Rotavirus A (RVA) is a major cause of acute gastroenteritis in humans and animals worldwide. As a result of the segmented nature of the rotavirus genome, genetic reassortment commonly occurs. This study aims to clarify the genetic characteristics of RVAs circulating in Indonesia. From June 2015 through August 2016, stool samples were collected from 134 children aged <5 years (71 male and 63 female) with acute gastroenteritis who were inpatients at a private hospital in Surabaya, Indonesia. All stool samples were screened for RVA antigen using immunochromatography. Forty-two samples (31.3%, 42/134) were RVA antigen-positive. All RVA positive samples tested showed the unusual combinations of G3P[8] (n = 36) and G3P[6] (n = 3) with a short RNA pattern by G/P typing and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). Whole genome analysis by next-generation sequencing (NGS) was performed for 11 strains to determine the RVA genotypes. Eleven rotavirus strains were found to carry a DS-like genetic backbone; nine strains showed a G3-P[8]-I2-R2-C2-M2-A2-N2-T2-E2-H2 genome constellation, which was recently reported in Australia, Hungary, Spain and Brazil; as well, two strains showed a G3-P[6]-I2-R2-C2-M2-A2-N2-T2-E2-H2 genome constellation. The phylogenetic tree based on the VP7 gene showed that all 11 strains were classified as equine-like G3, which is genetically distinct and different in origin from typical human G3 strains. The phylogenetic tree based on the NSP4 gene showed that six strains were classified as bovine-like strain and the remaining five were classified as human strain. In conclusion, we identified the strains which are intergenogroup reassortants containing an equine-like G3 VP7, a P[8])/P[6] VP4, with a DS-1-like genetic backbone. These findings suggest that equine-like G3P[8] and P[6] RVA strains have been circulating in the Indonesian population for at least 1 year and probably longer, indicating a diversity of RVAs in this area.

Group A rotavirus (RVA) is the most important cause of severe gastroenteritis among children worldwide, and effective RVA vaccines have been introduced in many countries. Here we performed a molecular epidemiological analysis of RVA infection among pediatric patients in East Java, Indonesia, during 2015-2018. A total of 432 stool samples were collected from hospitalized pediatric patients with acute gastroenteritis. None of the patients in this cohort had been immunized with an RVA vaccine. The overall prevalence of RVA infection was 31.7% (137/432), and RVA infection was significantly more prevalent in the 6-to 11-month age group than in the other age groups (P < 0.05). Multiplex reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) revealed that the most common G-P combination was equine-like G3P[8] (70.8%), followed by equine-like G3P[6] (12.4%), human G1P[8] (8.8%), G3P[6] (1.5%), and G1P[6] (0.7%). Interestingly, the equine-like strains were exclusively detected until May 2017, but in July 2017 they were completely replaced by a typical human genotype (G1 and G3), suggesting that the dynamic changes in RVA genotypes from equine-like G3 to typical human G1/G3 in Indonesia can occur even in the country with low RVA vaccine coverage rate. The mechanism of the dynamic changes in RVA genotypes needs to be explored. Infants and children with RVA-associated gastroenteritis presented more frequently with some dehydration, vomiting, and watery diarrhea, indicating a greater severity of RVA infection compared to those with non-RVA gastroenteritis. In conclusion, a dynamic change was found

Norovirus (NoV) is a major cause of nonbacterial acute gastroenteritis worldwide in all age groups, and asymptomatic individuals may contribute to NoV transmission as a reservoir. Nonetheless, little information is available regarding asymptomatic NoV infection in Indonesia. We performed an epidemiological analysis of NoV infection among asymptomatic healthy volunteers in the city of Surabaya, Indonesia (population ~2.75 million). A total of 512 stool samples from 18 individuals (age range 20-42years) collected from July 2015 to June 2016 were examined. The detection of NoV and the genotype classification were carried out by a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) direct sequencing method. NoV was detected in 14 of the 512 stool samples (2.7%), with 7 individuals (38.9%) having at least 1 positive stool sample. All 14 of the NoV strains detected belonged to genogroup GII. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that 10 strains (71.4%) were grouped with GII.2, 2 (14.3%) were GII.17, 1 was GII.4 Sydney 2012, and 1 was GII.1. The circulation of GII.Pg/GII.1 and GII.Pe/GII.4 Sydney 2012 recombinant variants was detected among an asymptomatic population in Surabaya, Indonesia. Of the 7 positive individuals, 2 were repeatedly infected with the same strain and heterogenous strains. Taken together, our results suggest that the excretion of NoV from healthy individuals is one of the sources of NoV outbreak.

