Characterization of vector communities and biting behavior in South Sulawesi with host decoy traps and human landing catches

Background: Indonesia has high mosquito diversity, with circulating malaria and arboviruses. Human landing catches (HLC) are ethically questionable where arboviral transmission occurs. The host decoy trap (HDT) is an exposure-free alternative outdoor sampling device. To determine HDT efficacy for local culicids, and to characterize local mosquito fauna, the trapping efficacy of the HDT was compared to that of HLCs in one peri-urban (Lakkang) and one rural (Pucak) village in Sulawesi, Indonesia. Results: In Lakkang the outdoor HLCs collected significantly more Anopheles per night (n = 22 ± 9) than the HDT (n = 3 ± 1), while the HDT collected a significantly greater nightly average of Culex mosquitoes (n = 110 ± 42), than the outdoor HLC (n = 15.1 ± 6.0). In Pucak, there was no significant difference in Anopheles collected between trap types; however, the HDT collected significantly more Culex mosquitoes than the outdoor HLC nightly average (n = 53 ± 11 vs 14 ± 3). Significantly higher proportions of blood-fed mosquitoes were found in outdoor HLC (n = 15 ± 2%) compared to HDT (n = 2 ± 0%). More blood-fed culicines were collected with outdoor HLC compared to the HDT, while Anopheles blood-fed proportions did not differ. For the HDT, 52.6%, 36.8% and 10.5% of identified blood meals were on cow, human, and dog, respectively. Identified blood meals for outdoor HLCs were 91.9% human, 6.3% cow, and 0.9% each dog and cat. Mosquitoes from Pucak were tested for arboviruses, with one Culex pool and one Armigeres pool positive for flavivirus, and one Anopheles pool positive for alphavirus. Conclusions: The HDT collected the highest abundance of culicine specimens. Outdoor HLCs collected the highest abundance of Anopheles specimens. Although the HDT can attract a range of different Asian mosquito genera and species, it remains to be optimized for Anopheles in Asia. The high proportion of human blood meals in mosquitoes collected by outdoor HLCs raises concerns on the potential exposure risk to collectors using this methodology and highlights the importance of continuing to optimize a host-mimic trap such as the HDT

Sepanjang jalan kenangan: Bekerja dengan tiga tokoh besar bangsa

Bekerja dengan Tiga Tokoh Besar Bangsa BUKU ini menceriterakan perjalanan hidup Wardiman Djojonegoro, di mana dia merasa bersyukur dapat bekerja dengan tiga tokoh Indonesia yang membuat sejarah: Ali Sadikin semasa menjabat Gubernur DKI, BJ Habibie ketika menjadi Menteri Riset dan Teknologi dan Kepala Badan Pengkajian dan Penerapan Teknologi (BPPT), dan di zaman Pak Harto sebagai Menteri Kabinet VI bidang Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan. Sejumlah inside story terkait sejumlah nama dan peristiwa mewarnai buku ini. Misalnya, sudah diketahui umum bahwa Ali Sadikin dan Soeharto berpisah jalan dan berseteru secara politik. Namun pada usia senjanya, suatu hari Pak Harto minta bertemu dengan Bang Ali (2007). Semula petugas keamanan di rumah Ali Sadikin menganggap itu hanya guyonan. Ternyata permintaan itu benar adanya. Kisah lain, Habibie, atas desakan mahasiswa Universitas Brawijaya, membentuk dan bahkan dipilih menjadi Ketua Umum Ikatan Cendekiawan Muslim se-Indonesia (ICMI). Beberapa jam sebelum pembukaan muktamar pertama ICMI di Malang, seseorang melaporkan bahwa izin dari yang berwenang belum diterima. Mendengar hal itu, Habibie dengan lantang memerintahkan muktamar jalan terus sambil berkata, "Jika ada petugas datang, saya akan merobek surat perintahnya dan silakan menembak saya." Dan terkait dengan pembentukan ICMI, maka menarik menyimak berdirinya koran Republika dan PT Abdi Bangsa sebagai payungnya. Dalam perannya sebagai Menteri Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, buku ini membeberkan apa persisnya pemikiran Wardiman dengan kebijakan link and match yang sempat menimbulkan pro-kontra. Demikian pula dengan gagasannya untuk mengubah status IKIP negeri menjadi universitas, yang waktu itu dinilai kontroversial