BACKGROUND

Institute of Tropical Disease (ITD) Universitas Airlangga is a research institution which focuses on tropical diseases. The areas of research in ITD consist of basic and applied research as well as innovative research, primarily on the prevention of tropical diseases, molecular biology and genetics. ITD have both national and international cooperation with third parties including the Collaborative Research Center – Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases (CRC – ERID) with Kobe University Japan. One of the study groups involved in CRC-ERID is Influenza Study Group. The Collaborative Parties with Influenza Study Group ITD are shown in Figure 1.

Influenza Study Group’s project in collaboration research with Kobe University is on molecular epidemiology of Avian Influenza virus infection in Indonesia.The research activity plans include human virus sampling, animal virus sampling, and scientific seminar as well as publications.

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

The Influenza study group research activities are mainly categorized into three activities:

  1. Human virus sampling
    We collected the human virus samples based on the ILI (Influenza-Like-Illness) symptoms from several places namely: a) Dr. Soetomo General Hospital (with planned sampling sites from pulmonology and respiratory medicine department, pediatric department, internal medicine department specific on HIV patients, and samples from Special Isolation Ward); b) Public Health centers in Surabaya and Malang; and c) Larangan traditional wet market in Sidoarjo. We also collected samples for detection of MERS-Coy among Hajj Pilgrims after the Hajj pilgrimage season. Human samples were taken from nasal and throat swab, saliva, and blood sample (serum).
  2. Animal virus sampling
    The animal samples were taken from traditional markets (Larangan-Sidoarjo and others), traditional farms from several places around East Java, agricultural area, as well as from where the OUTBREAK of animal influenza occurs. We collected animal samples during dry season and wet season. Some interesting findings were found: HPAIV subtype H5N 1 Eurasian Glade, H3N6, H4N6, and H5N 1 co-infection.
  3. Scientific Seminars and Publications
    The members of Influenza study group were quite active in joining scientific seminars or annual meetings, either national or international based. We have submitted several abstract on oral presentation and posters.
OUTPUT

The aims of the projects of Influenza Study Group are:

  1. Surveillance and molecular biology of avian influenza virus in poultry and birds
  2. Monitoring infection of avian influenza virus to wet market workers, and also co-infection with seasonal influenza virus and consequential genetic re-assortment between them

According to the purpose of the studies, the output is to publish some new data associated to the variation and mutation of influenza viruses; mainly in poultry which has impact to human’s health.