Data on vector of disease in Indonesia are very minimal. Identification of the vectors has not been done maximally.
“Database of identification of vectors of diseases in humans is very minimal because Indonesia has high biodiversity,” said Dra. Rr.Upiek Ngesti Wibawaning Astuti, DAP&E,M.Biomed, on Wednesday (25/1) at Faculty of Biology UGM.
In a Workshop entitled Identification of Vectors in Vector Borne-Disease, Upiek said human resource is another reason for the low data of vectors as well as few equipment availability for research. The parasitology researcher at Faculty of Biology UGM said, currently there were many vectors found in tropical areas, including Indonesia. Most transmitted diseases are the cause of 17 percent of all infectious diseases.
“As high as 70% of infectious diseases are caused by mosquito, such as malaria, dengue fever, zika, philaria, etc,” he said.
A few other diseases are caused by arthropodes from class arcarina such as lice, mites, and ticks. These are agents that carry the bacteria or virus to humans.
Dr. Siti Sumarmi from entomology department at Faculty of Biology UGM added that to do controls of vectors can be done by biological control to minimise the side-effect to the environment. This can be done using natural predator, parasite, and disease.
“The problem is that this type of control requires a great deal of efforts,” she said. It is because it needs to be done specifically, hence high cost. Therefore, research is needed on this biological control so as to not be expensive.
Drs.Ign.Sudaryadi, M.Kes., explained more on the insect vector controls with infertile male technique, which can suppress the reproduction of insect vector so this can prevent vector borne disease.
The genetic control using infertile male technique is an alternative and it can help the program of mosquite vector borne disease integratedly. He added, “More efforts still need to be made so that this technique can be applied safely for the environment and humans,” he said,
In his remarks, Dean of Faculty of Biology UGM, Dr. Budi Setiadi Daryono, M.Agr.Sc., said the Faculty would continue the workshop on vector identification of vectors in other animals, such as mice and bats.
“Hopefully, this event would help develop the data and prevention of tropical diseases based on vector borne. It also supports the Faculty for research on biomedicine and bio-engineering,” he said.