INTERNATIONAL & PRIVATE FUNDINGS

Knowledge on the epidemiology, genotypic and phenotypic features of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacterial pathogens associated with wound infections in Malaysia is currently limited. In many countries, uncontrolled used of antibiotics is very common and several developing countries around the globe have reported findings of carbapenamase-bearing Gram-negative bacteria, colistin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus and Staphylococcus species. However, systematic surveillance for these organisms in most countries is limited or non-existent, leading to underestimates of the prevalence of AMR in the region. As AMR is emerging and threatening our ability to treat the infections, it is important to prioritize the efforts to fill this existing knowledge gap. 

Researchers: Assoc Prof. Dr Cindy Teh Shuan Ju(1), Prof. Dr Sasheela Sri La Ponnampalavanar(2), Prof. Dr. Azlina Amir Abbas(3), Assoc Prof. Khong Tak Loon(4), Dr. Anjana Kukreja(2), Dr. Siti Zuhairah binti Mohamad Razali(5), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rina Karunakaran(1), Dr. Tang Soo Nee(1), Dr. Mohd Rusdi Bin Draman @ Yusof(5), Dr. Yohan Khirusman Adnan(5), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vairavan Narayanan(5), Dr Kong Zhi Xian(1), Mak Siew Thong(1), Anis Najwa Bt Muhamad(1)  

Affiliation:

1. Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 

2. Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 

3. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia                 

4. Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia     

5. Universiti Malaya Medical Centre, Seksyen 13, 50603 Petaling Jaya, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur

As AMR is emerging and threatening our ability to treat the infections, it is important to prioritize the efforts to fill this existing knowledge gap. The focus of this study is the isolation of pathogenic bacteria from surgical sites infections following both trauma and non-traumatic injuries. It is anticipated that the integration of laboratory results with detailed clinical information on treatment and outcomes of SSI will provide robust data that will be useful to medical personnel, particularly in regards to change AMR patterns among relevant locations, epidemiology data and isolates. 

Researchers: Assoc Prof. Dr Cindy Teh Shuan Ju(1), Prof. Dr Sasheela Sri La Ponnampalavanar(2), Prof. Dr. Azlina Amir Abbas(3), Assoc Prof. Khong Tak Loon(4), Dr. Anjana Kukreja(2), Dr. Siti Zuhairah binti Mohamad Razali(5), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rina Karunakaran(1), Dr. Tang Soo Nee(1), Dr. Mohd Rusdi Bin Draman @ Yusof(5), Dr. Yohan Khirusman Adnan(5), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vairavan Narayanan(5), Dr Kong Zhi Xian(1), Mak Siew Thong(1), Anis Najwa Bt Muhamad(1)  

Affiliation:

1. Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 

2. Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 

3. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia                 

4. Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia     

5. Universiti Malaya Medical Centre, Seksyen 13, 50603 Petaling Jaya, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur            

Based on the National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance System, SSI are defined as superficial and deep incisional site infections, and organ-space site infections. SSI normally exhibit signs and symptoms within 30 days of a surgical intervention; with the exception of implant surgeries which are at a risk of infection up to 3 months post-surgery. Multiple factors have been associated with SSI. For instance, the age, body mass, general health status of the patient have been positively correlated with the clinical outcomes. Therefore, in this study, we aim to determine the epidemiology of SSI-related MDRO and to guide the clinicians in strategizing the use of antimicrobial agents in order to treat or prevent SSI. 

Researchers: Assoc Prof. Dr Cindy Teh Shuan Ju(1), Prof. Dr Sasheela Sri La Ponnampalavanar(2), Prof. Dr. Azlina Amir Abbas(3), Assoc Prof. Khong Tak Loon(4), Dr. Anjana Kukreja(2), Dr. Siti Zuhairah binti Mohamad Razali(5), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rina Karunakaran(1), Dr. Tang Soo Nee(1), Dr. Mohd Rusdi Bin Draman @ Yusof(5), Dr. Yohan Khirusman Adnan(5), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vairavan Narayanan(5), Dr Kong Zhi Xian(1), Mak Siew Thong(1), Anis Najwa Bt Muhamad(1)  

Affiliation:

1. Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 

2. Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 

3. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia                 

4. Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia     

5. Universiti Malaya Medical Centre, Seksyen 13, 50603 Petaling Jaya, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur         

