Serology reveals comparable patterns in the transmission intensities of and in Langkat district, North Sumatera Province, Indonesia.

Introduction: The incidence of malaria in Indonesia has declined significantly over the last few decades. Thus, a demand for more sensitive techniques to describe low levels of transmission in the country is important. This study was conducted to evaluate antibody response to and in an area nearing elimination in North Sumatera Province, Indonesia.

Improved limit of detection for zoonotic Plasmodium knowlesi and P. cynomolgi surveillance using reverse transcription for total nucleic acid preserved samples or dried blood spots.

Background: Zoonotic P. knowlesi and P. cynomolgi symptomatic and asymptomatic infections occur across endemic areas of Southeast Asia.

SARS-CoV-2 lineages circulating during the first wave of the pandemic in North Sumatra, Indonesia.

Objectives: To determine the lineage distribution of the virus during the first wave of the pandemic in North Sumatra, Indonesia.

Methods: A total of 20 samples with positive results based on reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction were selected for virus culture and then performed whole-genome sequence analysis using next-generation sequencing which was applied by the Illumina MiSeq instrument.

Results: Whole-genome sequence analysis revealed that the majority of our samples belong to lineages B.

Use of saliva as an alternative diagnostic method for diagnosis of COVID-19.

Background: Mass population testing has been recommended to contain the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. However, the use of nasopharyngeal swab specimens has caused many logistic challenges. This study investigated the sensitivity and specificity of saliva as a non-invasively-obtained specimen for molecular detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA.

The trend of paediatric cases during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in North Sumatra, Indonesia.

Objective: The aim of the study was to describe the epidemiology of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in children in North Sumatra Province during the period June 2020 to July 2021.

Methods: This study included samples from children in North Sumatra Province aged 0-17 years, suspected to have COVID-19. A case of COVID-19 was confirmed by RT-PCR in the Microbiology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Indonesia.

The presence of Plasmodium malariae and Plasmodium knowlesi in near malaria elimination setting in western Indonesia.

Background: Indonesia is progressing towards malaria elimination. To achieve this goal, intervention measures must be addressed to cover all Plasmodium species. Comprehensive control measures and surveillance programmes must be intensified.