Preventing DHF Transmission By Early Detection And Clean Lifestyle

JAKARTA - Rainfall in Indonesia has recently been high. Disease transmission such as dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) has also increased.

Therefore, Professor of Virology and Immunology of Dengue Fever Virus from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia (FKUI), Prof. Dr. Beti Ernawati Dewi, Ph.D., emphasized the importance of early detection of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF).

Penyakit yang disebabkan oleh virus dengue (DENV) ini masih menjadi ancaman kesehatan serius di Indonesia dan dunia.

"A fast early detection is very important in dealing with dengue cases. The delay in diagnosis is often the cause of the high mortality rate," said Prof. Beti while speaking at the UI Campus, Depok, as quoted by Antara.

Since it was first reported in 1968 in Jakarta and Surabaya, dengue cases in Indonesia have continued to increase to cover all provinces. Data shows the death rate due to dengue fever in Indonesia in 2023 reached 894 cases, making it one of the countries with the highest death rate due to this disease.

Deaths often occur due to late diagnosis. In the early stages of infection, dengue symptoms tend not to be typical, making it difficult for medical personnel to determine the right treatment. Therefore, early detection can be the key to reducing mortality.

Prof. Beti explained that DENV can be detected from the start of infection through the examination of virus antigens, namely non-structural-1 protein (NS-1). To support early handling, the FKUI team collaborated with PT Konimex to develop KODC Dengue, a NS-1-based fast detection tool capable of providing results in just 15 minutes.

"This committee is designed to use dengue virus strains originating from Indonesia, so it has higher sensitivity and specificity in detecting local infections," explained Prof. Beti.

In addition to reducing dependence on imported products, the production of this tool in the country is also a step towards Indonesia's independence in the field of medical devices.

Early detection not only provides individual benefits, but also contributes to efforts to control disease spread, including implementing a clean lifestyle in daily life.

In addition, rapid reporting of dengue cases allows the government to immediately take preventive measures, such as fogging in the patient's residential area, to break the chain of spreading the virus.

As part of long-term efforts, FKUI also continues to strengthen education about dengue fever to medical students through special modules. Students are prepared to understand clinical symptoms, pathogenesis, as well as pharmacological and non-pharmacological management of dengue fever before entering the world of practice.

Through education and research focused on virology and immunology approaches, we hope to provide comprehensive solutions to overcome the challenges of dengue fever, added Prof. Beti.

With the innovation of early detection tools and sustainable educational efforts, it is hoped that Indonesia can reduce the death rate due to dengue fever and achieve the zero-death target by 2030.