Background: Many African countries have seen a decline in communicable diseases and infant mortality with a concomitant emergence of Western-type, resource-draining, chronic diseases in a growing mid-aged population. This poses a threat to countries with very limited resources and points to the urgent need for data to predict the impact of this emerging trend on health and economy.Methods: A cohort of 76,356 unselected immigrants to Israel, from the Gondar area in Ethiopia, was studied for patterns of non-communicable diseases emergence following their move to a Western environment. Age-specific prevalence rates of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and important risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, BMI and smoking) were calculated by time since immigration and compared to those of 767,082 same period immigrants from the Former Soviet Union (FSU) and to the Israeli Jewish population, using the Clalit Chronic Disease Registry.Results: Prevalence rates of diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, obesity and smoking all increased significantly in every age-group among the Ethiopian immigrants. The increase started within 5 years of immigration and sometimes exceeded the rate in the local Israeli population, most notably with diabetes. Disease rates among the FSU immigrants were lower in magnitude and different in trend. Rates of malignancies changed differentially by type and etiology of disease.Conclusion: Major temporal increases of chronic diseases morbidity were documented in immigrants from semi-rural Ethiopia to a Western environment. African countries undergoing gradual Westernization need to take immediate preventive measures to tackle the emerging problem. These can involve health education measures or the use of risk reducing drugs as possible approaches.
Mother-Child and Birth cohort studies offer an excellent opportunity to evaluate the effects of ’early life’ exposures providing an insight in the etiology of chronic diseases. To our knowledge, this is the first study that aims to provide a comprehensive review of these studies in the Middle East Area (MEA). Authors searched to relevant registries, the Pubmed interface, internet search tools and had personal contact with study PIs. The search revealed 117 mother-child and birth cohort studies from 9 MEA region countries (Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Qatar). Variability in the identified studies refers to the study design, objectives and the years of recruitment. Biological samples and data on environmental exposures were absent with the exception of limited studies (n = 44). This review revealed a sufficient number of available cohorts, however few have followed up children beyond the age of 2 years. Improved study designs focused on molecular and environmental data acquisition are required in a region that shares a set of unique characteristics in terms of landscape, climate, culture, and lifestyle. This review provides valuable information for planning future studies and set the grounds for collaborations within the MEA region and internationally.
Background Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of foodborne pathogens is of public health concern, especially in developing countries such as Zambia. This study was undertaken to determine the antimicrobial resistance profiles of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Salmonella isolated from raw retail broiler chicken carcasses purchased from open and supermarkets in Zambia.Results A total of 189 E. coli and five Salmonella isolates were isolated. Identification and confirmation of the isolates were done using Analytical Profile Index (API 20E) (Biomerieux®) and 16S rRNA sequencing. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests (AST) were performed using the Kirby Bauer disk diffusion technique using a panel of 10 antibiotics. Multiplex PCR was used to determine the presence of three target genes encoding for resistance: tetA, Sul1 and blaCTX-M. WHONET 2018 software was used to analyse AST results. The E. coli isolates were mostly resistant to tetracycline (79.4%), ampicillin (51.9%), and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (49.7%). Two of the five Salmonella isolates were resistant to at least one antibiotic. Forty- seven (45.2%) of the 104 isolates that were screened for the presence of the resistant genes possessed at least one of the targeted resistance genes.Conclusion This study has demonstrated the presence of AMR E. coli and Salmonella on raw retail broiler chicken carcasses from open and supermarkets, which is of public health concern.
