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Background and Aim: There is an increasing rate of antibiotic resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N. gonorrhoeae). Several obstacles affect the culture and susceptibility testing of N. gonorrhoeae. This study was aimed to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern and molecular characteristics in multidrug-resistant (MDR) N. gonorrhoeae in Jakarta, Indonesia. Materials and Methods: Forty-one endocervical specimens were streaked onto the chocolate agar and then gently rolled onto a glass object. The suspected colonies were identified by Gram staining, oxidase testing, and biochemical identification using VITEK® 2 NH cards. The antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the disk diffusion or E-test method. Molecular detection of N. gonorrhoeae was carried out using the SYBR green real-time PCR targeting the opa gene. The multiplex real-time PCR with high-resolution melting (HRM) was also conducted to analyze the gene mutations in penA and 23S rRNA. DNA sequencing was used to confirm penA and 23S rRNA mutations. Results: SYBR green real-time PCR against the opa gene on direct specimens detected N. gonorrhoeae with higher positivity rate (49%) compared to the culture (34%). Susceptibility testing detected 11.1% N. gonorrhoeae resistant to cefixime, whereas resistance to azithromycin and ceftriaxone was 0%. The resistance of N. gonorrhoeae to levofloxacin and kanamycin was 33.3% and 88.9%, respectively. All isolates were resistant to penicillin, tetracycline and ciprofloxacin. There were no mutations in the penA genes Ala501, Gly545Ser, 23S rRNA A2059G and C2611T. Conclusion: Cefixime resistance was found in our samples. This resistence was not correlated with penA gene mutations. All isolates were still susceptiblle to azithromycin, which was in line with its molecular characteristics. The SYBR green real-time PCR targeting the opa gene successfully detected the DNA extracted from endocervical swabs as N. gonorrhoeae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hand eczema (HE) is a common condition seen in medical facilities, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The effects of vitamin D on skin inflammation are diverse. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between vitamin D levels in healthcare workers as determined by serum 25(OH)D and the severity of HE. In Indonesia, between September and October of 2022, a cross-sectional design was employed for this analytical descriptive study. The hand eczema severity index was used to determine the severity of HE. Out of the 44 healthcare workers who had HE, the findings indicated that 29 had mild HE, 11 had moderate HE, and 4 had severe HE. Subjects with mild, moderate, and severe HE had mean serum 25(OH)D levels of 17.85 ng/mL, 16.45 ng/mL, and 17.87 ng/mL, respectively, falling into the vitamin D deficiency category. Serum 25(OH)D levels and the severity of HE did not significantly correlate (r=-0.056; p=0.359). Serum 25(OH)D levels did not significantly differ between subjects with mild, moderate, and severe HE. The degree of HE was not negatively correlated with serum 25(OH)D levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]