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Growing evidence suggest that cycle threshold (CT)-value of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is correlated with transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and some kits set different CT-value cut-off. This report presents the discordant results of two widely used RT-PCR kits in Indonesia due to different CT-value cut-offs and highlights its potential consequence in SARS-CoV-2 containment.Nasopharyngeal swab samples with SARS-CoV-2 negative with a RT-PCR kit (manufacture pre-set CT-value cut-off was 35 amplification cycles) were retested with another RT-PCR kit with a higher pre-set CT-value of 40 amplification cycles. All procedures were performed according to the manufacturer protocols.In total, 30 samples with SARS-CoV-2 negative for the first kit were retested. We found that 25 out of 33 samples (75.5%) were positive using the second RT-PCR kit that had a higher manufacture pre-set CT-value cut-off. In addition, among 500 RT-PCR tests using the first RT-PCR kit, 103 of them (20.6%) were categorized as inconclusive results based on the second manufacturer' guideline.Our data suggest the possibility of discordant results of SARS-CoV-2 detection due to different pre-set cut-offs by the companies. As consequence, this could leave a fraction of individuals who were misclassified that could act as source of virus transmission within community.La evidencia creciente sugiere que el valor del ciclo umbral (CT) de la RT-PCR (reacción en cadena de la polimerasa por transcripción inversa) guarda relación con la transmisión del síndrome respiratorio agudo severo por coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), y algunos kits establecen diferentes puntos de corte para dicho valor. El presente informe presenta la discordancia de los resultados de dos kits RT-PCR de amplio uso en Indonesia debido a los diferentes puntos de corte del valor CT, y subraya su consecuencia potencial para la contención del SARS-CoV-2.Se reanalizaron las muestras de los hisopos nasofaríngeos negativos para SARS-CoV-2 con un kit RT-PCR (el punto de corte del valor CT preestablecido de fábrica fue de 35 ciclos de ampliación) con otro kit para RT-PCR con un valor CT establecido superior, de 40 ciclos de ampliación. Todos los procedimientos fueron realizados con arreglo a los protocolos de fabricación.En total se reanalizaron 30 muestras con SARS-CoV-2 negativas para el primer kit. Encontramos que 25 de entre 33 muestras (75,5%) eran positivas utilizando el segundo kit para RT-PCR, que tenía un punto de corte del valor CT preestablecido superior. Además, entre las 500 pruebas RT-PCR que utilizaron el primer kit para RT-PCR, 103 de ellas (el 20,6%) fueron categorizadas como resultados no concluyentes sobre la base de la guía del segundo fabricante.Nuestros datos sugieren la posibilidad de discordancia en los resultados de detección del SARS-CoV-2 debido a los diferentes puntos de corte preestablecidos por los fabricantes. Por tanto, esto podría suponer que la mala clasificación de una parte de los individuos fuera la causa de la transmisión del virus dentro de la comunidad.

BACKGROUND: Aedes aegypti is one of the most vicious mosquitoes, known for its role in several deadly diseases, including dengue fever and Zika. Several strategies have been developed over decades to prevent vector-borne diseases; one of them is insecticide to control the mosquito population. However, this strategy would not last long due to the elevation of resistance, environmental problem, and some issues regarding human health. Natural products have become major options to combat the glitches. Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) has known for its toxic effect on mosquito larva. AIM: The objective of this study was to assess the effect of C. citratus extract against fourth instar of A. aegypti larvae. METHODS: Three extract concentrations, 2.5%, 5%, and 7.5%, were used. The larvicide activity was evaluated at 2, 4, and 6 h. Our data indicated that all concentrations contributed to increase larvae mortality. RESULTS: Lethal Concentration (LC) 50 and LC90 were achieved at 2.5% and 4.1% of extract, respectively. CONCLUSION: C. citratus extract has a larvicide activity against fourth instar of A. aegypti.

