• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.71-76
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• 2017

This is the first study to report Chrysomya pinguis (Walker) and Lucilia porphyrina (Walker) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) as forensically important blow fly species from human cadavers in Thailand, in addition to Chrysomya villeneuvi (Patton) already known in Thailand. In 2016, a fully decomposed body of an unknown adult male was discovered in a high mountainous forest during winter in Chiang Mai province. The remains were infested heavily with thousands of blow fly larvae feeding simultaneously on them. Morphological identification of adults reared from the larvae, and molecular analysis based on sequencing of 1,247 bp partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene (CO1) of the larvae and puparia, confirmed the above mentioned 3 species. The approving forensic fly evidence by molecular approach was described for the first time in Thailand. Moreover, neighbor-joining phylogenetic analysis of the CO1 was performed to compare the relatedness of the species, thereby affirming the accuracy of identification. As species of entomofauna varies among cases in different geographic and climatic circumstances, C. pinguis and L. porphyrina were added to the list of Thai forensic entomology caseworks, including colonizers of human remains in open, high mountainous areas during winter. Further research should focus on these 3 species, for which no developmental data are currently available.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.22
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• pp.9979-9983
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• 2014

Background: The population of Songkhla, a province in Southern Thailand, can be divided into a predominantly Muslim subpopulation (PMSP, approximately 70% Muslim) and a predominantly Buddhist subpopulation (PBSP, around 14% Muslim). Objectives: This study was conducted to 1) describe the incidence of various cancers in both PMSP and PBSP, and 2) compare the incidence of various cancers between the two subpopulations. Materials and Methods: Cancer cases diagnosed between 1990 and 2010 were drawn from the database of Songkhla Cancer Registry. Population denominators were estimated from the 3 population censuses surveyed by the National Statistical Office of Thailand in 1990, 2000, and 2010. Results: The age-standardized incidence rates (ASR) of the 5 commonest male cancers among both subpopulations were calculated. In females, a lower incidence of cancers of the cervix and breast in PMSP compared to PBSP, with odds ratios of 0.54 (95% CI: 0.45-0.64) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.43-0.60) respectively, was observed. In males, the incidence of cancers of the lung, liver, colon-rectum, and some other cancers were significantly different between the two populations in the past, but only prostate cancer showed a lower incidence among males in PMSP in recent years. Independent of sex and year of diagnosis, the incidence of lung, liver, NHL, and colorectal cancers was lower in MPSP compared to BPSP, with odds ratios of 0.75 (95% CI: 0.65-0.85), 0.74 (95% CI: 0.62-0.88), 0.74 (95% CI: 0.60-0.91), and 0.67 (95% CI: 0.56-0.78) respectively. Conclusions: The differences in incidence of some cancers and religionrelated culture between the two subpopulations need 2 sets of cancer-control plans and goals to fit the unique population context in deep Southern Thailand. This plan can be used in the 3 southernmost provinces of Thailand where the percentage of Muslims is over 85%.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.16
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• pp.6609-6612
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• 2014

Opisthorchis viverrini is an ongoing public health problem in Northeast Thailand. Despite continuous efforts for decades by healthcare organizations to overcome this problem, infection rates remain high. To enable related personnel to identify and address the various issues effectively, a cross-sectional study was performed to investigate prevalence and risk factors for opisthorchiasis. The target group was 3,916 Thai residents of Northeast Thailand who were 15 or over. Participants were recruited using the 30 clusters sampling technique. The data were gathered through questionnaires, focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and stool examinations for parasite eggs (using the Modified Kato Katz method). The data were analyzed using descriptive and inference statistics; in order to ascertain the risk factors and test them using the odds ratio and multiple logistic regressions. The prevalence of opisthorchiasis was 22.7% (95%CI: 0.26 to 0.24). The province with the highest prevalence was Nakhorn Phanom (40.9%; female to male ratio =1:1.2). The age group with the highest prevalence was 40-49 year olds. All age groups had a prevalence >20%. Four of seven provinces had a prevalence >20%. The factors related to opisthorchiasis were (a) sex, (b) age (especially > 50), (c) proximity and duration living near a water body, and (d) eating raw and/or fermented fish. In order to reduce the prevalence of opisthorchiasis, the focus in populations living in upper Northeast Thailand should be changing their eating behaviors as appropriate to their tradition and context.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1497-1500
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• 2014

