Clinical characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 patients in Bali, Indonesia.

INTRODUCTION: The spectrum of illness and outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients may vary. This study reports the characteristics of COVID-19 patients in Bali, Indonesia, and evaluates the diagnostic value of their clinical symptoms. METHOD: This observational study was conducted in eight hospitals. The patients were classified as non-severe COVID-19, severe COVID-19, and non-COVID-19. Demographics, clinical, laboratory, and radiologic characteristics, and outcomes of COVID-19 patients were collected. Factors associated with the severity and outcomes were assessed using the chi-squared test or ANOVA when appropriate. We also compared the clinical features of non-severe COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy. RESULTS: This study included 92 patients: 41 non-COVID-19 and 51 COVID-19 patients, comprising 45 non-severe and six severe cases. The most common symptoms of COVID-19 were cough (47.1%), fever (31.0%), and dyspnea (25.3%). Cough, fatigue, and anosmia have high accuracy, and combining these complaints in clinical diagnostics offered a higher accuracy in predicting COVID-19 patients (60.1%). We found lower lymphocyte counts and interleukin-1R levels and higher levels of C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, and interleukin-8 in severe compared than in non-severe COVID-19 patients. Lactate dehydrogenase was associated with intensive care unit admission and ventilator use, while other markers such as neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, C-reactive protein, and interleukin-6 were not. CONCLUSION: A battery of symptoms, including cough, fatigue, and anosmia, is likely associated with COVID-19 in Bali. Clinicians should be aware of these symptoms to ensure a prompt diagnostic test for COVID-19, beyond other causes of acute febrile illnesses.

Dengue viral infection in Indonesia: Epidemiology, diagnostic challenges, and mutations from an observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Dengue virus (DENV) infection is a major cause of acute febrile illness in Indonesia. Diagnostic inaccuracy may occur due to its varied and non-specific presentation. Characterization of DENV epidemiology, clinical presentation, and virology will facilitate appropriate clinical management and public health policy. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A multicenter observational cohort study was conducted in Indonesia to assess causes of acute fever requiring hospitalization. Clinical information and specimens were collected at enrollment, 14-28 days, and 3 months from 1,486 children and adults. Total of 468 (31.9%) cases of DENV infection were confirmed by reference laboratory assays. Of these, 414 (88.5%) were accurately diagnosed and 54 had been misdiagnosed as another infection by sites. One hundred initially suspected dengue cases were finally classified as 'non-dengue'; other pathogens were identified in 58 of those cases. Mortality of DENV infection was low (0.6%). Prior DENV exposure was found in 92.3% of subjects >12 years. DENV circulated year-round in all cities, with higher incidence from January to March. DENV-3 and DENV-1 were the predominant serotypes. This study identified DENV-1 with TS119(C→T) substitution in the serotyping primer annealing site, leading to failure of serotype determination. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: DENV is a common etiology of acute febrile illness requiring hospitalization in Indonesia. Diagnostic accuracy at clinical sites merits optimization since misdiagnosis of DENV infection and over-estimation of dengue can negatively impact management and outcomes. Mutation at the annealing site of the serotyping primer may confound diagnosis. Clinicians should consider following diagnostic algorithms that include DENV confirmatory testing. Policy-makers should prioritize development of laboratory capacity for diagnosis of DENV.