 revealed that Candida was the fourth leading cause of nosocomial bloodstream infections, accounting for 8% of such infections. This article is available only as...

Influenza in Singapore: Assessing the Burden of Illness in the Community

Influenza is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Morbidity in the working age group gives rise to frequent doctor visits and considerable sickness absence from work. Influenza in the elderly population and in high-risk groups results in hospitalisations and deaths due to complications of pneumonia. This article is...

The Role of Influenza Vaccine in Healthcare Workers in the Era of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

The new coronavirus responsible for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) found its first victims in healthcare workers with attack rates of more than 50% before infection control measures were instituted; and this led to the near collapse of healthcare systems in some of the affected countries. In Singapore, healthcare...

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) — 150 Days On

The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) has been identified as a new clinical entity in the year 2003. It was on 12 March 2003 that the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a global health alert on the disease then known as atypical pneumonia. This article is available only as a...

HIV/AIDS in Children

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic in Asia has grown from a handful of cases to a major public health threat with wide-ranging medical, social and economic consequences. First gaining foothold among intravenous drug users and commercial sex workers, HIV quickly spreads to...

Sexually Transmitted Infections in Singapore Teenagers

Adolescence can be a difficult period for many individuals who have to navigate their way through complicated emotional, psychological, physical and social demands and changes. The transition from childhood to adulthood includes the formation of successful intimate relationships and avoidance of the pitfalls of sexually transmitted infections (STI), including...

Pressure injuries related to N95 respirator masks among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Dear Editor, The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak, which started in 2019, has affected millions of patients globally.1 Singapore is not spared, being one of the first countries to import COVID-19 cases from China.2 Nosocomial transmission of SARS-CoV-2 had been reported in various cohort studies of healthcare workers (HCWs),...

Oropharyngeal Carriage and Penicillin Resistance of Neisseria meningitidis in Primary School Children in Manisa, Turkey

Infections by Neisseria meningitidis are significant causes of mortality and morbidity in young children and adolescents. The epidemiology of serious meningococcal disease is an area of considerable interest, and many unanswered questions surround this organism and the types of diseases it causes. This article is available only as a PDF....

A Clinical Audit of Presentation and Outcome of Salmonella Septicaemia

Salmonella infection occurs globally and has diverse presentations including enteric fever, gastroenteritis, localised infection, chronic enteric or urinary carrier state and bacteraemias. Enteric fever, caused by Salmonella typhi (S. typhi) and Salmonella paratyphi (S. paratyphi), occurs mostly in developing tropical countries but is increasingly seen as imported infections in...

Laboratory Safety Aspects of SARS at Biosafety Level 2

In Singapore, the majority of patients suffering from the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) were cared for at Tan Tock Seng Hospital. The dramatic and serious nature of this outbreak in 2003 focussed unprecedented attention on laboratory safety practices. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on...

Varicella Screening and Vaccination for Healthcare Workers at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital

Due to the increased morbidity and mortality of varicella zoster (VZ) in adults and increased exposure to chickenpox in hospitals, especially in paediatric hospitals, healthcare workers (HCWs) are encouraged to be vaccinated against varicella. Pregnant HCWs who are exposed to chickenpox also face the risk of transmitting VZ to...

Transmission of Tuberculosis from Patient to Healthcare Workers in the Anaesthesia Context

Tuberculosis poses a very real problem to healthcare workers (HCWs). In Singapore, the prevalence of tuberculosis in the general population remains high at 44 per 100,000 in the year 2001. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Severe Adult Chickenpox Infection Requiring Intensive Care

Chickenpox (varicella) in adults can be severe. It is frequently associated with pneumonia and immunosuppression as well as increased mortality rates. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Skin Manifestation of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia Infection – A Case Report and Review Article

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is an aerobic gram-negative bacillus that is found in aquatic environments. It is a frequent coloniser of fluids used in the hospital setting, such as nebulisers, water baths, dialysis machines and intravenous fluids. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top...

Early Dengue Infection and Outcome Study (EDEN) – Study Design and Preliminary Findings

Dengue fever/dengue haemorrhagic fever (DF/DHF) is a re-emerging disease that is endemic in the tropical world. It is caused by 4 closely-related dengue viruses which are transmitted by the Aedes mosquitoes, principally the Aedes aegypti mosquito. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on...

Seroepidemiology of Pertussis in the Adult Population of Singapore

Pertussis is a highly communicable, vaccine-preventable respiratory disease and is a frequent but often underestimated cause of prolonged cough illness in adults. Whereas in children pertussis is characterised by paroxysmal cough, whooping cough and post-tussive vomiting, in adults the disease is often atypical, sometimes manifested only by a protracted,...

Travel Characteristics and Health Practices Among Travellers at the Travellers’ Health and Vaccination Clinic in Singapore

The South-east Asian region has seen recent increases in travel, and pre-travel health advice is important in protecting these travellers from risks. Travellers now travel to destinations with high disease risks. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full...

Understanding the Super-spreading Events of SARS in Singapore

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was the first emerging infectious disease of this century with true epidemic potential. Worldwide, the virus caused a total of 8098 reported infections and 774 deaths before it was brought under control. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF”...

SARS Plague: Duty of Care or Medical Heroism?

