Objective: To determine anti-viral activities of three Artocarpus species: Artocarpus altilis, Artocarpus camansi, and Artocarpus heterophyllus (A. heterophyllus) against Hepatitis C Virus (HCV). Methods: Antiviral activities of the crude extracts were examined by cell culture method using Huh7it-1 cells and HCV genotype 2a strain JFH1. The mode of action for anti-HCV activities was determined by time-of-addition experiments. The effect on HCV RNA replication and HCV accumulation in cells were analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR and western blotting, respectively. Results: The dichloromethane (DCM) extract of A. heterophyllus exhibited strong anti-HCV activity with an inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of (1.5 ± 0.6)μg/mL without obvious toxicity. The DCM extracts from Artocarpus altilis and Artocarpus camansi showed moderate anti-HCV activities with IC50 values being (6.5 ± 0.3) μg/mL and (9.7 ± 1.1) μg/mL, respectively. A time-of-addition studies showed that DCM extract from A. heterophyllus inhibited viral entry process though a direct virucidal activity and targeting host cells. HCV RNA replication and HCV protein expression were slightly reduced by the DCM treatment at high concentration. Conclusions: The DCM extract from A. heterophyllus is a good candidate to develop an antiviral agent to prevent HCV grant reinfection following liver transplantation.

Objective To determine anti-viral activities of three Artocarpus species: Artocarpus altilis, Artocarpus camansi, and Artocarpus heterophyllus (A. heterophyllus) against Hepatitis C Virus (HCV). Methods Antiviral activities of the crude extracts were examined by cell culture method using Huh7it-1 cells and HCV genotype 2a strain JFH1. The mode of action for anti-HCV activities was determined by time-of-addition experiments. The effect on HCV RNA replication and HCV accumulation in cells were analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR and western blotting, respectively. Results The dichloromethane (DCM) extract of A. heterophyllus exhibited strong anti-HCV activity with an inhibitory concentration (IC

To examine the potential risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) spread in Indonesia by migrant workers, based on the molecular characteristics of HBV strains. Methods: Sera collected from migrant workers traveling to their destination countries (pre-migrant workers) and those returning to Indonesia (post-migrant workers) were screened for HBsAg by ELISA, followed by HBV DNA detection by PCR and (sub) genotype/subtype determination according to surface region and whole genome sequencing. Results: Of 87 pre-migrant workers, 15 (17.24%) were HBsAgpositive, whereas 15 (12.10%) of 124 post-migrant workers were HBsAg seropositive. HBV genotype analysis based on the S region showed that HBV-B3/adw2 was predominant (96.15%, 25/26) whereas 3.85% (1/26) of isolates were HBV-C3/adrq+. Whole genome sequencing of selected strains and phylogenetic tree analysis identified subgenotype B7 in three samples previously categorized as subgenotype B3 based on S region analysis, supporting a recent argument that subgenotypes B5/B7/B8/B9 could be considered as a quasi-subgenotype of B3. Conclusions: A high prevalence of HBsAg carriers was detected among migrant workers from Lombok Island, with no significant difference in prevalence between before and after returning to Indonesia. All strains were classified into genotypes common in Indonesia, and the results suggested that migrant workers are not a risk factor for HBV transmission into Indonesia.