Role of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 polymorphisms on COVID-19 outcome and disease severity in adult patients: A prospective cohort study in a tertiary hospital, Indonesia.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has led to a significant number of infections and deaths worldwide, yet its pathogenesis and severity remain incompletely understood. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and transmembrane protease, serine 2 (TMPRSS2), play crucial roles as receptors and molecules responsible for the virus's entry into host cells, initiating the infection process. Their polymorphisms have been extensively studied in relation to COVID-19 severity. The aim of this study was to examine the association of ACE2 (rs2074192) and TMPRSS2 (rs12329760) polymorphisms with COVID-19 outcome and severity. A prospective cohort study was conducted in 2022 at Haji Adam Malik Hospital, Medan, Indonesia. We randomly recruited hospitalized adult patients with COVID-19, confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The baseline demographic data, disease severity, underlying disease, comorbidities, and COVID-19 vaccination status were collected. The single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was assessed using TaqMan SNP genotyping assay, and the levels of TMPRSS2 and ACE2 proteins were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A total of 151 COVID-19 patients were recruited and there were significant associations between age and severity with mortality outcomes. The age, kidney and lung diseases, and vaccination status were associated with severity levels. The results showed the CC genotype of ACE2 had the highest proportion, followed by TT and CT genotypes among patients, while CT was the most prevalent genotype, followed by CC and TT for TMPRSS2. This study did not find a significant association between ACE2 and TMPRSS2 genetic variants with disease severity and outcome but highlighted a specific association of TMPRSS2 SNP with mortality within the group. In addition, ACE2 concentration was significant different between mild-moderate and severe-critical COVID-19 groups (p=0.033).

Whole genome sequencing data of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from Indonesian population.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is the leading cause of bacterial pneumonia, bacteremia, and meningitis. Indonesia introduced the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) nationwide in 2022. In this study, we present whole genome sequence (WGS) data of 94 S. pneumoniae isolates that were obtained from hospitalized patients, healthy children, and adult groups from different regions prior to PCV program in Indonesia. DNA sequences of S. pneumoniae were obtained using the TruSeq Nano DNA kit (Illumina NovaSeq6000 Platform). The genome data of S. pneumoniae features a 1,969,562 bp to 2,741,371 bp circular chromosome with 39-40% G+C content. The genome includes 1935-3319 coding sequences (CDS), 2 to 5 rRNA genes, 43 to 49 tRNA genes, and 56 to 71 ncRNA. These data will be useful for analyzing the serotype, sequence type, virulence genes, antimicrobial resistance genes, and the impact of pneumococcal vaccination in Indonesia. The FASTQ raw files of these sequences are available under BioProject accession number PRJNA995903 and Sequence Read Archive accession numbers SRR25316461-SRR25316554.

Characteristics and susceptibility pattern of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) bacteria in Indonesia: A study in a national reference hospital of Sumatra region 2020-2021.

Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) is defined as a urinary tract infection associated with catheter placement for more than two consecutive days. Hence, antibiotic resistance in the context of CAUTIs represents a substantial challenge. The aim of this study was to present the characteristics of patients with CAUTI and the susceptibility pattern of CAUTI bacteria in the national reference hospital of the Sumatra region of Indonesia. A cross-sectional study was conducted at H. Adam Malik General Hospital, Medan, Indonesia, from 2020 to 2021, using a total sampling. All CAUTI patients included were on catheterization and diagnosed based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. The patient's urine culture and antibiotic susceptibility test were carried out on the patient's admitted urine sample for further assessment. Identification of bacteria, antibiotic susceptibility test, and the extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) test for Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were conducted using the VITEK-2 Compact. A total of 74 CAUTI patients were included in the study, 59.5% were female, 54.1% were 46-65 years old, and a third had cardiovascular disease comorbidities (33.8%). A total of 83 CAUTI-associated bacteria were isolated. The majority were Gram-negative bacteria (74.7%), and the most bacteria isolated was E. coli (31.3%), followed by K. pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecalis, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Enterococcus faecium. The ESBL test was positive mostly in K. pneumoniae (100%) and E. coli (76.9%). CAUTI-associated E. coli was susceptible to tigecycline, meropenem, ertapenem, nitrofurantoin, and gentamicin. The isolated K. pneumoniae was susceptible to tigecycline, meropenem, ertapenem, and amikacin. While E. faecalis showed susceptibility to tigecycline, nitrofurantoin, vancomycin, imipenem, linezolid, ampicillin, piperacillin/tazobactam, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, ampicillin/sulbactam, and piperacillin.

Effectiveness Hand Washing and Hand Rub Method in Reducing Total Bacteria Colony from Nurses in Medan.

BACKGROUND: Hospital-acquired infection (HAI) is a major problem for the patient's health care and may impact the duration of treatment. Hand hygiene is a simple procedure but giving good prevention usually done among nurses at the hospital. AIM: Objective of the study is to determine the effectivity of handwashing method compared to hand rub to eliminate microorganisms on nurse's hands at Sumatera Utara University Hospital. This is an experimental analytic study using random sampling technique. METHODS: There were 16 nurses enrolled in this study. There were 2 groups involved; the first group using handwashing with soap and the other one using hand rub. The swabs were taken from each hand from both groups before and after washing their hands. Moreover, the swabs directly sent to Microbiology Laboratory of Sumatera Utara University to identify bacteria which colonise the hand. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between using handwashing method compared to hand rub in reducing total bacterial colony on hands (p = 0.088). The average of total colony decreased by using handwashing method is 59.5%, and by using a hand, rub is 47.2%. CONCLUSION: Hand hygiene method using alcohol-based hand rub liquid has been recommended by WHO and can replace hand washing method in a particular situation.

Immunogenicity of a Candidate DNA Vaccine Based on the prM/E Genes of a Dengue Type 2 Virus Cosmopolitan Genotype Strain.

The development of a dengue virus vaccine is a major priority in efforts to control the diseases. Several researchers are currently using the Asian 1 and Asian 2 genotypes as vaccine candidates for dengue type 2 virus (DENV-2). However, in this study, we constructed a recombinant plasmid-based prM/E gene, from a DENV-2 Cosmopolitan genotype strain as a dengue DNA vaccine candidate. The protein expression of the recombinant plasmid in CHO cells was analyzed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, western blotting, and sucrose gradient sedimentation. After being used to immunize ddY mice three times at doses of 25 or 100 µg, the DNA vaccine induced humoral immune responses. There was no difference in the neutralizing antibody titer (focus reduction neutralization test 50% value) of mice immunized with 25 and 100 µg DNA vaccine doses. When challenged with 3 × 10(5) FFU DENV-2, immunized mice could raise anamnestic neutralizing antibody responses, which were observed at day 4 and day 8 post-challenge. Analysis of immunogenicity using BALB/c mice showed that their antibody neutralization titers were lower than those of ddY mice. In addition, the antibodies produced after immunization and challenge could also neutralize a DENV-2 Asian 2 genotype (New Guinea C) strain. Therefore, the DENV-2 Cosmopolitan genotype may be a DENV-2 vaccine candidate.