Objective: To assess the prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and linked cardiovascular risk factors in civilian aircrew.Methods: Cardiovascular risk factors were assessed among flight and cabin crew undergoing routine clinical and biological evaluation for initial or renewal of aeromedical license. The evaluation also included a standard 12-lead ECG and echocardiography. Echo-based LVH was LVM ≥ 49 g/m2.7 (men) or ≥ 45 g/m2.7 (women). LVH was categorized as mild (men: 49-55 g/m2.7; women: 45-51 g/m2.7), moderate (men: 56-63 g/m2.7; women: 52-58 g/m2.7), or severe (men: ≥ 64 g/m2.7; women: ≥ 59g/m2.7) according to Lang’s report.Results: Among the 379 aircrew members (70.4% men; 23% Caucasians; 62.5% flight crew; mean age 40.6 ± 12.8 years), LVH was present in 36 individuals (9.5%) with mild, moderate and severe pattern observed respectively in 19.4%, 33.3% and 47.2% of the cases. The rate of LVH amounted to 16.7% in normotensive subjects, 25.0% in those with prehypertension, and 58.3% among hypertensive individuals. In addition to age of 40-59y (OR: 8.48; 95% CI: [2.23-12.23]; p = .002) or more (4.22 [1.57-11.35]; p = .004), hypertension (3.55 [1.50 - 8.41]; p = .004), overweight/obesity (5.33 [1.14 - 25.05]; p = .034) and hyperuricemia (5.05 [2.11 - 12.09]; p = .001), all well-known constituents of the metabolic syndrome, were the main factors significantly associated with LVH.Conclusion: The frequency and link of LVH to the components of the metabolic syndrome highlights the need for a comprehensive approach to the management of cardiovascular risk factors in civilian aircrew.
Introduction: Church-based interventions improve weight-related outcomes among underserved populations. African Americans, particularly young to middle age adults, are seldom represented in the literature and are key health intervention targets to prevent obesity-related chronic disease. Thus, the objective of this study was to describe the lessons learned from comparing the intervention outcomes of a two-phase, weight management intervention targeting younger to middle aged adult African Americans in Mississippi. Methods: A weight management intervention was tested and data were collected over two phases using the Bridge2U platform. Descriptive methods examined retention and attendance rates, and anthropometric and demographic data; Wilcoxon signed-rank and Fisher’s exact tests examined group differences in pre and post outcomes. Results: Attendance rates were 39.9 and 55.4% for phases 1 and 2, respectively. Differences were noted between those who dropped out of the phase 1 intervention and those who remained. Weight loss was significant at 5.6 and 4.8% of baseline body weight for phases 1 and 2, respectively. Significant changes were also noted among other variables. Conclusions: Disease diagnosis, more intensive intervention format and technology-assisted delivery may be key factors for improved participation and engagement of young to middle aged African Americans in weight management interventions. This study provides future implications for weight management intervention and chronic disease prevention among young to middle aged adult African Americans in the Deep South.
Objective: In the contemporary aging society, subjective well-being is an important determinant of quality of life for older adults living alone. Although the association between improved health and subjective well-being in this population is well documented, the types of activities associated with subjective well-being are unclear.Methods: This study assessed the relationship between subjective well-being and activity types among older adults living alone based on a secondary analysis of the 2014 Survey of Attitudes Towards Older People Living Alone data. We conducted a Poisson regression analysis to determine the association between activity and subjective well-being.Results: After adjustment for age, sex, subjective physical health, subjective mental health, and income, higher levels of subjective well-being were significantly associated with spending time with family, meeting friends, playing with pets, eating, hiking, traveling, and watching sports.Conclusion: Going out and interactive activities, as well as individual activities outside the home, are associated with higher levels of subjective well-being. Promoting these activities has the potential to increase the subjective well-being of older adults.
Salmonella species and Escherichia coli are major bacterial enteropathogens of global public health importance that cause foodborne diseases, thereby contributing to increased human morbidity and mortality. Both pathogens have also been found to contribute towards the spread of antimicrobial resistance through the food chain, especially in poultry. The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of antibiotic-resistant Salmonella sp . and E. coli in broiler chickens at farm level, abattoirs and open markets in selected districts of Zambia. A cross-sectional study was undertaken in seven districts of Zambia to determine the resistance profiles of Salmonella sp . and E. coli obtained from broiler chickens at farms, abattoirs and open markets. A total of 470 samples were collected, including litter, cloacal swabs and carcass swabs. Samples were inoculated into buffered peptone water, sub-cultured onto MacConkey and Xylose Lysine Deoxycholate agar plates. Identification of Salmonella sp. and E. coli was done using the API-20E kit and confirmation by 16S rDNA sequencing. Confirmed isolates were tested against a panel of 10 antibiotics using the Kirby-Bauer disc-diffusion method and interpreted according to the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. Analysis of the antibiotic susceptibility test results was done using WHONET 2018 software. Overall, 4 Salmonella spp . and 280 E. coli were isolated. One of the Salmonella sp . was resistant to ampicillin (25%), amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (25%) and cefotaxime (25%). E. coli antibiotic resistance was highest to tetracycline (81.4%) and lowest to imipenem (0.7%). The antibiotic susceptibility profile revealed 55% (154/280) multidrug resistant E. coli , with the highest multidrug resistance profile (20.7%) in the ampicillin-tetracycline-trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole drug combination. Furthermore, 4.3% (12/280) of the isolates showed Extensive Drug resistance. The levels of antimicrobial resistance to E. coli and Salmonella observed in market-ready chickens is of public health concern.
