How should Indonesia consider its neglected tropical diseases in the COVID-19 era? Hopes and challenges (Review)

Fauziyah,Shifa; Putri,Serius Miliyani Dwi; Salma,Zukhaila; Wardhani,Hamidah Retno; Hakim,Faradila Khoirun Nisa'; Sucipto,Teguh Hari; Aquaresta,Febriana; Soegijanto,Soegeng

doi:10.3892/br.2021.1429

How should Indonesia consider its neglected tropical diseases in the COVID-19 era? Hopes and challenges (Review)

Authors:
- Shifa Fauziyah
- Serius Miliyani Dwi Putri
- Zukhaila Salma
- Hamidah Retno Wardhani
- Faradila Khoirun Nisa' Hakim
- Teguh Hari Sucipto
- Febriana Aquaresta
- Soegeng Soegijanto
View Affiliations

Affiliations: Master Program of Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, East Java 60132, Indonesia, Dengue Study Group, Institute of Tropical Disease, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, East Java 60115, Indonesia, Clinical Microbiology Specialist Program, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, East Java 60132, Indonesia
Published online on: April 6, 2021 https://doi.org/10.3892/br.2021.1429
Article Number: 53
Copyright: © Fauziyah et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

Metrics: Total Views: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )

Metrics: Total PDF Downloads: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )

Cited By (CrossRef): 0 citations Loading Articles...

Abstract

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) pandemic, some countries, including Indonesia, have faced a double burden with regards to disease control. As Indonesia is a tropical country, it serves as a suitable host for disease vectors and multiple microorganisms of causative agents of disease. In total, five of the neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) should be a consideration in Indonesia during the COVID‑19 pandemic, including leprosy, yaws, filariasis, soil‑transmitted helminths and schistosomiasis. The present review summarises the preparedness of Indonesia in facing NTDs during the COVID‑19 pandemic. Strengthening government leadership will be a valuable factor for combating NTDs in Indonesia. For instance, strong leadership can lead to precise management, by increasing the number of health facilities, engaging in active case identification, conducting health campaigns and instituting new regulations to prevent the stigmatization faced by patients. Preventive medicine in the first level of health facilities can be prioritized and presented to the community via health campaigns, health advocacy and improvement in follow‑up after active case surveillance. Government‑supported integrated management is also a key component in eliminating NTD. Moreover, healthy lifestyle campaigns that include social distancing, wearing a mask and regularly washing hands should be promoted continuously to reduce the transmission of COVID‑19, which is potentially associated with a poor outcome in individuals with NTDs. This review concluded that the Indonesian government should strengthen their efforts toward NTD control using alternative methods, such as involving key citizens in the collaboration of the detection of new cases and introducing mobile health as a means of detecting health problems or following up on patient progress. To reduce the transmission of COVID‑19, testing, tracing and treatment must be improved, so that the gap between suspected cases and confirmed cases of COVID‑19 can be closed. If the transmission of COVID‑19 can be decreased, case detection and efforts toward NTD control can be conducted effectively.

