Men having sex with men in Surakarta, Indonesia: demographics, behavioral characteristics and prevalence of blood borne pathogens.

The objectives of this study were to investigate the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis D virus (HDV), human T-lymphotropic virus types 1 and 2 (HTLV-1/2), Torque teno virus (TTV) and Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Surakarta, Indonesia, and the risk factors and sexual behavior associated with these infections. A cross sectional study was performed from October 2009 to October 2011 among 143 MSM by face-to-face interviews to complete an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Subjects were tested for ,HIV, HBV, HCV, HDV, HTLV-1/2 and toxoplasma infection using serology and for TTV using molecular detection. The seropositive rates for anti-HIV, HBsAg, anti-HCV, anti-HDV, anti-HTLV-1/2, IgM anti-T. gondii, IgG anti-T, gondii and TTV DNA were 9.1%, 9.8%, 28.0%, 0.7%, 0.7%, 1.4%, 30.8%, and 26.6%, respectively. Risk factors associated with HIV infection were a history of injecting drug use (IDU) [adjusted OR (aOR) 6.0; 95% CI: 1.10-33.01] and a receptive role in sexual activity (aOR 8.1; 95% CI: 1.30-50.04) [corrected]. Having a tattoo (aOR 3.2; 95% CI: 1.28-7.98) and practicing both anal and vaginal sex without a condom (aOR 2.3; 95% CI: 1.06-4.92) were associated with toxoplasma infection. A history of IDU (aOR 32; 95% CI: 5.93-177.93) was associated with TTV infection. The subjects examined in this study were found to be infected with HIV, HBV, HCV, HDV, HTLV-1/2, TTV, and T. gondii. These infections were associated with high-risk behavior.

Recent update on cerebral sparganosis: A bibliometric analysis and scientific mapping.

Human sparganosis, a parasitic infection prevalent in Asia, can progress to cerebral sparganosis, a severe condition with significant neurological symptoms. Diagnosis and treatment are challenging due to its clinical similarity to other infections, highlighting the need for improved detection and management strategies. The aim of this study was to observe research trends, key contributors, gaps in the existing knowledge, diagnosis challenges, effective treatment options, and prevention strategies, providing recommendations for future research directions and clinical practice improvements on cerebral sparganosis. A bibliometric analysis was conducted by extracting 139 documents from the Scopus database in June 2024. The retrieved data were analyzed using the R package's Bibliometrix (Biblioshiny) and VOSviewer. Spanning 97 different sources, the research exhibited an annual growth rate of 2.5%. Annual scientific production revealed fluctuating research activity with peaks in 2010 and 2011 and notable citation peaks in 1996 and 2005, indicating pivotal studies that significantly influenced subsequent research. Early studies focused on diagnosis and specific parasites, while recent studies (2010-2024) have increasingly addressed clinical outcomes, treatment strategies, and advanced diagnostic techniques. Trends revealed a shift towards clinical and diagnostic advancements, with recent emphasis on diagnostic imaging, immunoassays, and the relationship between cerebral sparganosis and brain tumors. In conclusion, the studies on cerebral sparganosis underscore the potential for enhancing clinical practice by improving diagnostic accuracy, informing treatment decisions, and implementing targeted screening efforts based on epidemiology and risk factors. Recommendation to further study needs to notify the cerebral sparganosis in high-risk countries with similar socioeconomic and cultural characteristics to endemic regions, including Indonesia.

Suppression of IP-10/CXCL10 gene expression in LPS- and/or IFN-γ-stimulated macrophages by parasite-secreted products.

T helper (Th)2 polarized immune responses are characteristically dominant in helminth infections. The gene expression of interferon (IFN)-γ-inducible protein 10 (IP-10/CXCL10), which promotes Th1 responses, in mouse macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and/or IFN-γ was suppressed by excretory/secretory (ES) products of Spirometra erinaceieuropaei plerocercoids. ES products suppressed LPS- and/or IFN-γ-induced transcriptional activities of a luciferase reporter gene under the control of a 243-bp fragment of the IP-10 gene promoter/enhancer, which contains an IFN-stimulated response element (ISRE) and two κB elements. Consistent with this result, ES products inhibited ISRE-dependent heterologous promoter activities and LPS- or IFN-γ-induced ISRE-binding activity. ES products also suppressed LPS-induced IFN-ß gene expression. Furthermore, ES products suppressed nuclear factor (NF)-κB RelA (p65)-dependent transcriptional activity, whereas ES products had no effect on the κB-binding activity. These results suggest that ES products suppress the IP-10 gene expression by inhibiting the ISRE- and RelA-dependent transcriptional activities in mouse macrophages.