SARS has been described as a Chinese plague because it emerged from the colourful markets of wild animals and the exotic kitchens of Guangdong, southern China in mid-November 2002. In late February 2003, the Metropole Hotel in Hong Kong became the epicentre where SARS crossed intercontinental boundaries through rapid...

SARS: How to Manage Future Outbreaks?

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is caused by a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV), which crossed from wild animals at live markets to man in mid-November 2002 in Guangdong, southern China. SARS was the first pandemic of the 21st century. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download...

SARS Revisited: Managing “Outbreaks” With “Communications”

In the short span of 3 years since SARS first appeared on the Asian landscape, terms like “risk communications” and “outbreak communications” have assumed greater import and found common usage in the lexicon of governance by public health systems in our part of the world. This article is available only...

Laboratory Containment of SARS Virus

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) emerged in November 2002 in Guangdong Province in China and quickly spread to 26 countries/areas with local transmission in Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam and Canada. The causative agent was identified as SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV), not seen before in human. This article is available only as...

SARS and Emerging Infectious Diseases: A Challenge to Place Global Solidarity above National Sovereignty

The majority of the world’s information about infectious disease outbreaks no longer comes from voluntary reporting by countries, the willingness of which is influenced by fears of severe decreases in travel, tourism and trade as a result of aggressive protective measures undertaken by other countries. It now comes from...

SARS in Singapore – Key Lessons from an Epidemic

The 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak represented the most severe communicable disease challenge to the public health system and the government and people of Singapore. The SARS outbreak in Singapore began on 1 March 2003 and the last case of the outbreak was isolated on 11 May...

Clinical and Laboratory Findings of SARS in Singapore

An outbreak of atypical pneumonia was recognised in Singapore soon after the release of a global alert by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 12 March 2003. This disease was later named severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF”...

SARS in Singapore – Predictors of Disease Severity

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a recently defined illness caused by a novel coronavirus. The outbreak in Singapore originated from Hong Kong via mainland China. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

The Outbreak of SARS at Tan Tock Seng Hospital – Relating Epidemiology to Control

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is an emerging infectious disease caused by a novel coronavirus. Worldwide, the virus caused a total of 8098 reported infections and 774 deaths before it was brought under control. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to...

Epidemiology and Control of SARS in Singapore

Since the 1990s, a number of infectious diseases have emerged in Singapore, despite its high standard of environmental hygiene, comprehensive childhood immunisation programme and strict control of imported food and livestock. These emerging diseases include Bengal cholera caused by a new cholera biotype, Vibrio cholerae O139, multi-drug-resistant salmonellosis caused...

Lessons From the SARS Crisis – More Relevant Than Ever

This issue of the Annals contains articles on the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). One might wonder what else there is to write about SARS. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Modelling the Utility of Body Temperature Readings From Primary Care Consults for SARS Surveillance in an Army Medical Centre

There has been increasing interest in building surveillance systems capable of detecting outbreaks of infectious diseases, at the stage where clinical presentation would still be undifferentiated. The thrust of such systems is to detect both intentionally induced and naturally occurring outbreaks in their earliest stages, and if possible, at...

Anaerobic Culture of Diabetic Foot Infections: Organisms and Antimicrobial Susceptibilities

Singapore has a relatively high prevalence of diabetes mellitus, with a recent survey showing an age-standardised prevalence of 7.8% in 2004. Diabetic soft-tissue infections result in significant morbidity in this population of patients. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view...

Infection Control Practices at the Singapore General Hospital: From a Swedish Point of View

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is the most common antibiotic resistant pathogen in many parts of the world, and is associated with significant in hospital morbidity and mortality. The majority of MRSA infections are hospital acquired, and the prevalence of such cases can be affected by infection control practices such...

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Control in Singapore – Moving Forward

The significance of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is indisputable. Its successful establishment and maintenance as the most important endemic healthcare associated infection (HCAI) results from its reservoir in up to 20% of inpatients and 16% of healthcare workers plus its ability to survive on surfaces for over 12 days. This...

“Future” Threat of Gram-negative Resistance in Singapore

Gram-negative bacteria are important causes of urinary tract infections, bloodstream infections, healthcare-associated pneumonia, and intra-abdominal infections. The increasing resistance of Enterobacteriaceae is a significant challenge. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Polymyxins: A Review of the Current Status Including Recent Developments

Polymyxins are polypeptide antibiotic that becomes available for clinical use in the 1960s, but was replaced in the 1970s by antibiotics considered less toxic. Presently, polymyxins have re-emerged as a “no choice” alternative for treatment of multidrug-resistant (MDR) gram-negative bacilli infections, which are not infrequent, in Singapore and Asia...

Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus – A Review From a Singapore Perspective

The first isolates of high-level vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) were reported from the United Kingdom in the late 1980s. Since then rates of VRE infection and colonisation have been steadily rising. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Control at the National University Hospital, Singapore: A Historical Perspective

The National University Hospital (NUH) was established in 1985 as the first restructured hospital and medical centre in Singapore. At its official opening in 1986, the then Director of Medical Services, Dr Kwa Soon Bee, Chairman NUH, hoped that the new teaching hospital would set the pace for “an...

