Fauna associated with Malayan filariasis transmission in Banyuasin, South Sumatra, Indonesia.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Brugia malayi is known to be zoonotically important because it can be transmitted from animals (mammals and primates) to humans or from humans to humans through mosquito vectors. This study was conducted to explore the fauna associated with Malayan filariasis transmission in Sedang village, Suak Tapeh District, Banyuasin Regency, South Sumatra Province, Indonesia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional research design with an observational and analytical approach was applied in this study, and it was conducted in May 2018. Mosquitoes were collected twice using human bait both inside and outside the house from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. The presence of competitors, predators, and reservoir hosts in the areas of five breeding habitats of Mansonia spp. was observed. The presence of microfilaria was confirmed under a microscope in night blood samples of inhabitants and cats. The presence of infective larvae (L3) of B. malayi was identified microscopically and based on the polymerase chain reaction method in female Mansonia mosquitoes. RESULTS: A total of 12 mosquito species were found, among which Mansonia uniformis was the dominant mosquito, and the predominant competitor was Mansonia annulifera. Dragonflies, as predators were found in two breeding habitats and fish were found in one breeding habitat. The L3 of B. malayi were not identified in the mosquitoes, and the microfilariae of B. malayi were not found in the blood samples of inhabitants and cats. CONCLUSION: Although Mansonia mosquito population was abundant in Banyuasin Regency, the mosquito was not confirmed as an intermediate host of B. malayi, and the cat was not confirmed as a reservoir of B. malayi in the location.

Implementation of a full-scale constructed wetland to treat greywater from tourism in Suluban Uluwatu Beach, Bali, Indonesia.

This original research examines a full-scale subsurface Constructed Wetland (CW) system in Indonesia, where most CW research has been limited to laboratory scale experiments. The CW system was located in Bali and built in 2015 in a single series formation. This study aims to demonstrate the performance of the system in treating greywater and examine the nutrient content plants' above-ground biomass. The CW was arranged in linear sequence composed of one unplanted (CW1) and five planted treatments of Iris pseudacorus (CW2), Caladium bicolor (CW3), Rhoe discolor (CW4), Sansevieria trifasciata (CW5) and Heliconia psittacorum (CW6). There has been little research on Caladium bicolor, Rhoe discolor and Sansevieria trifasciata in a full-scale CW application. Our results showed fluctuating efficiency (%) in the reduction of Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Total Suspended Solid (TSS), Oil and Grease (O&G), Nitrate and Phosphate. The highest removal efficiency for CW1, CW2, CW3, CW4, CW5, CW6 were O&G (63.63%), BOD (90.66%), Nitrate (83.55%), BOD (80%), BOD (82.88%) and Phosphate (89.93%) respectively. After the experimental period, S. trifasciata and H. psittacorum experienced a decrease in Total N concentration, while H. psittacorum experienced a decrease in phosphate in above-ground biomass. Species of R. discolor, C. bicolor and I. pseudacorus showed good performance in terms of their growth and development. Although high removal efficiency was observed at certain times, this study showed the negative removal efficiencies at times among parameters as a consequence of the low Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT) and high Hydraulic Loading Rate (HLR).

Comparison Between Three Molecular Diagnostics for the Identification of Heterozygous Hemoglobin E.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hemoglobin E is a variant hemoglobin caused due to the base substitution G→A at codon 26 in the ß-globin-coding gene that is followed by the alteration of glutamic acid (GAG) to lysine (AAG). Various types of molecular analysis methods such as tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system (T-ARMS-PCR), Tm-shift real-time polymerase chain reaction (Tm-shift qPCR) and high-resolution melting analysis (HRMA) are commonly used to detect several mutations in the ß-globin-coding gene. This study was conducted to compare the detection result of Cd 26 (G→A) mutation in the ß-globin-coding gene of heterozygous HbE between the above-mentioned methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: DNA samples were isolated from blood archive of heterozygous HbE and analyzed for the detection of the mutation using HRMA and Tm-shift on a real-time PCR instrument, whereas T-ARMS analysis was performed on a conventional PCR equipment. High resolution melt v3.1 software and Bio-Rad CFX Manager software were used to analyze the result of HRMA and Tm-shift qPCR, whereas the T-ARMS-PCR result was analyzed by observing the number and size of DNA bands on gel electrophoresis. RESULTS: Among 21 samples, the Cd 26 mutation was detected in numbers 18, 19 and 21 by HRMA, Tm-shift qPCR and T-ARMS-PCR. DNA Sequencing confirmed Cd 26 mutation on 5 ambiguous samples and revealed two homozygous mutation. CONCLUSION: The Cd 26 (G→A) mutation was detected in proportions 100, 91 and 86% by T-ARMS-PCR, Tm-shift qPCR and HRMA, respectively.

Study on vector mosquito of zoonotic Brugia malayi in Musi Rawas, South Sumatera, Indonesia.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Studies to determine abundance, distribution, species composition, and mosquito interactions are very important in understanding the risk of disease transmission to implement appropriate mosquito management in endemic areas. Lymphatic filarial worms are one of the parasites that are contracted and/or transmitted by mosquitoes when sucking the blood of infected humans or animals and then biting others. This research was conducted to study the abundance, species composition, mosquito biting cycles, density and periodicity of mosquitoes caught in Lubuk Pauh Village, Bulang Tengah Suku Ulu, Musi Rawas, South Sumatera, Indonesia, which is an endemic area of zoonotic Brugia malayi. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The mosquito collection was done in July 2018 using the human landing collection method for 11 h from 18.00 pm to 5.00 am Western Indonesian Time. The catching of mosquitoes was done both indoors and outdoors, and mosquitoes were identified under a dissecting microscope using an identification key to confirm their species. Detection of B. malayi larvae in mosquitoes was confirmed by dissection and polymerase chain reaction methods. RESULTS: The caught mosquitoes consisted of four species: Armigeres subalbatus, Culex quinquefasciatus, Culex vishnui, and Mansonia uniformis. Based on the Shannon-Wiener index, Lubuk Pauh Village has low mosquito species diversity (0.210). Ar. subalbatus was the dominant mosquito in Lubuk Pauh Village with dominance number 95.08, and it had the most frequent activity in each of periods of indoor and outdoor collection, with the highest density (man-hour density) at 18.00-19.00 (51.750). B. malayi infective stage larvae were not found in all mosquito species caught. CONCLUSION: Existence of Ar. subalbatus, Cx. quinquefasciatus, and Ma. uniformis in Lubuk Pauh Village which is an endemic area of B. malayi shows that the area is at risk of lymphatic filariasis transmission.

Genetic variation of Leptospira isolated from rats catched in Yogyakarta Indonesia.

OBJECTIVE: To detect genetic variations among pathogenic Leptospira isolated from rats using 16S rRNA gen as chronometer. METHODS: This is an observational study with cross sectional design. Rats samples were taken in Yogyakarta Special Region of Indonesia. Leptospira in the rats was detected by two methods i.e. real time PCR (qPCR) by using primers correspond to16S rRNA gene of Leptospira, and standard PCR by using different set of primer correspond to the 16S rRNA gene of Leptospira. The standard PCR amplicon then subjected for DNA sequencing. Analysis genetic variation was performed using MEGA 6.2. Software. RESULTS: There were 99 DNA samples from rats included in this study. Detection of Leptospira by using qPCR revealed 25 samples positive for pathogenic Leptospira, while only 6 samples were able to be detected using standard PCR. The new primer set correspond to 16S rRNA gene was able to detect specifically pathogenic Leptospira in the rats. Sequencing analysis of 6 PCR amplicons showed that the Leptospira which infect the rats catched in Yogyakarta genetically close related with pathogenic Leptospira which were isolated from human, animal, rodents, and environment. CONCLUSIONS: It can be considered that rats are the most important vector and reservoir of Leptospira.