Proteoglycans (PGs) are glycoconjugates which are predominately expressed on cell surfaces and consist of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) linked to a core protein. An initial step of GAGs assembly is governed by the β-D-xylosyltransferase enzymes encoded in mammals by the XylT1/XylT2 genes. PGs are essential for the interaction of a cell with other cells as well as with the extracellular matrix. A number of studies highlighted a role of PGs in bacterial adhesion, invasion, and immune response. In this work, we investigated a role of PGs in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) infection of epithelial cells. Gentamicin protection and chloroquine resistance assays were applied to assess invasion and replication of S. Typhimurium in wild-type and xylosyltransferase-deficient (ΔXylT2) Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells lacking PGs. We found that S. Typhimurium adheres to and invades CHO WT and CHO ΔXylT2 cells at comparable levels. However, 24 h after infection, proteoglycan-deficient CHO ΔXylT2 cells are significantly less colonized by S. Typhimurium compared to CHO WT cells. This proteoglycan-dependent phenotype could be rescued by addition of PGs to the cell culture medium, as well as by complementation of the XylT2 gene. Chloroquine resistance assay and immunostaining revealed that in the absence of PGs, significantly less bacteria are associated with Salmonella-containing vacuoles (SCVs) due to a re-distribution of endocytosed gentamicin. Inhibition of endo-lysosomal fusion by a specific inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol phosphate kinase PIKfyve significantly increased S. Typhimurium burden in CHO ΔXylT2 cells demonstrating an important role of PGs for PIKfyve dependent vesicle fusion which is modulated by Salmonella to establish infection. Overall, our results demonstrate that PGs influence survival of intracellular Salmonella in epithelial cells via modulation of PIKfyve-dependent endo-lysosomal fusion.

Vaccination strategies are being considered as a part of dengue prevention programs in endemic countries. To accelerate the introduction of dengue vaccine into the public sector program and private markets, understanding the private economic benefits of a dengue vaccine is therefore essential. The aim of this study was to assess the willingness to pay (WTP) for a dengue vaccine among community members in Indonesia and its associated explanatory variables. A community-based, cross-sectional survey was conducted in nine regencies of Aceh province, Indonesia, from November 2014 to March 2015. A pre-tested validated questionnaire was used to facilitate the interviews. To assess the explanatory variables influencing participants’ WTP for a dengue vaccine, a linear regression analysis was employed. We interviewed 677 healthy community members; 476 participants (87.5% of the total) were included in the final analysis. An average individual was willing to pay around US-$ 4 (mean: US-$ 4.04; median: US-$ 3.97) for a dengue vaccine. Our final multivariate model revealed that working as a civil servant, living in the city, and having good knowledge on dengue viruses, a good attitude towards dengue, and good preventive practice against dengue virus infection were associated with a higher WTP (P

ObjectiveTo explore and understand the attitude towards dengue vaccination and its modifiable determinants among inhabitants of Aceh (northern Sumatra Island, Indonesia), the region that was most severely affected by the earthquake and tsunami of 26 December 2004.MethodsA community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among 535 healthy inhabitants in nine regencies (Kabupaten or Kotamadya) of Aceh that were selected randomly from November 2014 to March 2015. A set of validated, pre-tested, structured questionnaires was used to guide the interviews. The questionnaires covered a range of explanatory variables and one outcome variable (attitude to dengue vaccination). Multi-step logistic regression analysis and Spearman's rank correlation were used to test the role of explanatory variables for the outcome variable.ResultsMore than 70% of the participants had a poor attitude towards dengue vaccination. Modifiable determinants associated with poor attitude to dengue vaccination were low education level, working as farmers and traditional market traders, low socioeconomic status and poor knowledge, attitude and practice regarding dengue fever (P