Gram-negative Resistance in Singapore: A Historical Perspective

Standardised antimicrobial susceptibility testing was first introduced to Singapore in the mid-1970s. The earliest Singapore antibiogram the author is aware of was published in 1974 by Tan et al (Fig. 1) based on a limited number of isolates from sterile and non-sterile sites at the Department of Pathology, Ministry...

In vitro Activities of Antifungal Drugs Against Yeasts Isolated from Blood Cultures and Moulds Isolated from Various Clinically Significant Sites in Singapore

Fungaemia carries with it high mortality rates and appropriate as well as timely antifungal therapy has been shown to be life saving. Amphotericin B has the broadest coverage amongst the antifungal drugs against fungal infection, and was regarded the gold standard treatment for severe fungal infection. This article is available...

A Retrospective Analysis of Antifungal Susceptibilities of Candida Bloodstream Isolates From Singapore Hospitals

Nosocomial infection with Candida species is increasing in significance worldwide. A recent review of positive blood cultures noted the relative increase in importance of fungal bloodstream infections (BSI), and Candida was reported as the fourth most common blood stream pathogen in the United States. This article is available only as...

Ertapenem for Treatment of Extended-spectrum Beta-lactamase-producing and Multidrug-resistant Gram-negative Bacteraemia

Extended-spectrum beta-lacatamase (ESBL)-producing gram-negative bacteraemia is optimally treated with carbapenem. In our institution, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae are the most common and third most common causes of bacteraemia, and 21% of E. coli and 51% K. pneumoniae produced ESBL. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click...

Independent Predictors for Mortality in Patients with Positive Stenotrophomonas maltophilia Cultures

Stenotrophomonas (formally Pseudomonas or Xanthomonas) maltophilia is a gram-negative bacillus emerging as an opportunistic, nosocomial pathogen associated with a high mortality rate. Although it was previously considered to have limited pathogenicity, recent reports suggested that infection with S. maltophilia was associated with significant morbidity and mortality, particularly in severely...

Antimicrobial Resistance: A New Beginning and the Need for Action

In this issue, the articles (historical, original and review papers) highlight the extent and problem of antimicrobial resistance in Singapore. The authors should be congratulated on their efforts. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Healthcare Workers and HIV Health Issues

This paper aims to present a comprehensive review of issues related to HIV testing in healthcare workers (HCWs) and proposes appropriate measures in response to implications of a positive test result. It reflects an attempt to address the need to protect patients, preserve public confidence in the healthcare system...

The 2005 Dengue Epidemic in Singapore: Epidemiology, Prevention and Control

Dengue is the most important human viral disease transmitted by arthropod vectors. Some 2500 million people – two-fifths of the world’s population – are now at risk from dengue. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Antiviral Drugs for the Control of Pandemic Influenza Virus

Over the past 100 years there have been 3 major influenza virus pandemics, which have among them claimed millions of lives. In 1918 the first of these pandemics occurred suddenly, and without warning. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view...

Vaccines for Pandemic Influenza. The History of our Current Vaccines, their Limitations and the Requirements to Deal with a Pandemic Threat

The ongoing epizootic of avian influenza due to A (H5N1) viruses, the growing count of associated human fatalities, and the fear that this may be the forerunner to a severe human pandemic have focussed new attention on the status, and in particular the shortcomings, of our current human influenza...

Prevention and Control of Avian Influenza in Singapore

Avian influenza (AI) or “bird flu” is a highly infectious disease of birds. AI viruses are negative single-stranded enveloped RNA viruses that belong to the influenza A genus of the Orthomyxoviridae family. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the...

Preparing for an Influenza Pandemic in Singapore

The last influenza pandemics occurred in 1957 and 1968. Few remember the pandemic in 1968 in Singapore as it was relatively mild. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Avian Influenza and Pandemic Influenza Preparedness in Hong Kong

In 1997, Hong Kong became reputed by identifying the first instance of human infection with avian influenza H5N1. A total of 18 cases occurred that year resulted in 6 deaths. The outbreak was completely terminated after the culling of over 1.5 million chickens. This article is available only as a...

Towards Mutual Trust, Transparency and Equity in Virus Sharing Mechanism: The Avian Influenza Case of Indonesia

Since July 2005 to December 2007, Indonesia has reported the highest number of influenza A (H5N1) human cases in the world, i.e., 116 cases with an extremely high fatality proportion of 81% . Those patients were reported from 12 out of 33 provinces (Fig. 1). This article is available only...

A Global Perspective on Avian Influenza

The world is confronted by many important public health challenges, some of which constitute potentially devastating global threats. Prime among these is the threat of a influenza pandemic. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Twentieth Century Influenza Pandemics in Singapore

Tropical countries such as Singapore, although without well-defined influenza seasons, are also affected by influenza epidemics and pandemics. Twenty per cent of Singapore’s population is clinically infected by seasonal influenza annually, and excess mortality over the past decade was about 14.8 per 100,000 person-years – comparable to temperate United...

The Efficacy of Influenza Vaccination in Healthcare Workers in a Tropical Setting: A Prospective Investigator Blinded Observational Study

Influenza causes significant morbidity, mortality and economic impact in Singapore. According to a recent report, there are about 4.2 million cases of influenza-like illness (ILI) annually in Singapore, leading to 3.5 million doctor visits and 2.1 million days of documented medical leave. This article is available only as a PDF....

