ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Rabies is a severe progressive encephalitis disease in dogs characterized as a zoonosis. The transmission of rabies between animals in Karangasem District, Bali is still high and continues until today; therefore, rabies in the district still actively circulating. The distribution pattern of rabies, especially in the district, is unknown. This research aimed to describe the spatial distribution of rabies in Karangasem District. The information would help in developing effective control strategies for the disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An observational study was carried out using 38 positive rabies cases confirmed by the direct fluorescent antibody test diagnosed at the Disease Investigation Centre of Denpasar from September 2018 to September 2019. The Global Positioning System was used to take the geographical coordinates of the places where positive rabies cases had been confirmed in Karangasem District. The ArcGIS version 10.3 (ESRI) was used to determine and analyze the distribution pattern using the average nearest neighbor (ANN) method. RESULTS: On the basis of the ANN analysis, the rabies distribution pattern in Karangasem District in 2019 was clustered in groups but not significant (Z-score=-1.670309 [<-1.65], p=0.094858 [<0.1]; nearest neighbor ratio=0.858364). The rabies distribution pattern in each subdistrict of Karangasem was dispersed significantly since it had z-score of more than 2.58, p-value less than 0.1 and nearest neighbor ratio of more than 1. CONCLUSION: The rabies distribution in Karangasem District had a clustered pattern, although this was not significant. The grouping of rabies in Karangasem District showed a significant dispersed pattern in the subdistricts Abang, Bebandem, and Karangasem. The dispersed pattern of the rabies cases in the subdistricts was caused by unidentified stray dogs that lived in rice fields and other fields and by the whole district's hilly and mountainous topography. The ANN analysis suggested that for rabies control in Karangasem District, vaccination, elimination, and sterilization of stray dogs should be conducted in densely populated areas.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute infectious respiratory disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and has spread rapidly globally, resulting in a pandemic. In humans, the main routes of transmission are respiratory droplets and close contact with infected individuals or through contact with an object infected with the virus, followed by touching mouth, nose, or eyes. It is assumed that SARS-CoV-2 was originated in wild animals and was then transmitted to humans. Although some wildlife and domestic animals can be naturally or experimentally infected with the virus, the intermediate hosts that transmitted it to humans are still unknown. Understanding the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 associated with possible zoonotic transmission of intermediate hosts is considered critical. Reportedly, cats or dogs living with COVID-19-positive humans tested positive for the disease, suggesting that the virus was transmitted to the animals from humans. Information regarding the epidemiological investigation and comprehensive studies is limited. Therefore, it is still unclear how high is the correlation of infection in humans and pet animals, especially those living together. The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the pets of patients with COVID-19 who were hospitalized at the Wangaya hospital, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of seven clinically asymptomatic pets (six dogs of different races and sexes and a cat [age, 360-2920 days]) were included in this study. These animals belonged to patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection from August to November 2020. Nasal swab and nasopharyngeal samples were collected from the pets individually under anesthetic condition and were collected 6-12 days after confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in owners and hospitalization at the Wangaya Hospital. The swab samples were then processed for RNA isolation and tested using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for SARS-CoV-2, in accordance with the World Health Organization manual 2020. RESULTS: RT-PCR results for all seven RNA samples, prepared from the swab samples, were negative. For the samples, all PCR products were below the threshold limit, suggesting no genetic material belonging to the samples tested. CONCLUSION: This was the first preliminary study of COVID-19 on pets in pandemic using RT-PCR. The study tested a very limited quantity of samples, and all of them were negative. However, the way in which the samples were prepared was considered appropriate. Therefore, in further studies, testing of more samples of pets of more individuals with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection is required.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Helicobacter pylori infection has been identified as a major cause of peptic ulcer diseases, including gastric and duodenal ulcers, gastritis, chronic and gastric carcinoma, and even gastric lymphoma. In vitro studies using Western blotting analysis, hemagglutination test, adherence inhibition assays, and immunocytochemical staining revealed that the 49.6-kDa subunit pili protein of H. pylori was considered an immunogenic protein. This study aimed to develop a serological diagnostic test using 49.6 kDa for detecting antibodies against H. pylori proteins in an early phase of the infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An in-house immunochromatographic test (ICT) kit was developed and used to test a panel of sera sample obtained from a randomly selected symptomatic patient, in which 40 sera were H. pylori positive and 40 sera were H. pylori negative. RESULTS: The results showed that ICT with 49.6 kDa as an antigen was highly sensitive and specific for detecting anti-H. pylori immunoglobulin G antibodies in human serum, with a high negative predictive value. CONCLUSION: The developed test could be used to exclude H. pylori infection in symptomatic patients.
ABSTRACT
Classical swine fever virus (CSFV) is a highly infectious pathogen of pigs and believed to be a major constraint to pig production in Timor-Leste. The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries conducts vaccination campaigns in an attempt to control clinical disease, however, there is no empirical data available concerning the seroprevalence and distribution of CSFV in Timor-Leste. To help address this knowledge deficit, a cross-sectional study to determine seroprevalence was conducted in the three districts that border Indonesia. Data on farmer- and pig-level factors were also collected to look at their impact on CSFV serological status. Overall, true CSFV seroprevalence was estimated at 34.4%. Seroprevalence estimates varied widely between and within districts, subdistricts, and villages. Older pigs and pigs that had been vaccinated for CSFV were more likely to test positive for CSFV antibody. Pigs owned by farmers that experienced the sudden death of pigs in the 12 months prior to the survey were more likely to test positive for CSFV antibody, while pigs that had been sick in the previous three months were less likely to test positive for CSFV antibody. The final multivariable model accounted for a large amount of variation in the data, however, much of this variation was explained by the random effects with less than one percent of the variation explained by the fixed effects. This work further supports the need for a collaborative approach to whole-island CSFV control between West Timor, Indonesia and Timor-Leste. Further work is needed to better understand the risk factors for CSFV serological status in order to allocate resources for control. As CSFV is now endemic in Timor-Leste research involving a combination of serology, antigen detection and in-depth investigation of suspect cases over a period of time may be required.