Background Brucellosis is an infectious zoonotic disease that affects humans, livestock and wildlife. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in Mbeya region between November 2015 and January 2016 to investigate the seroprevalence of human brucellosis and identify associated risk factors among individuals in risky occupations in Mbeya Region. A total of 425 humans from six occupational categories were serially tested for Brucella antibodies using the Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT) and competitive Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (c-ELISA), for screening and confirmation, respectively. A questionnaire survey was administered to participants collect epidemiological data. Results The overall seroprevalence among the high risk occupational individuals was 1.41% (95% CI: 0.01-0.03). Seroprevalence among the different occupations were as follows: shepherds 1.33% (95% CI: 0.14-0.22); butcher men 5.26% (95% CI: 0.10-0.17) and abattoir workers 1.08% (95% CI: 0.39-0.49). Seroprevalence was noted to vary according to occupation type, milk consumption behaviour, age and sex. Butcher men recorded the highest seroprevalence (5.0%) while individuals who consumed unboiled milk had a higher seroprevalence (1.56%) compared to those who drunk boiled milk. High seropositivity (2.25%) was observed among the age group of 1-10 years while male individuals had a higher seroprevalence (1.41%) than females (0%). Butcher men were at higher risk of exposure compared to other professions. Conclusion Our findings show the presence of brucellosis in occupationally exposed individuals in Mbeya region. There is need to sensitize the exposed individuals in order to reduce the risk of acquiring Brucella infections from animals and animal products This also calls for public health awareness about the disease, and implementation of control measures that will prevent further spread of brucellosis within and outside the study area.. Author summary Brucellosis is a bacterial zoonosis that has evolved to establish itself as an occupational and food-borne disease Worldwide. It is responsible for huge economic losses incurred by livestock keepers and poses a public health risk to humans in most developing countries. In Tanzania, which has the 3 rd highest cattle population in Africa, many studies that have been done show that brucellosis exists in livestock, especially in cattle and wildlife. However, very few studies have reported on human brucellosis. The disease has been reported to occur in humans who have direct exposure to cattle or cattle products like livestock farmers, abattoir workers, veterinarians, shepherds and farm workers in many developing countries. A few studies in Tanzania have reported seroprevalences among these high-risk occupations; however, the disease has not been fully described in Mbeya region. This study was therefore aimed at filling these information gaps and contributing to the existing body of knowledge.
Objectives: To investigate the epidemiological characteristics and morbidity of the snake-bite injury in Zunyi city, China, so as to provide the first aid guidance and public education for the prevention and treatment strategies of snake-bite injuries.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted, and 548 cases of snake-bite were observed in this study between January1, 2015 to December 31, 2017. They were identified form the Emergency Department of the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University. A retrospective epidemiological survey was conducted to collect their information on sex, age, occupation, bite location, bite year and season, specific bite cause.Results: The number of the patients of snake-bite was increased; however, the fatality rate gradually was decreased year by year during the investigating period. Seven patients died during year 2015-2017 and the 3-year total mortality was 2.9%. Among the dead, 59.31% were male and 40.69% were female. 19.70% of patients were between 41 and 50 years old, 17.70% were between 51 and 60 years and 16.79% of patients were between 61 and 70 years old. Moreover, 66.97% of patients were on the lower extremity and 31.93% of patients on the upper extremity. 83.39% of patients were bitten while farming and 12.04% of patients were bitten while walking. Most cases occurred during summer and autumn (7-9 months) seasons. The regional distributions of 548 snake-bites were 44.34% in the County and 33.94% in districts of Zunyi city.Conclusion: Target preventive measures should be conducted in high risk populations in Zunyi city, especially in spring and summer.