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h Quasispecies of hepatitis B virus (HBV) with variations in the major hydrophilic region (MHR) of the HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) can evolve during infection, allowing HBV to evade neutralizing antibodies. These escape variants may contribute to chronic infections. In this study, we looked for MHR variants in HBV quasispecies using ultradeep sequencing and evaluated the relationship between these variants and clinical manifestations in infected patients. We enrolled 30 Indonesian patients with hepatitis B infection (11 with chronic hepatitis and 19 with advanced liver disease). The most common subgenotype/subtype of HBV was B3/adw (97%). The HBsAg titer was lower in patients with advanced liver disease than that in patients with chronic hepatitis. The MHR variants were grouped based on the percentage of the viral population affected: major, >20% of the total population; intermediate, 5% to <20%; and minor, 1% to <5%. The rates of MHR variation that were present in the major and intermediate viral population were significantly greater in patients with advanced liver disease than those in chronic patients. The most frequent MHR variants related to immune evasion in the major and intermediate populations were P120Q/T, T123A, P127T, Q129H/R, M133L/T, and G145R. The major population of MHR variants causing impaired of HBsAg secretion (e.g., G119R, Q129R, T140I, and G145R) was detected only in advanced liver disease patients. This is the first study to use ultradeep sequencing for the detection of MHR variants of HBV quasispecies in Indonesian patients. We found that a greater number of MHR variations was related to disease severity and reduced likelihood of HBsAg titer.T he high mutation rate of hepatitis B virus (HBV), which is attributable to the lack of a proofreading function in its polymerase and the high replication rate of the virus, induces viral diversity, referred to as viral quasispecies. Many studies have demonstrated that the identification of HBV quasispecies may help predict disease progression and therapeutic outcomes (1-3). Accordingly, HBV variants in the quasispecies pool are probably clinically relevant (4).The surface (S) region used to classify HBV strains is responsible for the expression of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). HBsAg is the major target for viral neutralization by the immune responses of the host, either naturally or by vaccine-induced antibodies. However, the major hydrophilic region (MHR) located in the central HBsAg, comprising amino acids 100 to 169, contains many discontinuous B-cell epitopes that are recognized by hepatitis B surface antibodies (anti-HBs) (5-7). The exact border of the neutralizing domain of the MHR region is still unclear, although the ␣-determinant region (amino acids 124 to 147) within the MHR has been known to be strongly involved in antibody binding (8,9). Moreover, many studies have noted that variations within the MHR can alter the antigenicity of HBsAg and are responsible for (i) the evasion of vaccine-induced antibodies, (ii) the failure of immu...

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to a global pandemic, including Indonesia. However, there are only limited data regarding the precise prevalence of the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. Here, to estimate the magnitude of SARS-CoV-2 infection in East Java, Indonesia, we investigated the prevalence of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies. We enrolled 1,819 individuals from June to December 2020 and observed that the subjects’ overall prevalence of IgG antibody to SARS-CoV-2 was 11.4% (207/1,819). The prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies differed significantly between the job/occupation groups (P = 0.0001). A greater prevalence of IgG was detected in laboratory technicians (who take samples from suspected cases and deal with polymerase chain reaction [PCR] procedures, 22.2%) compared to medical personnel who see and take direct care of patients with COVID-19 (e.g., physicians and nurses, 6.0%), other staff in medical facilities (2.9%), general population (12.1%) and non-COVID-19 patients (14.6%). The highest prevalence among age groups was in the 40–49-year-olds (14.8%), and the lowest prevalence was in the 20–29-year-olds (7.4%). However, the younger population still showed a higher prevalence than generally reported, suggesting greater exposure to the virus but less susceptibility to the disease. A geographical difference was also observed: a higher prevalence in Surabaya (13.1%) than in Jombang (9.9%). In conclusion, the COVID-19 outbreak among asymptomatic populations was characterized by a high prevalence of infection in East Java, Indonesia.

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The COVID-19 pandemic had a severe global impact. A range of campaigns and activities, including vaccines, are being implemented to counteract this pandemic. Using observational data, the goal of this scoping review is to identify adverse events connected with COVID-19 vaccinations. We conduct a scoping study and searched three databases from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 through June 2022. Based on our criteria and searched keywords, the review included eleven papers in total, with the majority of the studies being conducted in developed countries. The study populations varied and included general community populations, healthcare professionals, military forces, and patients with systemic lupus and cancer. This study includes vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech, Oxford-AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, and Moderna. The COVID-19 vaccine-related adverse events were classified into three types: local side effects, systemic side effects, and other side effects such as allergies. The adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines are mild to moderate in severity, with no significant influence or interference in individual daily activities and no unique patterns in cause of death among vaccine-related deaths. According to the findings of these investigations, the COVID-19 vaccine is safe to administer and induces protection. It is vital to convey accurate information to the public about vaccination side effects, potential adverse responses, and the safety level of the vaccines supplied. Multiple strategies must be implemented at the individual, organizational, and population levels to eliminate vaccine hesitance. Future studies could investigate the vaccine's effect on people of various ages and medical conditions.