Acute Effects of Breakfast Fruits Meal Sequence and Postprandial Exercise on the Blood Glucose Level and DPP4 Activity among Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients: A Pilot Study.

Objectives: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major global public health issue. Diet and physical exercise are modifiable factors that influence the glycaemic status of patients with T2DM. We aimed to investigate the acute effects of breakfast fruits meal sequence and postprandial exercise on the blood glucose level and dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) activity among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. Methods: A randomized pilot study recruited patients with T2DM who attended two primary health care centres in Tasikmadu District, Karanganyar Regency, and Kartasura District, Sukoharjo Regency, Central Java, Indonesia, from July to October 2016. Eligible patients (4 men and 32 women) were randomly divided into four treatment groups. Venous blood samples were analyzed for fasting and one-hour postprandial blood glucose (FBG and 1 h PPG) levels and DPP4 activity. Blood glucose levels were measured using a routine hexokinase method, and serum DPP4 activity was determined spectrophotometrically after incubation with the Gly-Pro-p-nitroanilide substrate. Results: Fruits last meal decreased FBG level whilst fruits first meal did not significantly decrease 1 h PPG level. Both treatments had no acute effects on DPP4 activity but the addition of postprandial exercise helped lower DPP4 activity. Fruit last and first meals showed significant opposite effects on mean changes of FBG level (p < 0.05). Conclusions: This preliminary report of fruits meal sequence is potentially involved in acute regulation of blood glucose levels and that it might be independent of DPP4 activity in Indonesian patients with T2DM. Moreover, postprandial exercise may be an important intervention for T2DM through the mediation of DPP4 but has no acute effects on the regulation of blood glucose levels. Further studies are required to investigate whether or not different types of fruits and longer treatment intervals can affect blood glucose levels and DPP4 activity differently. This study also gives an insight into the feasibility of conducting food order modification with or without the combination of postprandial exercise in a primary health setting for our next studies.

Characteristics of clinical isolates of nontuberculous mycobacteria in Java-Indonesia: A multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung infections are a major public health concern. Diagnosis of NTM-pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) is difficult because its clinical, microbiological, and radiological features resemble to those of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), leading to misdiagnosis. Identification at the species level is essential for diagnosis and determination of therapy, which is currently not performed routinely in Indonesian laboratories. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: From January 2020 to May 2021, 94 NTM isolates were collected from three TB referral centers in Java Province. Species were identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Tests were performed to determine antibiotic susceptibility, biofilm formation ability, sliding motility characteristics, and the ability to adhere to and invade pneumocytes. After identifying the species of all the isolates, we found nine groups of NTMs: M. fortuitum group 51% (48/94), M. abscessus 38.3% (36/94), M. intracellulare 3.1% (3/94), M. neoaurum 2.1% (2/94), M. chelonae 1.1% (1/94), M. gordonae 1.1% (1/94), M. szulgai 1.1% (1/94), M. mucogenicum 1.1% (1/94), and M. arupense 1.1% (1/94). Amikacin was the most effective antibiotic against M. fortuitum group and M. abscessus. The M. fortuitum group was significantly better at forming biofilms than M. abscessus, but both had the same sliding motility capability. The ability of the M. fortuitum group to adhere to and invade pneumocytes was better than that of M. abscessus, with the number isolates of the M. fortuitum group capable of superior adhesion and invasion to that of M. abscessus. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This study shows that M. fortuitum group and M. abscessus were the most common NTM found in Java, Indonesia. The M. fortuitum group and M. abscessus were the most susceptible to amikacin; therefore, this was the empirical treatment of choice. The ability to form biofilms is directly proportional to the ability to adhere to and invade pneumocytes but not to the susceptibility profile or sliding motility characteristics.

A glycoprotein from Spirometra erinaceieuropaei plerocercoids suppresses osteoclastogenesis and proinflammatory cytokine gene expression.

Various parasites modify the immune-reactions of the host. We have previously shown that crude excretory/secretory (ES) products from plerocercoids of Spirometra erinaceieuropaei, the plerocercoids of which cause sparganosis in humans, suppress the expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and IL-1beta in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages. As osteoclasts are cells of the monocyte/macrophage lineage, we hypothesised that ES products might suppress receptor activator of nuclear factor kappaB ligand-induced osteoclastogenesis. Crude ES products from plerocercoids suppressed osteoclastogenesis, judged by tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive multinuclear cell counting, and the mature osteoclast-specific gene expression (calcitonin receptor and TRAP). Second, we purified the inhibitory factor for osteoclastogenesis from the crude ES products. The factor was a trypsin-sensitive glycoprotein and had a relative molecular mass of 90 kDa. The glycoprotein, plerocercoid-immunosuppressive factor, from crude ES products could suppress the gene expression of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and NO synthesis in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages.