This review of over 80 articles published in the last 30 years shows that estimates of the prevalence of chronic constipation in community-dwelling adults varied widely from 2.4% to 39.6% in general adult populations and from 4% to 25.8% in older adult populations. Estimates of the prevalence of any constipation (including both chronic and sporadic constipation) also varied widely from 2.6% to 31.0% in general adult populations and from 4.4% to 44.5% in older adult populations. Apart from any country or regional differences, this wide range of estimated prevalence may be attributed to different definitions used for both chronic and any constipation as well as different data collection methods and sampling differences. Sampling issues include sample size, representativeness and age range of populations sampled. Further research is required to examine the impact of different definitions on prevalence estimates to help determine the best definitions for use in future epidemiological studies. If standard definitions can be universally agreed and used, along with appropriate sampling and data collection methods, more precise estimates of constipation prevalence should be attained. This would allow more meaningful comparisons between countries and may also provide the ability to pool results.
Objective: To clarify the awareness and source of AIDS knowledge among college students of medical university of Guizhou province, China, so as to provide some basic evidences for implementing education of AIDS control and prevention .Methods: A stratified cluster sampling survey was conducted. Self-designed questionnaires were used to investigate university students, Epidata 3.0 and SPSS 8.0 were used to analyze data.Results: The awareness rate of AIDS through blood transmission and mother-to-child transmission was over 90%, the awareness rate of sexual transmission was just about 80%, and the awareness rate of non- transmission route “mosquito bites will not spread AIDS” was only 53.3%. The awareness rate of AIDS transmission and treatment among medical students was higher than that of non-medical students. The Internet, propaganda materials, newspapers and magazines, and school classes were the main ways for university students to acquire AIDS knowledge. Some students hope to acquire knowledge from classmates and friends, it was found that the proportion of medical students receiving AIDS knowledge from school classes was significantly higher than that of non-medical students (80.8% vs 73.1%, p = .007).Conclusion: Though the awareness rate of AIDS knowledge among medical students is better than that of non-medical students, they had incomplete knowledge of AIDS, especially the sexual transmission. Moreover, school classes may be an effective way to propagandize AIDS-related knowledge, so schools can consider publicizing the AIDS education through classes, so as to improve students’ abilities of AIDS control and prevention.
Objectives: In today’s aging societies, subjective well-being is an important determinant of quality of life among older persons. The association between better health and better subjective well-being is well known. However, the kinds of social activities associated with subjective well-being are largely unknown. This study aimed to assess such relationships, taking into account the type of social activities involved among community living older persons aged 65 and over.Method: We used self-administered questionnaire data (N = 2,652) from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Project (JAGES) 2016. We conducted a poisson regression analyses stratified by age group to elucidate the association between social activities and better subjective well-being.Results: After adjusting for sex, family composition, household income, number of illnesses and depression, we found that activities to teach skills or passing on experiences to others were significantly related to higher subjective well-being both among the young-old (65-74) and the old-old (75 and over) population.Conclusion: Altruistic activities such as teaching skills or conveying knowledge to others appear to be related to higher subjective well-being. Promoting social activities has the potential to enhance subjective well-being among the elderly population.
The viruses of the Paramyxoviridae family are known to infect a wide range of animals, including primates, birds, rodents,carnivores, bats, ungulates, snakes, cetaceans and humans. This study aims to investigate the circulation of paramyxoviruses in five potential host species groups (humans, non-human primates, rodents, shrews, and bats) living in the same environments in three conservation programs dedicated to non-human primates, namely the Lékédi park, the primatology center of the International Center for Medical Research of Franceville and the Gorilla Protection Program, located in Gabon. We tested 35 workers, 343 NHPs (8 species), 141 bats (4 species), 420 rodents (5 species) and 10 shrews, sampled between 2013 and 2014. Faecal and organ samples were analyzed using three heminested reverse transcription-PCR (hnRT-PCR). All the 1884 samples tested were negative for PV detection. Further studies spanning a greater period of time are needed to investigate PV circulation patterns in theseconservation programs.
Background: We evaluated women with a prior cesarean delivery (CD) who were eligible for elective repeat CD or trial of labor to test whether the risk of severe maternal morbidity (SMM) was: 1) directly associated with important pre-existing and gestational conditions or 2) indirectly associated (significantly increased or decreased) with the decision to undergo elective repeat CD.Methods: Women with a prior CD who had inborn, liveborn, term, singleton, vertex deliveries were identified in California 2010-2011 hospital discharge datasets. Using discharge codes, this population was stratified into two groups: attempted labor and elective repeat CD. A mediation model (stratified by younger vs. older women [>35 years]) was built for each of the following maternal conditions (exposure): chronic/gestational diabetes mellitus (DM), chronic/gestational hypertension, heart disease, obesity, and mental health diagnoses. Elective repeat CD was the mediator and SMM was the outcome.Results: Of 141,535 eligible deliveries, 72.7% had an elective repeat CD; 2.3% had SMM, which occurred in 2.2% of younger vs. 2.6% of older women. For younger and older women respectively, the modeled total effect odds ratios (95% CI) for heart disease were: 10.7 (8.5, 13.5) and 8.8 (6.4, 12.2); for hypertension: 1.7 (1.4, 1.9) and 2.0 (1.6, 2.4); and for mental health diagnoses: 1.9 (1.6, 2.3) and 1.7 (1.3, 2.3). Neither DM nor obesity demonstrated a direct effect. Odds ratios for indirect effects were negligible for all models.Conclusion: Among women with a prior CD, in the presence of important health conditions, the increased risk of SMM mediated by an elective repeat CD was negligible.
Objectives: Increased C. difficile infection rates were observed during the last decade, as well as the onset of complicated forms of the disease. The primary objective of this study was to report the first outbreak of C. difficile in a Serbian hospital, aiming to determine clinical and environmental factors associated with the outbreak. The secondary objective was to describe outbreak control measures taken.Design: The retrospective cohort study conducted from 18 April to 22 May 2013 in Serbian healthcare. Ninety-five patients hospitalized at the Department for orthopedic surgery during the CDI outbreak.Results: Prophylactic antibiotic therapy was identified among 93.3% patients with and 87.9% without C. difficile infection. The multivariate logistic regression analysis has shown that the independent risk factors for C. difficile infection incidence are the age beyond 70 (OR = 4.5; 95%CI = 1.1-18.2; p = .031) and the length of antibiotic therapy (OR = 1.5; 95%CI = 1.1-2.1; p = .017).Conclusion: The length of antibiotic prophylaxis is linked with the incidence. Orthopedic departments have a risk of C. difficileinfection. Infection control measure, antimicrobial stewardship programs and compliance to guidelines for the prescribing of antibiotics play important role in the prevention of C. difficile infection burden.
Purpose: To assess the association between continuity of care and severity of diabetes-related complications for geriatric diabetic patients.Methods: A retrospective study using 2009-2013 Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database one million beneficiary version were conducted. Utilization data of 3,885 geriatric patients who newly had type 2 diabetes were studied. Five-year Continuity of Care Index (COCI) and the adapted Diabetes Complications Severity Index (aDCSI) of each subject were calculated. A Group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) was used to distinguish patients with similar five-year COCI into different trajectories. A general estimating equation(GEE) was used to assess the association between COCI trajectories and aDCSI. Results: The ratio of male to female in this study was 2:3. At the time of inclusion, the average age was 71.79 (4.65) years old. GBTM subjects can be divided into four different trajectories according to their COCI: low-level continuity of care trajectories, increasing continuity of care trajectories, decreasing continuity of care trajectory, and high-level continuity of care trajectory. After GEE analysis, the high continuity of care trajectories were associated with a significant decrease in aDCSI score.Conclusion:The results of this study suggested better continuity of care was associated with less severity of diabetes-related complications for geriatric patients.
Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the relationship between children's age and the incidence of unintentional injuries, and giving some basic data on the guidance for the prevention of unintentional injuries in children aged 0 to 18 years in China.Methods: The literatures on the incidence of unintentional injury in children included in China from 2008 to 2018 were analyzed by meta-analysis method. The data were retrieved according to the guidance of Cochrane Systematic review. A meta-analysis was carried out on homogeneous studies, and then subgroup analysis was conducted according to age group. Publication bias was also evaluated. Stata software (version 15.0) and SPSS software (version 18.0) were used to analyze the gathered information. Results: A total of 3，303 related pieces of literature were reviewed. Of the 37 that met the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis showed that total sample sizes were 77，023, and the pooled incidence of unintentional injury is 20%, 95%CI (17%-23%), (P< 0.001). Subgroup analysis showed the following results: the incidence are 15%, 23%, 20% and 20% for aged in “0-2”, “3-5”, “6-11”, “12-18” subgroups, respectively. However, the trend of decreased incidence of unintentional injury with older age in children was not significant.Conclusions: The pooled incidence of unintentional injuries in children is high. Based on accessible literature, the incidence between different age subgroup were not statistically significant. We should pay attention to the incidence of unintentional injuries in children of all age subgroups.