A Clinically-Oriented Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network (ACORN) is a large-scale multicentre study which expands on the WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System to estimate syndromic and pathogen outcomes along with associated health economic costs. It aims to implement an efficient clinically-oriented AMR surveillance system, incorporated as part of routine workflow in hospitals in low- and middle-income country settings (LMICs). High-quality patient-level surveillance data from LMICs are necessary to determine the impact of AMR, enable evaluation of interventions, inform policy decisions on resource allocation, and drive research priorities. However, assembling such data required for global estimates is challenging. The current protocol, Clinically-Oriented Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network for Healthcare-associated Infections (ACORN-HAI), is complementary to the main ACORN protocol. It hinges on the established ACORN platform, and focuses on severe Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), especially in the settings of ICU, surgical wards and cancer care where the burden of multidrug-resistant (MDR) infections are the highest. This protocol describes standardized procedures to implement a large-scale multicentre study for surveillance of Hospitalized patients with healthcare-associated bloodstream infections (HA-BSI) or ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), with a focus on LMICs. This study is sponsored by the National University of Singapore and funded by the Wellcome Trust, UK.

Researchers: Prof. Dr. Sasheela Sri La Sri Ponnampalavanar(1), Prof. Dr. Sharifah Faridah Binti Syed Omar(1), Prof. Dr. Nor'azim Bin Mohd Yunos(2), Prof. Dr. Raja Iskandar Shah Bin Raja Azwa(1), Associate Prof. Dr. Cindy Teh Shuan Ju(3), Dr. Helmi Bin Sulaiman(1), Dr. Siti Zuhairah Binti Mohamad Razali(4), Dr. Ong Hang Cheng(1), Dr. Wong Pui Li(1), Dr. Anjanna Kukreja(1), Dr. Bushra Binti Megat Johari(1), Dr. Tang Soo Nee(3), Dr. Ng Rong Xiang(1), Dr. Sazali Bin Basri(4), Dr. Wan Nurliyana Binti Wan Ramli(4), Dr. Nur Alwani Binti Suhaimi(4), Dr. Sakinah Binti Zulkarnain(4)            

Affiliation: 

1. Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 

2. Department of Anaesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 

3. Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 

4. Universiti Malaya Medical Centre, Seksyen 13, 50603 Petaling Jaya, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur         

This study titled "Educational Initiatives to Increase Public Awareness of AMR" is funded by The Foundation to Prevent Antibiotic Resistance (PAR Grant). The study aims to comprehensively investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices concerning antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among undergraduate university students in Malaysia. Employing a mixed-methods approach, a questionnaire and in-depth interviews will be utilized to obtain a nuanced understanding of the factors shaping students' perceptions and behaviors related to antibiotic use. The study's significance lies in its potential to inform targeted educational interventions, particularly the development of an evidence-based AMR Module tailored to address identified gaps. By assessing the impact of this module, the research seeks to contribute not only to academic knowledge but also to public health practices, aiming to foster a generation of informed individuals capable of mitigating the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance in Malaysia and beyond.The primary objective of this study is to comprehensively assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among university students in Malaysia. By employing a mixed-methods approach, combining a questionnaire and in-depth interviews, the study aims to gain a nuanced understanding of the factors influencing students' perceptions and behaviors regarding antibiotic use.

These initiatives aim to inform individuals about the risks associated with AMR, promote responsible antibiotic use, and empower the public to play an active role in mitigating this global health threat.  This will encompass creating an educational module for students and creating podcasts for public listeners.

Researchers: Prof. Dr. Sasheela Sri La Sri Ponnampalavanar(1), Associate Prof. Dr. Cindy Teh Shuan Ju(2) 

Student: Vedika Bhatt (1)

Affiliation: 

1. Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 

2. Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 

The SHINIA-ICU project is a UKRI-funded international collaboration aimed at reducing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and hospital-acquired infections in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) across Southeast Asia. The study focuses on developing, implementing, and evaluating high-yield, low-cost environmental cleaning bundle tailored for low- and middle- income hospital settings. By integrating evidence-based cleaning practices with real-world feasibility, the project strengthens infection prevention and control (IPC) in high-risk ICU environments. Through a multimodal approach combining enhanced cleaning interventions with microbiological and genomic surveillance, SHINIA-ICU seeks to curb the spread of multidrug-resistant organisms (MROs) and generated practical sustainable solutions to improve hospital hygiene and patient safety across the region.  

The findings will guide improvements in ICU environmental hygiene practices by providing context-specific evidence on the effectiveness and feasibility of low-cost cleaning bundles in resource-constrained hospital settings. This will support healthcare leaders and policy bodies in strengthening infection prevention measures and improving patient safety across Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, and Indonesia. 

Researchers: Prof. Dr. Sasheela Sri La Sri Ponnampalavanar(1), Associate Prof. Dr. Cindy Teh Shuan Ju(2), Anis Najwa Muhammad(1)

Affiliation: 

1. Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 

2. Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia