Background The main target of SARS-CoV2 is the alveolar type II (AT2) cells of the lung. SARS-CoV2 evades the innate immune system resulting in the release of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α) which causes AT2 cell damage. Krebs von den Lungen (KL-6) is a specific biomarker of AT2 cell damage. KL-6 is produced in AT2 cells that are injured/regenerated. Objective Research that discusses the role of KL-6 in COVID-19 is still being debated and not much has been done in Indonesia. Methods This study was an analytical study with a prospective design on 75 COVID-19 patients who were treated. Subjects were divided into two large groups according to their degree of severity, 57 subjects with severe degrees and 18 subjects with non-severe degrees. The serum KL-6 levels were measured on days 0 and 6. Data were analyzed using paired t -test and independent t -test for data were normally distributed and Wilcoxon test and Mann Whitney test for data that were not normally distributed. Result In this study, the mean serum KL-6 for day 0 in the severe group was higher than the non-severe group with values of 45.70 U/mL and 44.85 U/mL. On day 6, the mean serum KL-6 in the severe group was lower than that in the non-severe group with values of 41.3 U/mL and 41.95 U/mL. Serum KL-6 in the severe group experienced an even greater decrease than the non-severe group. Conclusion There was no significant association between serum KL-6 values on 0 days in the severity of COVID-19.

Background. In Indonesia, highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus has become endemic in poultry and has caused sporadic deadly infections in human. Since 2012, we have conducted fixed-point surveillance of avian influenza viruses at a live-poultry market in East Java, Indonesia. In this study, we examined the seroprevalence of avian influenza A(H5N1) virus infection among market workers.Methods. Sera were collected from 101 workers in early 2014 and examined for antibody activity against avian A(H5N1) Eurasian lineage virus by a hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) assay.Results. By the HI assay, 84% of the sera tested positive for antibody activity against the avian virus. Further analysis revealed that the average HI titer in 2014 was 2.9-fold higher than in 2012 and that seroconversion occurred in 44% of paired sera (11 of 25) between 2012 and 2014. A medical history survey was performed in 2016; responses to questionnaires indicated that none of workers had had severe acute respiratory illness during 2013.Conclusions. This study provides evidence of a high prevalence of avian A(H5N1) virus infection in 2013 among workers at a live-poultry market. However, because no instances of hospitalizations were reported, we can conclude the virus did not manifest any clinical symptoms in workers.

Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new health problem discovered in 2019 thus requires biomarkers that can detect early tissue damage. Soluble Receptor for Advanced Glycation End-Products (sRAGE) is a biomarker that can be used to identify early lung damage. Objective Analyzing the association of serum sRAGE with COVID-19 severity. Methods This study employed a cross-sectional design with a consecutive sampling method. It was conducted from May 2020–October 2021. The number of participants in this study was 145 participants which were divided into 2 groups (non-severe = 47 and severe = 98). Association of sRAGE serum with COVID-19 severity was analyzed using the chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, independence t-test, Mann Withney test, and Spearman's rank test with p -value <0.05. Results The results of blood analysis showed several blood components such as leukocytes (9896.51 ± 4949.64/μL; z = 2.431; p = 0.015), lymphocytes (13.55 ± 8.48%; z = 2.256; p = 0.024), neutrophils (78.91 ± 10.50%; z = 2.464; p = 0.014), procalcitonin (0.92 ± 3.22 ng/mL; z = 3.323; p = 0.001), CRP (8.59 ± 7.62 mg/L; z = 2.114; p = 0.034), D-dimer (4360.29 ± 7797.81 ng/mL; z = 2.186; p = 0.029), and fibrinogen (474.58 ± 168.90 mg/dL; t = 0.383; p = 0.703). There was a significant difference in serum sRAGE values in the non-severe group (0.78 [0.63–1.00] ng/mL) and severe group (1.47 [0.97–2.25] ng/mL; r = 7.154; p < 0.001). There was a significant association between serum sRAGE and COVID-19 severity ( r = 0.598; p < 0.001). The cut-off value for serum sRAGE between the severe and non-severe groups was 0.985 ng/mL. This study obtained sensitivity of 73.5%, specificity of 74.5% OR 8.077 and AUC 0.868 95% CI. Conclusion There is a significant association between serum sRAGE and COVID-19 severity and there is also a significant difference in serum sRAGE in the two groups.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is an inflammatory airway disease and complicated lung tissue. The airways of patients with COPD contain many inflammatory cells including neutrophils, macrophages, CD8 T lymphocytes, CD4 T lymphocytes and dendritic cells, each of which has its own role and interacts with COPD immunopathogenesis. The inflammatory response in people with COPD involves innate immunity (neutrophils, macrophages, eosinophils, mast cells, natural killer cells, and dendritic cells) and adaptive immunity (T and B lymphocytes), but there is also activation of structual cells such as alveolar epithelial cells endothelial cells and fibroblasts.Inflammation of the respiratory tract in COPD will persist even after quitting smoking, this can be caused by damage to the extracellular matrix will release proinflammatory cytokines which are neutrophil and monocyte chemotaxis, impaired alveolar macrophages which result in impaired cleaning of apoptotic cells and pathogenic microbes and oxidative stress will cause DNA double chain damage.

The isolation of an H5N1 influenza A virus from a tree sparrow (Passer montanus) captured in East Java, Indonesia in 2010 is reported here. Its hemagglutinin and neuraminidase were genetically similar to those of human isolates from 2006-2007 in Indonesia. The finding of a tree sparrow H5N1 virus that possesses genetically similar surface molecules to those of human viruses highlights the importance of monitoring resident wild birds, as well as migratory birds, for pandemic preparedness.