A Cross-sectional Study of Primary-care Physicians in Singapore on Their Concerns and Preparedness for an Avian Influenza Outbreak

Outbreaks of avian influenza (AI) caused by the H5N1 subtype in several Asian countries have raised concern all over the world. AI is endemic in several parts of Asia. To date, there have been more than 200 human cases of AI virus infection, mainly as a result of poultry-to-human...

Clinical and Epidemiological Features of Patients With Confirmed Avian Influenza Presenting to Sulianti Saroso Infectious Diseases Hospital, Indonesia, 2005-2007

The first human cases of H5N1 avian influenza (AI) virus infection were reported in Indonesia in July 2005. On 19 September 2005, the Ministry of Health of Indonesia confirmed an established outbreak of AI in humans in Indonesia. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download...

To Kill a Mocking Bird Flu?

Why devote an entire issue of the Annals to pandemic influenza when there are so many other pressing health needs around us? With a potential mortality comparable to tuberculosis, malaria or HIV/AIDS but occurring within a much shorter timeframe, pandemic influenza remains a real possibility. This article is available only...

Concerns, Perceived Impact and Preparedness in an Avian Influenza Pandemic – a Comparative Study between Healthcare Workers in Primary and Tertiary Care

The danger posed by emerging infectious diseases has become greater in the past few years with the World Health Organization (WHO) warning that the threat of an avian influenza (AI) pandemic is imminent. Healthcare institutions are expected to be key players during a pandemic, with healthcare workers (HCWs) at...

Laboratory-acquired Brucellosis

Brucellosis is a serious disease seen worldwide and has been historically known as undulant fever, Bang’s disease, Gibraltar fever, Mediterranean fever, and Malta fever. Brucellosis has a limited geographic distribution but remains a major problem in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries. This article is available only as a PDF. Please...

The Utility of Liver Function Tests in Dengue

Dengue infection is endemic in many countries along the tropical and subtropical belt, with more than 100 million cases and 24,000 deaths annually worldwide. Hepatic dysfunction is common in dengue infection, and is attributed to a direct viral effect on liver cells or as a consequence of dysregulated host...

Treatment Gets Better, but Leprosy Remains a Global Problem

Rising standards of living and the provision of effective medical treatment have resulted in good control of leprosy in many parts of the world, but WHO-led efforts for the global elimination of leprosy by 2000 did not succeed. In several countries, however, ambitious and ill-advised attempts to meet the...

Susceptibility of Multi-resistant Gram-negative Bacilli in Singapore to Tigecycline as Tested by Agar Dilution

Tigecycline is a recently developed antibiotic that belongs to the glycylcycline class, which is a novel analogue of the tetracyclines. Tigecycline is reported to have excellent in vitro activity against most Enterobacteriaceae,1 although minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) are higher against Proteus mirabilis, P. vulgaris, Morganella morganii, and Providencia spp.2...

Development of Ceftazidime Resistance in Burkhoderia pseudomallei in a Patient Experiencing Melioidosis with Mediastinal Lymphadenitis

Melioidosis caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei is endemic to Southeast Asia and Northern Australia. Melioidosis was nicknamed the “greater mimicker” because of its diverse clinical manifestations. We report a case of melioidosis manifested as mediastinal lymphadenitis and ceftazidime-susceptible B. pseudomallei bacteremia. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click...

Human Rights as a Cornerstone of AIDS Prevention, Treatment and Public Health Measures

The International AIDS Conference (IAC) and the Singapore AIDS Conference (SAC) are biannual meetings held on even years. Both these meetings are occasions for discussion and sharing of updated information on epidemiology, biomedical advances, behavioural and social science, and to provide a platform for broadcasting results of research and...

Changing Epidemiology of Enteric Fevers in Singapore

Typhoid and paratyphoid fever – collectively referred to as enteric fevers - are serious systemic infections caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) and Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi (S. Paratyphi), respectively. Humans are the reservoir of infection and transmission occurs through food and water contaminated by acute cases...

Expanding the Scope of Antiretroviral Therapy for HIV Infection

The 2010 Global Report on AIDS contains some welcome news: the number of annual AIDS-related deaths has continued to decrease from a peak of 2.1 million in 2004 to an estimated 1.8 million in 2009. This is mainly attributable to the huge expansion in access to anti-retroviral therapy (ART). This...

A Cross-Sectional Study on Reference Ranges of Normal Oral Temperatures Among Students in Singapore

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), an infection caused by the SARS Coronavirus (SARS-CoV), was imported into Singapore in late February 2003 by a local resident who came back to Singapore from a holiday in Hong Kong. The 2003 SARS outbreak in Singapore began on 1 March 2003 and the...

Changing Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B Virus Markers of Adults in Singapore

In Singapore, epidemiological surveillance and research on hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection were initiated when acute viral hepatitis was made a notifiable disease under the Infectious Diseases Act in 1976. Based on the findings of epidemiological investigations of reported cases and the results of seroepidemiological studies, a national hepatitis...

