Some zoonotic diseases prevalent in Malaysia.

A description of eight zoonotic diseases investigated at the Division of Virus Research, lnstitute for Medical Research, is given. They include leptospirosis, rabies, influenza, Japanese encephalitis, toxoplasmosis, ornithosis, Q fever and monkeypox. Of these, Q fever and monkeypox were found to be of little public health significance in this country. Ornithosis in large populat ion~ of pigeons could pose a problem to their human contacts and this possibility should be borne in mind in the investigation of pyrexia of unknown origin. Rabies is not endemic in Malaysia and occurs sporadically mainly in the states bordering on Thailand from where rabid animals, especially dogs, enter. Leptospirosis, influenza, Japanese encephalitis and toxoplasmosis are endemic in Malaysia and the relationship of these infections between infected animals and their human contacts i s discussed.