Excretory/secretory products from plerocercoids of Spirometra erinaceieuropaei suppress the TNF-alpha gene expression by reducing phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK in macrophages.

We previously reported that excretory/secretory products from plerocercoids of Spirometra erinaceieuropaei suppress gene expression and production of tumour necrosis factor-alpha in murine macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide. The present study investigated the suppressive mechanisms of tumour necrosis factor-alpha mRNA by excretory/secretory products in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated murine macrophages. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay and supershift assay revealed that neither nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-kappa B nor conformation of the p50/p65 nuclear factor-kappa B subunits was affected by the treatment of excretory/secretory products in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages. Inhibition of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 with PD98059 or p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase with SB203580 partially reduced tumour necrosis factor-alpha mRNA expression, and a combination of the two inhibitors additionally suppressed the level of tumour necrosis factor-alpha mRNA, revealing that both pathways are crucial for full induction of the gene. Northern blot analysis showed that excretory/secretory products additionally suppressed tumour necrosis factor-alpha mRNA expression in cells treated with PD98059 or SB208530 and, in turn, we found that excretory/secretory products reduced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages by Western blot analysis. This is the first report demonstrating that excretory/secretory products from parasites suppress tumour necrosis factor-alpha mRNA expression by reducing phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase without any effect on nuclear factor-kappa B activity in macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide. We hypothesise that excretory/secretory products may enable this parasite to survive within the host.

Excretory/secretory products from plerocercoids of Spirometra erinaceieuropaei suppress interleukin-1beta gene expression in murine macrophages.

The present study shows that ES products from plerocercoids of Spirometra erinaceieuropaei suppressed interleukin-1beta mRNA expression in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages in the absence or presence of a cyclic AMP analogue, dibutyryl cyclic AMP. Investigation using the inhibitors of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways revealed that extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways are crucial for full induction of interleukin-1beta mRNA expression. ES products additionally suppressed interleukin-1beta mRNA expression in the cells treated with p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor (SB203580) or extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 inhibitor (PD98059). Western blot analysis showed that dibutyryl cyclic AMP enhanced lipopolysaccharide-induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and cyclic AMP responsive element binding protein (CREB) and, in turn, we demonstrated that ES products reduced the lipopolysaccharide and dibutyryl cyclic AMP-induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, but not cyclic AMP responsive element binding protein. These data demonstrate that ES products from the plerocercoids of S. erinaceieuropaei may evade induction of interleukin-1beta mRNA by inhibiting extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways in lipopolysaccharide and/or dibutyryl cyclic AMP-stimulated macrophages.

Molecular epidemiology of HIV, HBV, HCV, and HTLV-1/2 in drug abuser inmates in central Javan prisons, Indonesia.

INTRODUCTION: This study was conducted to determine the current molecular prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis D virus (HDV), and human T lymphotropic virus-1/2 (HTLV-1/2) circulating among drug abuser inmates incarcerated in prisons located in Central Java, Indonesia. METHODOLOGY: Socio-epidemiological data and blood specimens were collected from 375 drug abuser inmates in four prisons. The blood samples were analyzed with serological and molecular testing for HIV, HBV, HCV, HDV, and HTLV-1/2. RESULTS: The seroprevalence of HIV, HBsAg, HCV, HDV, and HTLV-1/2 in drug abuser inmates was 4.8% (18/375), 3.2% (12/375), 34.1% (128/375), 0% (0/375), and 3.7% (14/375), respectively. No co-infections of HIV and HBV were found. Co-infections of HIV/HCV, HIV/HTLV-1/2, HBV/HCV, HBV/HTLV-1/2, and HCV/HTLV-1/2 were prevalent at rates of 4% (15/375), 1.3% (5/375), 1.1% (4/375), 0.3% (1/375), and 2.1% (8/375), respectively. The HIV/HCV co-infection rate was significantly higher in injection drug users (IDUs) compared to non-IDUs. Triple co-infection of HIV/HCV/HTLV-1/2 was found only in three IDUs (0.8%). HIV CRF01_AE was found to be circulating in the inmates. HBV genotype B3 predominated, followed by C1. Subtypes adw and adr were found. HCV genotype 1a predominated among HCV-infected inmates, followed by 1c, 3k, 3a, 4a, and 1b. All HTLV-1 isolates shared 100% homology with HTLV-1 isolated in Japan, while all of the HTLV-2 isolates were subtype 2a. CONCLUSION: Drug abuser inmates in prisons may offer a unique community to bridge prevention and control of human blood-borne virus infection to the general community.