Influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on caregiver beliefs and experiences of routine childhood immunisation in Indonesia.

The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to significant health services declines in South-East Asia including Indonesia, which experienced a decline in routine immunisation of children. This study investigated the influence of the pandemic on the beliefs and experiences of caregivers of children related to routine immunisation. This study involved a cross-sectional survey among 1399 caregivers of children aged 0-24 months in Central Java and West Nusa Tenggara provinces from March-April 2022. Data on beliefs and experiences of childhood immunizations were captured using core items from the WHO/UNICEF Behavioural and Social Drivers of Immunization (BeSD) survey. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses identified factors associated with uptake of routine immunisations. While nearly all caregivers (95.7%) reported wanting their child to receive all recommended routine immunisations, only 40.3% of children aged 2-24 months were up-to-date with all vaccines for age. Factors associated with up-to-date included higher parental education (aOR: 1.76, 95% CI 1.02-3.05), higher household income (aOR: 1.54, 95% CI 1.09-2.18), and caregivers who found it moderately or very easy to get immunisations (aOR: 2.26/2.22, 95% CI 1.06-4.83/1.06-4.69). Recovery efforts should prioritise responding to the factors associated with immunisation status (e.g., perceived ease of access) and on families experiencing disadvantage (e.g., caregivers with lower education and household income) to ensure protections against future outbreaks that are responsive to the context-specific needs and priorities of districts and communities.

The Effects of Chitosan-PEG Nanoparticles Based on Channa striata Protein Hydrolyzate on Decreasing Diabetes Mellitus in Diabetic Rats.

Background: Channa striata has several good nutrients, including 70% protein, 20% albumin, complete amino acids, zinc, selenium, and iron. However, no study has investigated the chitosan-PEG nanoparticles based on Channa striata protein hydrolyzate. This study's purpose was to determine the role of 10% Channa striata protein hydrolyzate, chitosan-PEG 4000 nanoparticles, and chitosan-PEG 6000 nanoparticles in reducing diabetes mellitus in diabetic rats. Method: A randomized pretest-posttest control group design was used, with male Sprague-Dawley rats being divided into five groups: STZ, acarbose, hydrolyzate, chitosan-PEG 4000 nanoparticles, and chitosan-PEG 6000 nanoparticles. Diabetes was induced by a single injection of streptozotocin at 1 ml in each formulation. Blood glucose levels were analyzed using a glucometer 7, 14, and 21 days after treatment. The CHOD-PAP method was used to analyze the lipid profile. Pancreas and liver histology analyses were carried out using a microscope. Results: The formulation of 10% Channa striata protein hydrolyzate and PEG 6000 was the most effective in lowering blood glucose concentrations, and the response was close to the acarbose result. The glucose concentration decreased after daily oral administration of chitosan-PEG nanoparticles for 21 days. The plasma cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, and HDL concentrations were lower in treated than in untreated diabetic rats. Conclusion: This study concluded that the formulation of 10% Channa striata protein hydrolyzate and chitosan-PEG 6000 nanoparticles was more effective than acarbose.

The Prevalence of Lymphatic Filariasis in Elementary School Children Living in Endemic Areas: A Baseline Survey Prior to Mass Drug Administration in Pekalongan District-Indonesia.

BACKGROUND: WHO initiated lymphatic filariasis (LF) elimination globally. Pekalongan District, as LF endemic area, started a program of mass drug administration (MDA) to combat LF in 2015. This study aimed to determine prevalence of Wuchereria bancrofti infection prior to the MDA. METHODS: LF infection was detected by the existence of circulating filarial antigen (CFA) W. bancrofti using immunochromatographic card test (ICT). The study population consisted of 1404 elementary school (ES) students living in Pekalongan District. Overall, 1033 were selected as study subjects. Prevalence survey was also conducted on 436 general population in areas where infected students were found. RESULTS: The subjects ranged from 7-17 yr old (mean 9.85±1.296) and equally distributed between both sexes. Prevalence of W. bancrofti infection was 1.98% in children. Infection was mostly found in older students (12 yr old), male, in 6th grade, but did not differ significantly (P=0.129, 0.376, and 0.212 respectively). On the other hand, distribution of infection was significantly different by school (P=0.009) and sub-district (P=0000). Most of children with LF infection were found in Tirto Sub District. In general population, the prevalence of W. bancrofti infection in Tirto was 4.4%. Proportion of infection in males (12.2%) was greater than females (3.8%), with 78.9% of positive cases were in adult over 20 yr old. CONCLUSION: Cases of W. bancrofti infection exist in Pekalongan District, both in children and adults. Implementation of MDA must be carefully monitored in order to achieve elimination target.

