Seroprevalence of human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 in Papua New Guinea and Irian Jaya measured using different Western blot criteria

Background: Endemic foci of HTLV-1 carriers have been found in the world, however, the origin of HTLV-1 in humans is still unclear. Since a distinct type of virus strain was isolated from the Solomon Islands, detailed surveys on HTLV-1 prevalence in New Guinea are important to shed light on its history of dissemination. Objecti6e: To clarify the seroprevalence of HTLV-1 in different regions of New Guinea Island. Study design: Sera from 1221 individuals (649 males, 454 females and 118 unknown) in New Guinea Island were studied for the presence of antibodies to HTLV-1 by a particle agglutination and the Western blot (WB) tests. Two different sets of criteria, proposed by WHO and Kiyokawa et al., were employed to interpret the WB test. Since the latter seemed to lack adequate specificity, the WHO criteria was used for the evaluation of the seroprevalence throughout the study. Results: Seroprevalence of HTLV-1 differed by the WB criteria. By the more stringent criteria, HTLV-1 carriers were found in Madang, Chimbu and one hinterland province, Enga, in Papua New Guinea. An overall seroprevalence rate in different regions ranged from 0 to 14.6%. No seropositive individuals were found in Irian Jaya. Conclusions: To avoid overestimating the seropositivity rates, the WHO criteria would be more appropriate to employ for WB test by using the samples obtained from tropical and:or malaria endemic areas. This study is the first to show HTLV-1 infected individuals in the hinterland of New Guinea Island

Plasma Levels of Inter-α Inhibitor Proteins in Children with Acute Dengue Virus Infection

Background: Inter-α inhibitor proteins (IaIp) belong to a family of protease inhibitors that are involved in the haemostatic and the vascular system. Dengue viruses (DENV) infections are characterized by coagulopathy and increased vascular permeability. In this study we measured the concentration of IaIp during DENV infections and evaluated its potential as a biomarker. Methods and Findings: Concentrations of IaIp were measured in patients with acute DENV infections using a quantitative, competitive enzyme linked immunoassay. Concentrations of IaIp measured in pediatric patients suffering from severe DENV infections were significantly lower than in healthy controls. Conclusions: This is the first report to demonstrate changes in concentration of IaIp during viral infections. The data also highlight the potential of IaIp as a biological marker for severity of DENV infections

Differential Gene Expression Changes in Children with Severe Dengue Virus Infections

Dengue virus infection is an impressively emerging disease that can be fatal in severe cases. It is not precisely clear why some patients progress to severe disease whereas most patients only suffer from a mild infection. In severe disease, a “cytokine storm” is induced, which indicates the release of a great number of inflammatory mediators (“cytokines”). Evidence suggested that a balance could be involved between protective and pathologic cytokine release patterns. We studied this concept in a cohort of Indonesian children with severe dengue disease using a gene expression profiling method

Preliminary findings on iron supplementation and learning achievement of rural Indonesian children

The effects of oral iron supplementation on blood iron levels and learning achievement in 130 rural Indonesian school children were assessed in this double-blind study. The children were classified into anemic and nonanemic groups according to their initial hemoglobin and transferrin saturation levels and were randomly assigned to either iron or placebo treatment for 3 mo. Hematological, anthropometric, and learning-achievement data were collected before (Ti) and after (T2) the treatment period and 3 mo later. The means and standard deviations suggest that supplementation with 10 mg ferrous sulfate per kilogram body weight per day for 3 mo resulted in an apparent improvement in anemic subjects hematological status and learning-achievement scores. No tests of statistical comparisons are reported

Malaria Species And Southeast Asian Ovalocytosis Defined By A 27-BP Deletion In The Erythrocyte Band 3 Gene

To evaluate the resistance of SAO against species specific malaria infection, relationships between parasite species and the 27-bp deletion in the band 3 gene were studied in malaria endemic Sumba Island, eastern Indonesia. Thick blood films were prepared from patients with malaria symptoms (n=129) and healthy controls (n=231). Species of Plasmodium was identified by microscopic observation. The 27-bp deletion was screened by the PCR method. Among 231 healthy controls, 29 (12.6%) had the 27-bp deletion, whereas 14 (10.9%) among 129 patients confirmed with malaria infection harbored the 27-bp deletion. No significant difference was observed in the prevalence of the 27-bp deletion between controls and patients (p>0.8). There was no significant difference in the frequency of the 27-bp deletion between P. vivax and P. falciparum infected subjects at 5% level by Fisher’s exact test. The present result showing no correlation between the presence of the 27-bp deletion and infected parasite species is consistent with the post-invasion resistance hypothesis that may involve not a single malaria species

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and Southeast Asian ovalocytosis in asymptomatic Plasmodium carriers in Sumba island, Indonesia