Evaluation on the Effectiveness of the National Childhood Immunisation Programme in Singapore, 1982-2007

Singapore has a comprehensive National Childhood Immunisation Programme (NCIP) which first covered smallpox (1862), followed by diphtheria (1938), tuberculosis (TB) (1957), poliomyelitis (1958), pertussis and tetanus (1959) and measles and rubella (1976). In October 1985, hepatitis B vaccination was introduced into the programme for babies born to hepatitis B...

Epidemiological Characteristics of Cholera in Singapore, 1992-2007

Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal disease that usually presents as abrupt massive watery diarrhoea and vomiting. The causative organism is Vibrio cholerae which is divided into serogroups based on the somatic O antigen. Only O1 and O139 serogroups are known to cause epidemic and pandemic disease. This article is available...

Influenza B Outbreak among Influenza-vaccinated Welfare Home Residents in Singapore

Influenza has a major impact on the health of residents of long-term residential care facilities (LTCF). Residents of LTCFs are especially vulnerable to influenza infections, due to the closed proximity that they live in. A number of influenza outbreaks involving residents in LTCFs have been reported in the medical...

Beyond Blood Safety

World Blood Donor Day takes place on 14 June each year. Established in 2005 by the World Health Assembly, it aims to raise global awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products for transfusion and of the critical contribution made by voluntary unpaid blood donors to national...

Afterword

My first involvement with pandemic influenza preparedness planning began in January 2004, when I attended an urgent meeting organised by the Ministry of Public Health in Thailand in response to infections caused by the influenza A (H5N1) avian virus. A number of countries together with the World Health Organization...

Use of Healthcare Worker Sickness Absenteeism Surveillance as a Potential Early Warning System for Influenza Epidemics in Acute Care Hospitals

The global spread of emerging infectious diseases can strain resources and result in healthcare staff absenteeism, as was the case during the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in Singapore in 2003. The recent emergence of a novel influenza A (H1N1-2009) pandemic has again reminded us of the potential...

Streptococcus pneumoniae Bacteraemia in a Young Man with Pandemic Influenza A (H1N1) 2009

The contributory role of bacterial infection to severe influenza illness during a pandemic is not entirely clear. The post-mortem samples of those who died between 1918 and 1919, the pre-antibiotic era, exhibited severe changes indicative of bacterial pneumonia; these are less well substantiated in the subsequent 2 pandemics in...

Surveys of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices on the Influenza A (H1N1) Pandemic

Statistical surveys are in general an efficient and flexible means of collecting a wide range of information from large numbers of respondents. These are now the method of choice to study knowledge, attitudes, values and beliefs. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on...

2009 Pandemic Influenza H1N1: Paediatric Perspectives

The pandemic H1N1 influenza virus, containing genes from avian, human and swine influenza viruses, emerged in North America, and caused illness in more than 190 countries and resulted in more than 4500 deaths worldwide. According to Taiwan Centres for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) data, among 2,089 typed influenza isolates...

Severe Infection with H1N1 Requiring Intensive Care – Lessons for Preparedness Programmes

Severe cases of influenza have traditionally generated much interest. The pandemic of 1957 provided instructive materials on the subject, with publications on the pulmonary complications and histopathologic features. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

International Health Regulations: Lessons From the Influenza Pandemic in Singapore

By virtue of the International Health Regulations (IHR) which came into force on 15 June 2007, countries are required to report specific infectious diseases and public health events to the World Health Organization (WHO). The first novel Influenza A (H1N1) patient in the US was confirmed by laboratory testing...

Influenza A (H1N1-2009) Pandemic in Singapore – Public Health Control Measures Implemented and Lessons Learnt

The novel influenza A(H1N1) outbreak was officially declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 June 2009. We describe the public health control measures instituted in Singapore to limit the spread of H1N1-2009 and mitigate its effects on our society. This article is available only as a...

Attitudes of Patients, Visitors and Healthcare Workers at a Tertiary Hospital Towards Influenza A (H1N1) Response Measures

Following the announcement by the World Health Organization (WHO) that outbreaks of a novel influenza virus had occurred in Mexico and several parts of the United States of America,1 the Emergency Preparedness Teams of the Singapore General Hospital and its sister institutions on the Outram Campus were activated. Measures...

Outbreak of Novel Influenza A (H1N1-2009) Linked to a Dance Club

Influenza A (H1N1-2009) is a novel strain of influenza virus. The infection is thought to have first occurred in Mexico in March 2009, and then spread worldwide, resulting in the first influenza pandemic of the 21st century. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF”...

Obstetric Outcomes of Influenza A H1N1 (2009) Infection in Pregnancy – Experience of a Singapore Tertiary Hospital

Influenza A H1N1 (2009) is a new viral strain containing gene segments from human, swine and avian lineages. Soon after reports of human cases of the infection in April 2009, the World Health Organization declared the situation a public health emergency of international concern. This article is available only as...

Tracking the Emergence of Pandemic Influenza A/H1N1/2009 and its Interaction with Seasonal Influenza Viruses in Singapore

The global preparedness that followed the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreaks of 2003 and the re-emergence of a potentially pandemic avian influenza A/ H5N1, was still found to be inadequate to deal with the rapid spread of pandemic influenza A/H1N1/2009 as it emerged from the Americas in March/April...

