UNAIR NEWS – The Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia targets Indonesia to be free from HIV/AIDS by 2030. However, cases of HIV/AIDS infection in Indonesia continue to rise every year. This situation has prompted many parties to take control measures, including researchers from Universitas Airlangga.
Dr. Siti Qamariyah Khairunisa, SSi, MSi, a researcher at the Institute of Tropical Disease (ITD) UNAIR, has recently completed research findings on the characteristics of evolution and transmission patterns of the HIV strain CRF01_AE, a dominant strain in Indonesia. She presented the research findings at the doctoral promotion session of the Faculty of Medicine (FK) UNAIR on Monday, February 26, 2024.
HIV/AIDS
Ria, for short, stated that the research was rooted in her concern about HIV/AIDS in Indonesia. Since the onset in the 1980s, HIV/AIDS infections have been steadily increasing both globally and in Indonesia. “The HIV is a serious issue. According to the data, there is a continual increase in the number of new infections,” she said on Sunday, March 4, 2024.
On the other hand, HIV control through access to antiretroviral therapy (ARV) in Indonesia is still relatively low, reaching only 28 percent. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) targets ARV access at 95 percent. “This situation is concerning to us, which is why we initiated this research from the beginning. This research also monitors mutations related to ARV resistance so that the success of drug administration can be determined earlier,” Ria added.
Transmission patterns of HIV strain
The research scrutinizes the characterization of the evolution and spatiotemporal transmission of HIV CRF01_AE, the most prevalent strain in Indonesia. This research employs an analytical approach utilizing nearly full-genome sequences and geographic information systems (GIS).
In the analysis of nearly full-genome sequences, the process begins with blood sample collection and genomic variation analysis to determine the presence of mutations. Through this analysis, Ria also discovered patterns and transmission routes of the HIV strain CRF01_AE entering Indonesia. “We found that HIV transmission in Indonesia involves four routes involving countries in Asia, such as Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and China,” she said.
Using the GIS approach, she conducted an analysis of HIV transmission focusing on Surabaya. The results revealed that areas with the highest HIV distribution serve as hot spots, becoming the epicenter of HIV transmission in Surabaya. “Upon geographical examination, it is evident that in those areas, there are numerous hotels, bars, etc with the potential for HIV transmission,” she explained.
Research output
This research can be beneficial both theoretically and practically. Theoretically, the findings of this research can serve as a reference for academics and the public regarding HIV transmission patterns. Therefore, they have also compiled information on HIV strain data into a dashboard called INDAGI. “Hopefully, INDAGI will provide information for the public about the transmission patterns and evolution of HIV mutations in real-time, so that prevention efforts can be conducted more promptly,” she hoped.
Besides, Ria and her team have also prepared a policy brief as an output of the research. They hope that the policy brief on the role of antiretroviral resistance testing in HIV control can be presented as UNAIR’s contribution to the healthcare sector in Indonesia. “We hope our policy brief on the role of antiretroviral resistance testing for HIV control can be sent to the Ministry of Health this year as a contribution from UNAIR,” she concluded.
Author: Yulia Rohmawati
Editor: Feri Fenoria
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