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency and Southeast Asian ovalocytosis (SAO) caused by a 27-bp deletion in the band 3 gene (Band3Delta 27) are well-documented genetic traits resistant to malarial diseases; however, relationships between these traits and asymptomatic malaria infection hitherto had not been investigated. Filter-blotted blood samples were collected from a total of 210 healthy individuals, 100 males and 110 females, aged 6-17 years, in Sumba island, Indonesia, to survey for the presence of Plasmodium parasites, G6PD activity and the Band3Delta 27 mutation. Presence of P. falciparum and/or P. vivax was identified in 25 subjects (11.9%). In all, 24 subjects (11.4%) showed Band3Delta 27 heterozygously. In males and females, eight and nine subjects, respectively, showed G6PD deficiency. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of asymptomatic malaria infection between individuals with or without these traits (P > 0.05). No alterations in the prevalence of asymptomatic malaria infection suggest that parasite invasion into erythrocytes is unlikely to be a target phase in which the two polymorphisms demonstrate possible protective effects against malaria

Molecular Variants of Red Cell Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency in Central Java, Indonesia

One hundred and sixty-nine Javanese males were screened for the presence of red cell glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) variants by a dye decoloration screening test and starch gel electrophoresis. The frequency of G6PD deficiency was 14%. Three non-deficient electrophoretic variants with mobilities of 95, 105 and 107% of GdB+ were encountered. Sixteen G6PD-defïcient subjects were further investigated for the presence of mutations at nt95 A G, nt487 G A, nt493 A G, nt563 C T, nt1024 C T, nt1376 G T, nt1388 G A and the silent mutation (nt1311 C T) of the G6PD gene by natural or artificially created amplified restriction sites. They were identified by the polymerase chain reaction and electrophoresis of restriction-digested products. Five subjects had the Mediterranean mutation (nt563 C T), but only one had simultaneous presence of nt1311(T). The next common mutations were 1376(T) in three subjects and 487(A) in two subjects. Five of the sixteen subjects had the nt 1311(T) mutation giving an overall frequency of 0.31. The other four mutations were absent in this population sample

The Pacific lineage (2E) of JC polyomavirus is prevalent in Sumba Island, Eastern Indonesia

Recent studies have identified a Pacific lineage (2E) of JC polyomavirus (also designated as JC virus or JCV) that occurs in both Island Southeast Asia and Oceania, but not in mainland Asia. It has been postulated that this lineage traveled with Austronesian-speaking people who are now spread throughout Island Southeast Asia and Oceania (excluding Australia and inland and southern New Guinea). However, to date, the 2E lineage has been identified in Southeast Asia only in populations of the Philippine islands. Here we report that a high incidence of the 2E lineage was detected in the people of Sumba Island, eastern Indonesia

Twenty-Seven Base Pair Deletion in Erythrocyte Band 3 Protein Gene Responsible for Southeast Asian Ovalocytosis Is Not Common among Southeast Asians

Screening for a 27-bp deletion in the band 3 protein gene that causes Southeast Asian/Melanesian ovalocytosis (SAO) was carried out using the PCR method among 15 Southeast Asian populations of Thailand (Akha, Hmong, Isaan, Red Karen, White Karen, Black Lahu, Lisu, Manni, Shan, and central Thais) and Indonesia (Bugis, Dayak, Javanese, Madurian, and Toraja). Individuals with the 27-bp deletion were identified only in the Bugis of southern Sulawesi, the Dayak of southern Borneo, and Javanese of central Java. The gene frequency of the 27-bp deletion in the general population was rather low: 0.012 and 0.013 in the Dayak and the Bugis, respectively. This restricted ethnic and geographic distribution of the 27-bp deletion suggests (1) local differentiation in the prevalence of this deletion in a given ethnic group and (2) the presence of molecular heterogeneity of SAO

Genetic Variation at 9 Autosomal Microsatellite Loci in Asian and Pacific Populations

Genetic variation at 9 autosomal microsatellite loci (CFS1R, TH01, PLA2A, F13A1, CYP19, LPL, D20S481, D20S473, and D20S604) has been characterized in 16 Asian and Oceanic populations, mostly from mainland and insular Southeast Asia. The neighbor-joining tree and the principal coordinates analysis of the genetic relationships of these populations show a clear separation of Papua New Guinea Highlanders and, to a lesser extent, Malayan aborigines (Orang Asli or Semai) from the rest of the populations. Although the number of markers used in this study appears to be inadequate for clarifying the patterns of genetic relationships among the studied populations, in the principal coordinates analysis a geographic trend is observed in the mainland and insular Southeast Asian populations. Furthermore, in an attempt to contrast the extent of variation between autosomal and Y-chromosome-specific microsatellite loci and to reveal potential differences in the patterns of male and female migrations, we have also compared genetic variation at these 9 autosomal loci with variation observed at 5 Y-chromosome-specific microsatellites in a common set of 14 Asian populations