The acquired immune deficiency syndrome: a report of the first case in Malaysia
Goh, K.L.; Chua, C.T.; Chiew, I.S.; Soo-Hoo, T.S.
Medical Journal of Malaysia 42(1): 58-60
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0300-5283 PMID: 3501533 Document Number: 287762
The 1st case of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in Malaysia was detected in 1987, 1 year after the Ministry of Health established a national AIDS task force. The patient was a 45-year-old Chinese man of Malaysian origin who had been living overseas for the past 30 years. The patient denied any homosexual relationships, blood transfusions, of intravenous drug use; however, he reported multiple sexual partners 10 years prior to developing AIDS. At hospital admission, the patient was in acute respiratory distress and Pneumocystis carinii was isolated from his sputum. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot tests revealed antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The T- helper/T-suppressor cell ratio was inverted, 16:51%. There were no antibodies to cytomegalovirus or toxoplasmosis. The patient showed rapid clinical improvement after treatment with co-trimoxazole and was released from the hospital 2 weeks after admission. Although this is the 1st case of full-blown AIDS in Malaysia, individuals with antibodies to HIV have been identified.