Cervical cancer continues to be an important public health problem in Thailand. While the high risk human papillomavirus (HPV) types have been established as the principle causative agent of both malignancies and the precursor lesions, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), other factors may also be involved like other sexually transmitted diseases, as well as smoking. Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular Gramnegative bacterium which has a tendency to cause chronic infection featuring inflammation and therefore might be expected to increase the risk of cervical cancer. In the present nested case-control study, 61 cases of cervical cancer and 288 matched controls with original serum samples were identified from the Khon Kaen Cohort, established in the North-East of Thailand, by linkage to the Khon Kaen population based cancer registry. C. trachomatis specific IgG antibodies at recruitment were measured by microimmunofluorescence and assessed for association with cervical cancer using STATA release10. No significant link was noted either with all cancers or after removal of adenocarcinomas. The results suggest no association between Chlamydia infection and cervical cancer development in North-East Thailand, but possible influencing factors must be considered in any future research on this topic.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.777-786
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• 2016

Raillietina species are prevalent in domestic chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) in Phayao province, northern Thailand. Their infection may cause disease and death, which affects the public health and economic situation in chicken farms. The identification of Raillietina has been based on morphology and molecular analysis. In this study, morphological observations using light (LM) and scanning electron microscopies (SEM) coupled with molecular analysis of the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region and the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase subunit 1 (ND1) gene were employed for precise identification and phylogenetic relationship studies of Raillietina spp. Four Raillietina species, including R. echinobothrida, R. tetragona, R. cesticillus, and Raillietina sp., were recovered in domestic chickens from 4 districts in Phayao province, Thailand. LM and SEM observations revealed differences in the morphology of the scolex, position of the genital pore, number of eggs per egg capsule, and rostellar opening surface structures in all 4 species. Phylogenetic relationships were found among the phylogenetic trees obtained by the maximum likelihood and distance-based neighbor-joining methods. ITS2 and ND1 sequence data recorded from Raillietina sp. appeared to be monophyletic. The query sequences of R. echinobothrida, R. tetragona, R. cesticillus, and Raillietina sp. were separated according to the different morphological characters. This study confirmed that morphological studies combined with molecular analyses can differentiate related species within the genus Raillietina in Thailand.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.17
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• pp.7803-7807
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• 2015

Opisthorchis viverrini infection is a serious public health problem in Southeast Asia especially in the northeast and north of Thailand. Therefore, a cross-sectional survey using multistage sampling was conducted from the rural communities of Surin province, Thailand, during September 2013 to July 2014. O. viverrini infection was determined using Kato's thick smear technique. Socio-demographic, information resources, and history data were collected using predesigned semi-structured questionnaires. A total of 510 participants completed interviews and had stools collected. Some 32 (6.47%) participants were infected with O. viverrini. The rate was slightly higehr in males (6.61%) than females (6.32%). High frequencies were found in the age groups 61-70 (19.4%) and 71-80 years (19.4%), those involved in agriculture (10.5%), and in primary school (10.3%). The distribution of high infection was found in Tha Tum (16.7%) and Sankha district (16.7%), followed by Samrong Thap (13.3%), Si Narong (13.33%), and Buachet district (13.33%). Chi-square testing indicated that age (61-70 and 71-80 year old), education (primary school) and occupation (agriculture), were significantly associated with O. viverrini infection (p-value<0.05). Of 72.6% participants who had past histories with stool examination, 17.0% of them had been infected with O. viverrini and 43.2% treated with praziquantel. This finding confirmed that O. viverrini is still a problem in Surin province, Thailand, and therefore, interventions are urgently required for mass treatment and health education implementation.

• Asian Journal for Public Opinion Research
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.145-155
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• 2016

Background: Asia is on track to become the region with the most elderly people in the world. The elderly population will reach 922.7 million by the middle of this century. Therefore, they will be cared for by the today's youth. Negative attitudes toward older people can make adolescents more uncomfortable relating to them. Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate validity and reliability of Kogan's attitude toward old people among nursing students in Thailand, Myanmar, and Indonesia. Methods: Content validation of the 34-item Kogan's attitude toward old people was examined by three geriatric nursing experts. The reliability was evaluated on 600 nursing students, from nursing colleges in Thailand (200), Myanmar (200), and Indonesia (200). Findings: The attitude scores towards the elderly ranged from 34 to 238. All of the 34 items were found to have significant item-to-total correlations (p< .05). The reliability results were as follows: In Thailand, Cronbach's alpha was .70 for the total scale, .72 for the positive scale, and .68 for the negative scale. In Myanmar, Cronbach's alpha was .68 for the total scale, .65 for the positive scale, and .66 for the negative scale. In Indonesia, Cronbach's alpha was .66 for the total scale, .71 for the positive scale, and .72 for the negative scale. Conclusions: These findings suggest that Kogan's attitude toward old people is reliable and valid for nursing students from Thailand, Myanmar, and Indonesia. However, Kogan's attitude toward old people should be revised by these countries, including changing wording on all items for better reliability. The revised version must then be tested for reliability and validity.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.14
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• pp.5903-5906
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• 2015

Background: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a serious public health problem in the Northeast of Thailand. CCA is considered to be an incurable and rapidly lethal disease. Knowledge of the distribution of CCA patients is necessary for management strategies. Objectives: This study aimed to utilize the Geographic Information System and Google $Earth^{TM}$ for distribution mapping of cholangiocarcinoma in Satuek District, Buriram, Thailand, during a 5-year period (2008-2012). Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study data were collected and reviewed from the OPD cards, definitive cases of CCA were patients who were treated in Satuek hospital and were diagnosed with CCA or ICD-10 code C22.1. CCA cases were used to analyze and calculate with ArcGIS 9.2, all of data were imported into Google Earth using the online web page www.earthpoint.us. Data were displayed at village points. Results: A total of 53 cases were diagnosed and identified as CCA. The incidence was 53.57 per 100,000 population (65.5 for males and 30.8 for females) and the majority of CCA cases were in stages IV and IIA. The average age was 67 years old. The highest attack rate was observed in Thung Wang sub-district (161.4 per 100,000 population). The map display at village points for CCA patients based on Google Earth gave a clear visual deistribution. Conclusions: CCA is still a major problem in Satuek district, Buriram province of Thailand. The Google Earth production process is very simple and easy to learn. It is suitable for the use in further development of CCA management strategies.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.3567-3570
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• 2014

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers in men and the third most common cancer in woman in Thailand. This retrospective study was designed to assess the prevalence, clinical manifestations, treatment outcomes and prognosis of HCC in the central region of Thailand. Materials and Methods: The authors retrospectively reviewed all HCC patients aged more than 15 years old in Thammasat university hospital (TUH) during the period from January 2007 to December 2012. Clinical information, biochemical tests and radiologic findings were collected from review of medical records. Results: There were 308 patients with HCC, which accounted for the prevalence of 5.19% of all cancers diagnosed in TUH during the study period. Of these, 125 (40.5%) had complete information retrievable from their medical records and met the inclusion criteria, 99 (79.2%) were males. The mean age was 57.4 years. A quarter of HCC patients in this study presented without any symptom before diagnosis. The common clinical presentations in the remaining patients were hepatomegaly 64/125 (51.2%), abdominal pain 56/125 (44.8%) and ascites 16/125 (20.8%). Cirrhosis was seen in almost all patients (92.8%). The most common causes of HCC in this study were chronic hepatitis B (49.6%) and C (19.2%). Based on Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer staging, 75.4% presented at intermediate or late stage. Patients receiving curative therapy with either surgical treatment or radiofrequency ablation had significantly longer survival time after the HCC diagnosis than the palliative therapy group (11.0 months vs 4.0 months, p value= 0.004). The mean survival time after the HCC diagnosis was 10.5 months. Conclusions: The common causes of HCC in central region of Thailand were chronic hepatitis B and C. Surgical therapy or RFA seemed to provide better outcomes than other treatments but only in patients with early stage lesions. Most of the patients in this study presented with advanced diseases and had grave prognosis. Appropriate screening patients at risk for HCC might be an appropriate way to achieve early diagnosis and improve the treatment outcome.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.2973-2977
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• 2016

Opisthorchis viverrini is still a serious problem in Northeastern and Northern Thailand. Active surveillance is required to determine updated data for further prevention and control planning. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the prevalence and risk factors for O. viverrini in three provinces, Northeastern Thailand. A cross-sectional survey was conducted during October 2015 to March 2016 at Kaeng Sanam Nang district of Nakhon Ratchasima province, Waeng Noi district of Khon Kaen province, and Khon Sawan district of Chaiyaphum province, Thailand. Stool samples were examined by using a modified Kato-Katz Thick smear technique. From a total of 978 participants screened, O. viverrini infection was found in 1.74%, the majority opf positive cases being male (6.62%), age group 51-60 years old (4.21%), educated at primary school (8.43%), occupied with agriculture (9.62%),having an income <4,000 baht per month (4.82%), and living in Khon Sawan district (8.43%). Participants had a high knowledge level (42.43%), good attitude level (34.76%), and fair level (38.04%). The present study indicates the O. viverrini infection rate is low, but elderly males with primary school education involved in agriculture are still frequently effected particularly in Khon Sawan district. Therefore, this risk group requires behavior modification and continued monitoring.