Perceived threat and benefit toward community compliance of filariasis' mass drug administration in Pekalongan district, Indonesia.

PURPOSE: Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a chronic infection of Brugia malayi, Brugia timori, and Wuchereria bancrofti and is a mosquito-transmitted disease. Mass drug administration (MDA) needs to be done annually to control LF and requires adherence of endemic populations to take medication properly. Maintaining high coverage of MDA is a challenge because the activity needs to be done in several years. This study would like to know the compliance of the community in taking medication during MDA periods in Pekalongan district using the health belief model (HBM) approach. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Study population was people living in endemic areas in Pekalongan district, Central Java Province. This was a cross-sectional study. HBM approach was used to analyze community perceived in regard to MDA. There were six of the 19 subdistrict selected as study location, and 100 subjects were selected from each sub-district. Therefore, a total of 600 subjects participated in this study. Data were collected using the structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed quantitatively using the Chi-squared test. Multivariate analysis was used for logistic regression. RESULTS: Results of this study showed that the mean age of subjects was 38.6 years and had been staying in their villages for more than 30 years. Gender, marital status, history of LF, history of LF in the family, and external cues to action did not relate to MDA compliance. Perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, and perceived barriers were factors related to the compliance of MDA. After multivariate analysis, the perceived susceptibility did not have relationship with compliance. CONCLUSION: This study showed HBM variables, ie, perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefit, and perceived barrier associated with the medication adherence of LF. The role of elimination officers was important to increase community knowledge about MDA program and the benefit to control LF disease.

Profile of glycated-hemoglobin, antioxidant vitamin and cytokine levels in pulmonary tuberculosis patients: A cross sectional study at Pulmonary Diseases Center Semarang City, Indonesia.

BACKGROUND: Uncontrolled blood glucose, which marked by high level of HbA1c, increases risk of pulmonary TB because of cellular immunity dysfunction. This study aimed to analyze profile of glycated hemoglobin, antioxidant vitamins status and cytokines levels in active pulmonary TB patients. METHODS: This was a cross sectional study, conducted at Pulmonary Diseases Center Semarang City, Indonesia. Study subject consisted of 62 pulmonary TB patients, diagnosed with positive acid fast bacilli and chest X-ray. ELISA was used to measure IFN-γ and IL-12. Status of antioxidant vitamins was determined by concentration of vitamin A and E using HPLC. Blood glucose control was determined by HbA1c concentration (HbA1c ≥7% is considered as uncontrolled). RESULTS: A significant difference of age between pulmonary tuberculosis patients with normal and uncontrolled blood glucose (p = 0.000) was showed, while all other characteristics (sex, education, occupation) did not differ with p = 0.050, 0.280, 0.380 respectively. Mean HbA1c was 7.25 ± 2.70%. Prevalence of uncontrolled glucose among pulmonary TB patients was 29%. Levels of IFN-γ and IL-12 did not differ according to HbA1c concentration (p = 0.159 and p = 0.965 respectively). Pulmonary tuberculosis patients with uncontrolled blood glucose has higher vitamin E (p = 0.006), while vitamin A did not differ significantly (p = 0.478). CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the importance of performing diabetes screening among pulmonary TB patients. Further study needs to be done to determine the feasibility of TB-DM co-management.