An Epidemiological Study of 1348 Cases of Pandemic H1N1 Influenza Admitted to Singapore Hospitals from July to September 2009

On 17 April 2009, the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) determined that febrile respiratory illness occurring in 2 children residing in adjacent counties in southern California was caused by a novel influenza A (H1N1) virus. The virus is thought to be a re-assortment of 4 known strains of...

Outbreak of Pandemic Influenza A (H1N1-2009) in Singapore, May to September 2009

The first cases of infection with a novel influenza A (H1N1) strain were reported in 6 cases in California and 2 cases in Texas in the United States in late April 2009. This was linked to outbreaks of influenza in Mexico, which included reports of large numbers of cases...

Pandemic (H1N1) 2009: Clinical and Laboratory Findings of the First Fifty Cases in Singapore

Just over a year ago, the swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus emerged in Veracruz, Mexico, and rapidly alarmed public health and influenza experts by the rapidity of its spread as well as by its novel genomic structure. The latter consisted of a triple re-assortment of swine, avian and human...

The Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Pandemic in Singapore

Just over a year ago, the swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus emerged in Veracruz, Mexico, and rapidly alarmed public health and influenza experts by the rapidity of its spread as well as by its novel genomic structure. The latter consisted of a triple re-assortment of swine, avian and human...

Tuberculosis – An Under-appreciated Disease

Tuberculosis (TB, as usually abbreviated) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in many countries, and a significant public health problem worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are about 8.8 million new cases of TB and 1.6 million deaths from TB every year. This article is...

Knowledge and Practice of Household Mosquito Breeding Control Measures between a Dengue Hotspot and Non-Hotspot in Singapore

Dengue is the most common mosquito-borne viral disease in the world and its severity is reflected by a 30-fold increase over the last 50 years. Today, 2.5 billion people over 100 endemic countries remain susceptible to this disease with an estimated annual incidence of 50 million leading to 22,000...

Challenges Facing the Control of Leprosy in the Indian Context

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae and mainly affects the skin, peripheral nerves, the eyes and the mucosa of the upper respiratory tract. There has been a decline in the global annual new case detection rate (NCDR) for leprosy since 2001. This article is available only...

Plasma IP-10 could identify early lung disease in severe COVID-19 patients

Dear Editor, The global pandemic of SARS-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has imposed tremendous strain on healthcare resources worldwide, as a significant proportion of patients require intensive care. Although the majority have mild infections, up to 20% are estimated to become critically ill from severe disease.1 Age, concurrent comorbidities, more severe...

An Interesting Finding in a Patient with Chronic Diarrhoea

A 25-year-old man presented with intermittent selflimiting episodes of diarrhoea for 5 months. At times, he opened his bowel 8 times a day with small stool volume. His stool consistency ranged from soft to watery. Apart from a weight loss of 3 kg, no other constitutional or extraintestinal symptoms...

Adverse reactions and safety profile of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines among Asian military personnel

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant changes in the way of life for many around the world.1,2 After more than a year, many countries continue to struggle with rising infection rates, and economic and social impact of the pandemic.3-5 COVID-19 vaccines have become available since the end of...

Re: An Alternative Diagnosis: Bartonella Neuroretinitis

I would like to thank the authors for the reply to our case report. The differential diagnosis of Bartonella neuroretinitis in this patient was considered, but it would definitely not be on the top of my list due to the following reasons. This article is available only as a PDF....

An Alternative Diagnosis: Bartonella Neuroretinitis

We refer to the letter ‘Lyme Neuroretinitis in Singapore: A Diagnostic Dilemma’ published in the April 2012 Vol. 41 No. 4 issue of the Annals, Academy of Medicine. We propose a differential diagnosis of Bartonella neuroretinitis for the case reported. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click...

MERS-CoV: Where Are We Now?

Prior to 2002, coronaviruses were known mainly for causing mild human upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) and enteric and respiratory infections in many animals. However, their full pathogenic potential was only realised when an outbreak of severe pneumonia with a high fatality rate occurred in southern China, and they...

Diagnosing Bacteraemia Early in Older Adults

Sepsis is a prevalent and important cause of morbidity and mortality in the general population. Approximately 750,000 patients in the United States alone develop severe sepsis each year. Of this, more than 60% are patients older than 65 years. Morbidity and mortality remain high in spite of advances in...

Anaerobic Bacteraemia Revisited: Species and Susceptibilities

Over the last 2 decades, the importance of anaerobic bacteraemia has undergone various shifts in opinion. Early studies in the 1970s reported that anaerobes accounted for 2% to 20% of bacteraemia. However, by the mid 1980s, multiple centres reported declining rates of anaerobic bacteraemia, and several authors suggested that...

The Greying Pandemic: Implications of Ageing Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Positive Population in Singapore

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains a global public health issue. It is estimated that there are 37.9 million people living with HIV (PLHIV) today. With advances made in efficacy and tolerability of combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) and increased access to health services in developed and developing countries, PLHIV are...

The “Jeff Cut”: A simple innovation to minimise up-riding sleeves of protective gown

Personal protective equipment (PPE) including the N95 mask, face shield, cap, splash-resistant gown and gloves are worn by frontline healthcare workers for various duties in the care of patients with communicable diseases like COVID-19. PPE is also worn by ancillary staff such as security personnel, porters, medical transport crew...

ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in post-COVID-19 patients: A case series

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been associated with thromboembolic phenomenon in the early phase of disease. Growing evidence suggests a hypercoagulable state as well as abnormal platelet activation, impaired fibrinolysis, and endothelial dysfunction in COVID-19 patients, resulting in thrombosis. The lungs are thought to be the epicentre of thrombosis,...

Pelvic mass mimicking advanced tubo-ovarian malignancy with hepatic metastasis

A 49-year-old woman presented with mild pain in her lower abdomen and changes in bowel habits for 2 months. She also experienced 20kg of weight loss over 7 months. She previously had an intrauterine device (IUD) for 5 years, removed 2 years prior to presentation. Vital signs were stable,...

Evaluation of the QIAstat-Dx Respiratory SARS-CoV-2 Panel for early diagnosis of COVID-19

An effective response to the SARS-CoV-2 that has caused the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic1 requires rapid and accurate diagnostic testing. We evaluate the QIAstat-Dx® Respiratory SARS-CoV-2 Panel—a multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay—against an E-gene RT-PCR assay2 that successfully identified cases at the start of the COVID-19...

Antibiotic stewardship algorithm to rationalise antibiotic use among hospitalised COVID-19 patients

As presentation of COVID-19 may mimic that of bacterial pneumonia, antibiotics are often prescribed. Concerns regarding overuse of antibiotics are now being raised particularly as we learn of the low rates of bacterial and fungal co-infection. To limit unnecessary antimicrobial exposure, we posit an algorithm for antibiotic guidance. This article...

Attendance for ischaemic stroke before and during COVID-19 lockdown in Singapore

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has impacted healthcare systems worldwide. Globally, visits to the emergency department have fallen as much as 25% during COVID-19-related lockdowns. Notably, there have been reports that patients with acute emergencies such as strokes and heart attacks are either not seeking treatment, or are...

Radiological changes on chest CT following COVID-19 infection

COVID-19 infection is associated with high rates of hospitalisation and mortality, placing healthcare systems under strain. There are many reports regarding the non-contrast-enhanced high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) features of the lungs during the onset of COVID-19; however, few studies have described the radiological changes and outcome of residual lesions...

Severe COVID-19 and coagulopathy: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Manifestations of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) span a wide clinical spectrum, from asymptomatic carriers to critical illness with a wide range of complications. Our understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease process is still evolving. As part of the host response to viraemia, it has been postulated that...

Estimating the impact of COVID-19-induced coagulopathy

The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has exerted significant strain on healthcare worldwide. Mostly asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 is described as a thrombo-inflammatory syndrome,1 with severe respiratory illness occurring in about 13% of affected patients. This can rapidly transform into a life-threatening condition in...

Impact of COVID-19 on mental health and occupational burnout in a surgical unit in Singapore

In this study, we assessed the impact of COVID-19 on the psychological well-being and burnout among staff who manage critically ill general surgery and trauma patients as part of the Acute Care Surgery (ACS) service at the Singapore General Hospital, Singapore. The ACS team may be exposed to COVID-19...

Optimum early orthopaedic surgery in COVID-19 patients

Multiple guidelines have been established regarding the management of COVID-19 patients. However, there remains a paucity regarding specific guidelines on the optimal timing for surgeries in COVID-19 patients requiring early orthopaedic surgery. This paper aims to provide evidence-based recommendations regarding the timing to proceed with early orthopaedic surgeries in...

Vulnerability to rumours during the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore

The global outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has come with increased psychological burden. In several meta-analyses, depression and anxiety symptoms have been found to be elevated among healthcare workers and the general population. Others have reported a higher incidence of stress-related symptoms or post-traumatic stress disorder. These findings...

Behavioural changes during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results of a nationwide survey in Singapore

In response to the global outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Singapore undertook a multipronged approach to contain the pandemic. Of note, when community transmission began early in the outbreak, the government started emphasising the role that individuals had to play by adopting health-preventive behaviours. This article is available only...

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on global mental health: From the general public to healthcare workers

The COVID-19 pandemic began in late 2019 and was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March 2020. To decrease the spread of the virus and demand on the healthcare system, governments globally executed multiple public health measures including lockdown, social distancing, significant closure of...

The Novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) Pandemic

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic began in early December in Wuhan, the 7th most populous city in Mainland China, and was reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) on 31 December 2019. An outbreak of unknown aetiology was suspected because many early cases were linked...

Precautions When Providing Dental Care During Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and was first reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) as pneumonia of unknown aetiology in the Chinese city of Wuhan on 31 December 2019. Since then, COVID-19 has spread across the globe and...

Autism Spectrum Disorder and COVID-19: Helping Caregivers Navigate the Pandemic

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disrupted societies globally. As of 11 May 2020, 53 children have been infected with COVID-19 in Singapore (Ministry of Health, Singapore, unpublished data). Children generally have mild disease, although there is emerging literature on paediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome temporally associated with COVID-19....

Cross-reaction of Sera from COVID-19 Patients with SARS-CoV Assays

SARS-CoV-2 is a new zoonotic coronavirus (CoV) that emerged in Wuhan, China, which was first reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) on 31 December 2019. This coronavirus disease (COVID-19) causes mild to moderate respiratory illness in the majority of patients, but can cause serious complications in the elderly...