View Figures

View References

1	World Health Organization: WHO coronavirus disease (COVID-19) dashboard. WHO Health Emergency Dashboard. https://covid19.who.int/. Accessed March 29, 2021.
2	Indonesian Ministry of Health: COVID-19. https://infeksiemerging.kemkes.go.id/. Accessed October 23, 2020.
3	World Health Organization: Neglected Tropical Diseases. Hidden Successes, Emerging Opportunities, Geneva, 2009.
4	World Health Organization: Neglected tropical diseases. https://www.who.int/neglected_diseases/en/. Accessed October 23, 2020.
5	Centres for Disease Control and Prevention: Neglected Tropical Diseases. https://www.cdc.gov/globalhealth/ntd/. Accessed October 23, 2020.
6	World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF): Community-Based Health Care, Including Outreach and Campaigns, in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Geneva, p39, 2020.
7	Indonesian Ministry of Health: Dengue Situation in Indonesia 0n 2016. https://pusdatin.kemkes.go.id/article/view/16090700001/situasi-demam-berdarah-dengue2016.html. Accessed October 23, 2020.
8	Indonesian Ministry of Health: Profile Kesehatan Indonesia Tahun 2018. Ministry of Health Indonesia, pp107-108, 2018.
9	Trautman JR: A brief history of Hansen's disease. Bull NY Acad Med. 60:689–695. 1984.PubMed/NCBI
10	Bhat RM and Prakash C: Leprosy: An overview of pathophysiology. Interdiscip Perspect Infect Dis. 2012(181089)2012.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
11	Rambukkana A, Zanazzi G, Tapinos N and Salzer JL: Contact-dependent demyelination by Mycobacterium leprae in the absence of immune cells. Science. 296:927–931. 2002.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
12	Shepard CC: Temperature optimum of Mycobacterium leprae in mice. J Bacteriol. 90:1271–1275. 1965.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
13	Desikan KV: Sreevatsa. Extended studies on the viability of Mycobacterium leprae outside the human body. Lepr Rev. 66:287–295. 1995.PubMed/NCBI
14	Suzuki K, Udono T, Fujisawa M, Tanigawa K, Idani G and Ishii N: Infection during infancy and long incubation period of leprosy suggested in a case of a chimpanzee used for medical research. J Clin Microbiol. 48:3432–3434. 2010.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
15	World Health Organization: WHO Expert Committee on Leprosy [Seventh Report] 874. Geneva, 1998.
16	Centres for Disease Control and Prevention: How Do People Get Hansen's Disease? U.S Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.cdc.gov/leprosy/transmission/index.html. Accessed October 23, 2020.
17	World Health Organization: Global Leprosy Strategy 2016-2020: Accelerating Towards a Leprosy-Free World. https://www.who.int/lep/resources/9789290225096/en/. Accessed October 23, 2020.
18	Indonesian Ministry of Health: Hapuskan Stigma dan Diskriminasi terhadap Kusta. InfoDatin Pusat Data dan Informasi Kementrian Kesehatan RI. pp1-11, 2018 (In Indonesian).
19	Wibawa T and Satoto TB: Magnitude of neglected tropical diseases in Indonesia at postmillennium development goals era. J Trop Med. 2016(5716785)2016.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
20	Saxena S, Khurana A, B S, Sardana K, Agarwal A, Muddebihal A, Raina A and Paliwal P: Severe type 2 leprosy reaction with COVID-19 with a favourable outcome despite continued use of corticosteroids and methotrexate and a hypothesis on the possible immunological consequences. Int J Infect Dis. 103:549–551. 2021.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
21	Rathod S, Suneetha S, Narang T, Bhardwaj A, Gupta SK, Kamoji SG, Ashwini PK, Pradhan S, Rather SP, Patnaik S, et al: Management of leprosy in the context of COVID-19 pandemic: recommendations by SIG leprosy (IADVL Academy). Indian Dermatol Online J. 11:345–348. 2020.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
22	World Health Organization: Lymphatic Filariasis. https://www.who.int/health-topics/lymphatic-filariasis#tab=tab_1. Accessed October 23, 2020.
23	Indonesian Ministry of Health: Data dan Informasi Profil Kesehatan Indonesia 2019 8. Profil Kesehatan Indonesia. Indonesia Ministry of Health, Jakarta, pp1-213, 2020 (In Indonesian).
24	Indonesian Ministry of Health: Situasi Filariasis di Indonesia. Infodatin Pusat Data dan Informasi Kementerian Kesehatan RI. pp1-12, 2019 (In Indonesian).
25	Hoedojo. Vectors of malaria and filariasis in Indonesia. Bul Penelit Kesehat. 17:181–189. 1989.
26	Ginandjar P, Saraswati LD, Suparyanto D, Sakundarno M and Supali T: The prevalence of lymphatic filariasis in elementary School Children Living in endemic areas: A baseline survey prior to Mass Drug Administration in Pekalongan District-Indonesia. Iran J Public Health. 47:1484–1492. 2018.PubMed/NCBI
