Jakarta IO – For more than five decades, dengue, or what is known as “dengue hemorrhagic fever” (DHF) has become a health problem in many parts of the world. To date, dengue infections are still not well controlled, as evidenced by the significant increase in incidence rates in Indonesia and abroad. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the management of dengue control programs.
As revealed by dr. Imran Pambudi, MPH, Director of Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases, Ministry of Health, WHO targets that in endemic countries, cases of dengue fever will be fewer than 10 per 100,000 people. Until 2023, in Indonesia, the figure will still be 52 per 100,000 people. There are only 16 districts/cities that can meet the target of fewer than 10 per 100,000 population. The death rate is only 0.86, but that means more than 100 people are counted per year.
“Mosquitoes that carry the dengue virus can live in harmony with humans. Innovation is needed apart from the 3M Movement campaign to reduce the number of dengue cases in Indonesia. Apart from the dengue vaccine, the innovation of releasing Wolbachia-infected Aedes aegypti has been implemented in five regions in Indonesia. Before becoming a ‘foster mother’ by being a place to store Wolbachia-infected Aedes aegypti, the community was educated about the alternative. Acceptance is up to 90% in Bontang and Semarang,” he said in a podcast with the theme “Pros and Cons of Wolbachia-infected good Aedes aegypti: Which is Right?” which was held Monday (4/12/2023).
Meanwhile, Prof. Dr. Adi Utarini, MSc, MPH, PhD, a researcher from the Faculty of Medicine Gadjah Mada University (UGM), Yogyakarta, said that Wolbachia bacteria are endosymbionts, can only live in tissues or cells. They are found in the bodies of 60% of insects, including fruit flies. Wolbachia bacteria are very specific to insects and cannot be transmitted to other organisms. Wolbachia technology to control the dengue virus that causes dengue fever, not the mosquito.
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“There is an interesting phenomenon, when Wolbachia bacteria are infected with Aedes aegypti’s eggs, their ability to become a dengue virus vector decreases because the virus disrupted the replication. This technology is safe because Wolbachia cannot move to other insects or enter the human body. The release of Wolbachia-infected Aedes aegypti reduced the incidence of dengue fever by up to 77% and 86% of hospital admissions,” said Prof. Uut, her nickname, in a webinar with the theme “What are the Benefits and Risks of Wolbachia-infected Aedes aegypti in Dengue Recognition?” which was held on Friday (1/12/2023).
In conclusion, dr. Imran expressed the opinion that Wolbachia-infected Aedes aegypti represents a new hope for reducing the transmission of dengue fever.
“However, Wolbachia is not a silver bullet. Implementation of Wolbachia-infected Aedes aegypti is a complement to the dengue control program. The implementation of this technology requires strong support from stakeholders and community acceptance,” he said. (est)