COVID-19 and Singapore: From Early Response to Circuit Breaker

The COVID-19 pandemic first broke out in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, where a cluster of pneumonia cases was reported and the novel coronavirus later identified. Since then, the virus has spread rapidly across the world, registering a total of 85000 reported cases across 53 countries/territories by 29 February...

Comparative Analysis of Symptomatic and Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Children

Singapore confirmed its first case of COVID-19 on 23 January 2020 in a Chinese national from Wuhan, and its first paediatric case on February 4, 2020. As of 24 July 2020, Singapore has reported 49,071 cases of COVID-19. Singapore initiated a comprehensive surveillance, testing and contact tracing strategy as...

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): The Singapore Experience. A Review of the First Eight Months

Singapore reported its first imported case of COVID-19 on 23 January 20201 and its first COVID-19 deaths on 21 March 2020.2 The WHO declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic on 11 March 2020;3 as of 27 October 2020, there have been more than 42 million confirmed cases and 1.1...

Pregnancy Outcomes in COVID-19: A Prospective Cohort Study in Singapore

Since the first cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in pregnancy were described, significant concerns have been raised about the potentially increased susceptibility of pregnant women to severe disease, and the unquantified risk of mother-child transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to the fetus and neonate....

Resuming otolaryngology services following a COVID-19 lockdown in Singapore

When the COVID-19 outbreak first occurred, we tweaked our department workflows to cope with the various demands of our practice and the pandemic. When Singapore’s Multi-ministry Taskforce on COVID-19 deemed that it was safe to begin reopening the economy in 3 phases,3,4 our department adopted a gradual resumption of...

COVID-19: Lessons from Thailand

The COVID-19 pandemic has massively disrupted the social and economy of many countries. Thailand has been successful in controlling the spread of the disease and treating COVID-19 patients. We discuss Thailand’s strategy in containing the disease, management of severe COVID-19 patients, as well as future perspectives of COVID-19. This article...

Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae carriage in polyclinic attendees and national servicemen presenting with diarrhoea

Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess is an invasive syndrome that mainly affects people living in East Asia. It especially affects adults with diabetes and is caused by hypervirulent strains that possess the rmpA gene (regulator of mucoid phenotype A), iron sequestering genes, and usually belong to capsule types K1 and...

Videoconsultation to overcome barriers during COVID-19

Since February 2020, Government Restructured Hospitals in Singapore began deferring non-urgent outpatient appointments. This aimed to facilitate physical distancing and reallocate healthcare resources to combat the pandemic. As the pandemic becomes increasingly prolonged, this strategy is unsustainable. There is increasing interest in using videoconsultations to ensure that patients receive...

Positive RT-PCR detected in patients recovered from COVID-19

Positive real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid following 2 consecutive negative RT-PCR tests have been reported in China and Korea. This has led to speculation regarding “persistent carrier states”, “re-infections” or “re-activations” and raises questions about using negative RT-PCR as part of de-isolation criteria. We...

Cerebral venous thrombosis in a patient with mild COVID-19 infection

Emerging reports suggest venous and arterial thromboembolic diseases can complicate recovery from COVID-19. Postulated mechanisms include hypercoagulability, hypoxia, immobilisation, excessive inflammation and diffuse intravascular coagulation, especially in patients with severe COVID-19 infection. Nauka et al. provided vital insight that thrombotic complications can happen in a patient with non-critically ill...

Decrease in emergency department attendances during COVID-19 especially in school-going children

Health-seeking behaviour varies during a pandemic. Early reports have suggested reduced attendances at emergency departments (EDs), especially in paediatric patients and in patients with minor ailments, but these observations have yet to be evaluated in Singapore. We investigated ED attendances during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Singapore. This...

Paediatric emergency department attendances during COVID-19 and SARS in Singapore

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March 2020, with over 110 million cumulative cases worldwide to date and a case fatality rate of approximately 1%. In comparison, the 2003 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) had 8,422 cumulative...

Impact of cardiovascular diseases on severity of COVID-19 patients: A systematic review

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread rapidly from China to other countries around the world, with the World Health Organization characterising it as a global pandemic on 12 March 2020. The number of fatalities owing to COVID-19 is escalating rapidly. COVID-19 is caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome...

Obesity in COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an ongoing global pandemic infection by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It is established that increasing age and comorbidities such as cardiovascular diseases are associated with risk of infection, more severe disease and adverse outcomes. Obesity is an epidemic globally, causing...

Mental Health Strategies to Combat the Psychological Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Beyond Paranoia and Panic

On 30 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) an international public health emergency after the number of cases soared across 34 regions in Mainland China and surpassed that of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003. The virus was believed...

Rapid Progression to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: Review of Current Understanding of Critical Illness from Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Infection

In this report, we describe a patient who developed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) with rapid clinical deterioration. Unfortunately, not much is known about the clinical features and risk factors for ARDS and critical illness even as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to climb at an alarming rate...

Epidemiology and Control of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease in Singapore, 2001-2007

Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is a common childhood viral infection, which is typically mild and self-limiting. It is characterised by a brief prodromal fever, followed by pharyngitis, mouth ulcers and rash on the hands and feet. The disease is caused by numerous members of the Enterovirus genus...