The aim of this study was to study the relationships between economic status, knowledge, attitude and practice regarding dengue fever (DF), attitude towards vaccination against dengue virus infection, willingness to participate in a study on dengue, and acceptance of a dengue vaccine. Information on variables of interest was collected in questionnaire-assisted interviews during a communitybased cross-sectional survey conducted in Aceh, Indonesia. A proposed relationship model was tested using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was used to reconstruct an alternative relationship model among variables. Our proposed relationship model differed from the result of the EFA. The CFA indicated that knowledge and attitudes towards DF had the strongest relationship. We also found several direct relationships between sets of variables: a) economic status and knowledge on DF, b) economic status and practices regarding DF, c) knowledge and practices regarding DF, d) attitudes towards DF and dengue vaccine acceptance, as well as e) attitudes towards vaccination and dengue vaccine acceptance. There was no relationship between economic status and dengue vaccine acceptance. In conclusion, our model suggested that the most suitable factor to be targeted for improving dengue prevention was knowledge about DF. In addition, improving attitudes towards vaccination seemed to be the most appropriate effort to increase public acceptance of a dengue vaccine.

Background The Indonesian region of Aceh was the area most severely affected by the earthquake and tsunami of 26 December 2004. Department of Health data reveal an upward trend of dengue cases in Aceh since the events of the tsunami. Despite the increasing incidence of dengue in the region, there is limited understanding of dengue among the general population of Aceh. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) regarding dengue among the people of Aceh, Indonesia in order to design intervention strategies for an effective dengue prevention program. Methods A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Aceh between November 2014 and March 2015 with a total of 609 participants living in seven regencies and two municipalities. Information on the socio-demographic characteristics of participants and their KAP regarding dengue was collected using a pre-tested structured questionnaire. The KAP status (good vs. poor) of participants with different socio-demographic characteristics was compared using Chi Square-test, ANOVA or Fisher’s exact test as appropriate. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the predictors of each KAP domain. Results We found that 45% of participants had good knowledge regarding dengue and only 32% had good attitudes and good dengue preventive practices. There was a significant positive correlation between knowledge and attitudes, knowledge and practice, and attitudes and practice. In addition, people who had good knowledge were 2.7 times more likely to have good attitudes, and people who had good attitudes were 2.2 times more likely to have good practices regarding dengue. The level of education, occupation, marital status, monthly income, socioeconomic status (SES) and living in the city were associated with the knowledge level. Occupation, SES, and having experienced dengue fever were associated with attitudes. Education, occupation, SES and type of residence were associated with preventive practices. Conclusion Our study suggests that dengue prevention programs are required to increase KAP levels regarding dengue in the communities of Aceh. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12879-018-3006-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background Dengue virus infection is the most rapidly spreading vector-borne disease in the world. Essential research on dengue virus transmission and its prevention requires community participation. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the factors that are associated with the willingness of communities in high prevalence areas to participate in dengue research. The aim of this study was to explore factors associated with the willingness of healthy community members in Aceh province, Indonesia, to participate in dengue research that would require phlebotomy. Methodology/Principal Findings A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out in nine regencies and municipalities of Aceh from November 2014 to March 2015. Interviews using a set of validated questionnaires were conducted to collect data on demography, history of dengue infection, socioeconomic status, and knowledge, attitude and practice regarding dengue fever. Two-step logistic regression and Spearman’s rank correlation (rs) analysis were used to assess the influence of independent variables on dependent variables. Among 535 participants, less than 20% had a good willingness to participate in the dengue study. The factors associated with good willingness to participate were being female, working as a civil servant, private employee or entrepreneur, having a high socioeconomic status and good knowledge, attitude and practice regarding dengue. Good knowledge and attitude regarding dengue were positive independent predictors of willingness to participate (OR: 2.30 [95% CI: 1.36–3.90] and 3.73 [95% CI: 2.24–6.21], respectively). Conclusion/Significance The willingness to participate in dengue research is very low among community members in Aceh, and the two most important associated factors are knowledge and attitude regarding dengue. To increase participation rate, efforts to improve the knowledge and attitude of community members regarding dengue fever and dengue-related research is required before such studies are launched.