Objective: This study sought to examine the reasons for nonattendance of nutrition appointments and explore the determinants that contribute to this phenomenon among medically underserved and uninsured individuals.Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted with five sections questionnaires distributed at a healthcare clinic in a rural area in south Mississippi. Participants (n=346) were surveyed who had attended the clinic for a health appointment. Nutrition appointment attendance, reasons to miss a scheduled nutrition appointment, and effective appointment reminders were evaluated. Descriptive statistics were determined for the variables, Chi square and bivariate correlation tests were used to determine relationships between participants’ demographics, health conditions, and other variables.Results: About 87% of participants indicated that they had not attended a nutrition appointment and 26.8% indicated that they had missed a nutrition appointment. Most participants specified that forgetfulness (39%) and transportation problems (25%) were the most likely reasons to miss a nutrition appointment. Most indicated that a phone call would be the most effective appointment reminder. About half of participants believed the reason behind missing a nutrition appointment is that their physicians did not place importance on attending such appointment. No significant association or differences were found between the variables.Conclusion: Findings can be used to improve access to nutrition counseling among underserved patients, and to develop effective appointment reminders to decrease nonattendance rates. Future research is warranted to analyze the effect that nutrition appointments has on individual’s health.
Introduction: Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel comprise an intricate part of the public safety net in the US. The purpose of this study was to synthesize data sources to understand the major workplace dangers facing EMS providers. Methods: This study examined four data sources: The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), Firefighter Fatalities and Statistics from USFA, and the EMS Voluntary Event Notification Tool (E.V.E.N.T.). Characteristics of the most common causes of injury and fatalities were described and compared. Results: SOII reports covered 13 years and 64,780 nonfatal reported cases. COFI covered 12 years and 149 fatalities. 111 fatalities from the USFA dataset who had been identified as EMS in some manner in their rank between 2003-2016 were inspected. 21 cases where a firefighter died in the course of providing EMS/patient care were also identified and discussed. All events submitted to E.V.E.N.T. were read and categorized. 214 events were identified as near-miss EMS provider injuries and included in the study. Conclusions: The biggest mortal threat to private EMS personnel is vehicular incidents. Among firefighters/EMTs Heart Attacks was the most common nature of death. The biggest nonfatal concerns are violence, slips, trips, and falls, and overexertion in addition to vehicular incidents. Most violent events were the result of a patient with a Temporarily Altered Mental Status. There is clearly a need for further research to develop evidence-based methods and policies to reduce injury and death in EMS personnel from an agency level.
Background/Objective: Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) is a commonly occurring DNA sequence variation within the human population. The prevalence of these sequence variations differs in various populations and may lead to the suboptimal regulation of genes, including those of the apoptosis pathway. The regulation of cellular death is partially controlled by the interaction between tumor necrosis factor receptor family gene, Fas and its ligand, FasL. A base substitution in Fas -670 A>G (rs1800682) has been found to alter the binding affinity of the Fas protein to its activators, potentially altering its apoptotic potential. The lack of proper apoptosis regulation can lead to a wide plethora of human conditions involving uncontrolled cellular growth such as cancer. The purpose of the study was to investigate whether there was any association between the Fas -670 polymorphism and risk of cervical cancer in multi-ethnic Malaysian women. Methods: Using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP-PCR), Chi-square and logistic regression analysis, this study investigated the Fas -670 SNP and its associations with cervical cancer in the multi-ethnic population of Malaysia. Results: No significant associations were found between Fas -670 A>G SNP and risk of cervical cancer using the genotype model, dominant model and allele frequency model analysis, even after stratification into the Malay, Chinese and Indian ethnic subgroups; and cancer types. Conclusions: Our results showed that the A>G SNP of Fas -670 does not affect the risk of cervical carcinogenesis in Malaysian females.