27	Astuti EP, Hendri J, Ipa M and Ruliansyah A: Identification of Wuchereria bancrofti in Culex quinquefasciatus Post-Mass Drug Administration (MDA) Lymphatic Filariasis in Bekasi District. Indonesian Ministry of Health, Indonesia, 2020.
28	Suweni K and Soeyoko SS: Filariasis bancrofti epidemiology post mass drug administration in Waris District Keerom Regency Province of Papua. Trop. Med J. 3:57–63. 2013.
29	World Health Organization: WHO issues interim guidance for implementation of NTD programmes. https://www.who.int/neglected_diseases/news/LF-reporting-continued-progress-towards-elimination-as-php/en/. Accessed November 12, 2020.
30	World Health Organization: Alternative Mass Drug Administration Regimens to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis. Geneva: World Health Organization; (2017). https://www.who.int/lymphatic_filariasis/resources/9789241550161/en/. Accessed November 12, 2020.
31	Michael E, Singh BK, Mayala BK, Smith ME, Hampton S and Nabrzyski J: Continental-scale, data-driven predictive assessment of eliminating the vector-borne disease, lymphatic filariasis, in sub-Saharan Africa by 2020. BMC Med. 15(176)2017.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
32	Bhullar N and Maikere J: Challenges in mass drug administration for treating lymphatic filariasis in Papua, Indonesia. Parasit Vectors. 3(70)2010.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
33	World Health Organization: Yaws. Geneva: World Health Organization; (2020). Yaws (Endemic treponematoses) (who.int) Accessed November 12, 2020.
34	World Health Organization: Report of a Global Meeting on Yaws Eradication Surveillance, Monitoring and Evaluation. Geneva, 2018. Accessed November 12, 2020.
35	Stolk WA, Prada JM, Smith ME, Kontoroupis P, de Vos AS, Touloupou P, Irvine MA, Brown P, Subramanian S, Kloek M, et al: Are alternative strategies required to accelerate the global elimination of lymphatic filariasis? Insights from mathematical models. Clin Infect Dis. 66 (Suppl 4):S260–S266. 2018.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
36	Directorate General of Disease Prevention and Control. Indonesian Ministry of Health: Integrasi Sosialisasi Program Pencegahan dan Pengendalian Penyakit Kusta dan Frambusia; 2019. kemkes.go.id. Accessed November 12, 2020.
37	Neglected tropical diseases: Impact of COVID-19 and WHO's response - Maladies tropicales négligées. Impact de la COVID-19 et réponse de l'OMS. Wkly Epidemiol Rec. 39:461–468. 2020.
38	Silver ZA, Kaliappan SP, Samuel P, Venugopal S, Kang G, Sarkar R and Ajjampur SS: Geographical distribution of soil transmitted helminths and the effects of community type in South Asia and South East Asia - A systematic review. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 12(e0006153)2018.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
39	Pullan RL, Smith JL, Jasrasaria R and Brooker SJ: Global numbers of infection and disease burden of soil transmitted helminth infections in 2010. Parasit Vectors. 7(37)2014.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
40	Kyu HH, Abate D, Abate KH, Abay SM, Abbafati C, Abbasi N, Abbastabar H, Abd-Allah F, Abdela J, Abdelalim A, et al: GBD 2017 DALYs and HALE Collaborators: Global, regional, and national disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for 359 diseases and injuries and healthy life expectancy (HALE) for 195 countries and territories, 1990-2017: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. Lancet. 392:1859–1922. 2018.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
41	World Health Organization: Soil-transmitted helminth infections. Geneva: World Health Organization; (2020). Soil-transmitted helminths (who.int) Accessed November 12, 2020.
42	Jourdan PM, Lamberton PHL, Fenwick A and Addiss DG: Soil-transmitted helminth infections. Lancet. 391:252–265. 2018.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
43	Mbong Ngwese M, Prince Manouana G, Nguema Mour PA, Ramharte M, Esen M and Adégnika AA, Esen M and Adégnika AA: Diagnostic techniques of soil-transmitted helminths: Impact on control measures. Trop Med Infect Dis. 5(5)2020.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
44	Kurniati M, Budiono B and Sulistyawati SW: Intestinal Protozoa infections in relation to nutritional status of the students Mandangin Island elementary School 6 in Sampang regency. JUXTA J Ilm Mhs Kedokt Univ Airlangga. 10(25)2019.
45	Mau F: Prevalence and intensity of soil-Tansmitted helminth infections Among elementary School Students in West Sumba and Central Sumba districts East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. J Med Sci Clin Res 5, 2017.
46	World Health Organization: Preventive Chemotherapy to Control Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infection in At-Risk Population Groups. p75, 2017.
47	World Health Organization. Helminth Control in School-Age Children Helminth Control in School Age Children 90; (2011).
48	World Health Organization: 2030 Targets for Soil-Transmitted Helminthiases Control Programmes. 2020.
49	Montresor A, Mupfasoni D, Mikhailov A, Mwinzi P, Lucianez A, Jamsheed M, Gasimov E, Warusavithana S, Yajima A, Bisoffi Z, et al: The global progress of soil-transmitted helminthiases control in 2020 and World Health Organization targets for 2030. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 14(e0008505)2020.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
50	Freeman MC, Akogun O, Belizario V Jr, Brooker SJ, Gyorkos TW, Imtiaz R, Krolewiecki A, Lee S, Matendechero SH, Pullan RL, et al: Challenges and opportunities for control and elimination of soil-transmitted helminth infection beyond 2020. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 13(e0007201)2019.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
51	Gutman JR, Lucchi NW, Cantey PT, Steinhardt LC, Samuels AM, Kamb ML, Kapella BK, McElroy PD, Udhayakumar V and Lindblade KA: Malaria and parasitic neglected tropical diseases: Potential syndemics with COVID-19? Am J Trop Med Hyg. 103:572–577. 2020.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
52	Trasia RF: Covid-19 dan Koinfeksi Penyakit Parasit. Med Hospitalia J Clin Med. 7:298–303. 2020.
53	Indonesian Ministry of Health: Panduan Pelayanan Kesehatan Balita Pada Masa Tanggap Darurat COVID-19. Indonesian Ministry of Health, pp1-30, 2020.
54	Cabinet Secretariat of The Republic of Indonesia: Health Minister Signs Regulation of Guidelines to Propose Large-scale Social Restrictions amid COVID-19 Pandemic. https://setkab.go.id/en/health-minister-signs-regulation-on-guidelines-to-propose-large-scale-social-restrictions-amid-covid-19-pandemic/. Accessed November 16, 2020.
55	Okereke M, Ukor NA, Adebisi YA, Ogunkola IO, Favour Iyagbaye E, Adiela Owhor G and Lucero-Prisno DE III: Impact of COVID-19 on access to healthcare in low- and middle-income countries: Current evidence and future recommendations. Int J Health Plann Manage. 36:13–17. 2021.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
56	World Health Organization: Schistosomiasis. https://www.who.int/health-topics/schistosomiasis#tab=tab_1. Accessed November 16, 2020.
57	Nurwidayati A, Frederika PP and Sudomo M: Fluktuasi schistosomiasis di daerah Endemis provinsi Sulawesi tengah tahun 2011-2018. Buletin Penelitian Kesehatan. 47:199–206. 2019.
58	Centres for Disease Control and Prevention: Parasites-schistosomiasis. https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/schistosomiasis/disease.html. Accessed November 16, 2020.
59	Colley DG, Bustinduy AL, Secor WE and King CH: Human schistosomiasis. Lancet. 383:2253–2264. 2014.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
60	Nelwan ML: Schistosomiasis: Life cycle, diagnosis, and control. Curr Ther Res Clin Exp. 91:5–9. 2019.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
61	Ajibola O, Gulumbe BH, Eze AA and Obishakin E: Tools for detection of schistosomiasis in resource limited settings. Med Sci (Basel). 6(39)2018.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
62	Indonesia Ministry of Development Planning and Agency: Bappenas. Siaran Pers Roadmap Eradikasi Schistosomiasis. https://www.bappenas.go.id/files/5715/1617/7261/Siaran_Pers_-_Roadmap_Eradikasi_Schistosomiasis_20182025_Wujud_Komitmen_Pemerintah_Atasi_Penyakit_Demam_Keong.pdf; (2018-25): Wujud Komitmen Pemerintah Atasi Penyakit Demam Keong. Jakarta, Indonesia, 2018.
63	World Health Organization: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation report, 48. World Health Organization. 19:1–20. 2021.
64	Elyazar IR, Surendra H, Ekawati L, Djaafara BA, Nurhasim A, Hidayana I, Widyastuti W, Oktavia D, Adrian V, Salama N, et al: Excess mortality during the first ten months of COVID-e9 Epidemic at Jakarta, Indonesia. medRxiv. 69:1–13. 2020.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
65	Surendra H, Elyazar IR, Djaafara BA, Ekawati LL, Saraswati K, Adrian V, Oktavia D, Salama N, Lina RN, Andrianto A, et al: Clinical characteristics and mortality associated with COVID-19 in Jakarta, Indonesia: a hospital-based retrospective cohort study. medRxiv. 3768:1–21. 2020.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
66	Martindale S, Mableson HE, Kebede B, Kiros FH, Tamiru A, Mengistu B, Krueger A, Mackenzie CD and Kelly-Hope LA: A comparison between paper-based and m-Health tools for collating and reporting clinical cases of lymphatic filariasis and podoconiosis in Ethiopia. mHealth. 4:49. 2018.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar