Google Trends as a Surveillance Tool for Dermatophytoses and Dermatomycoses in Indonesia

Astrid Teresa

doi:10.38035/dijemss.v6i3.4102

Authors

Astrid Teresa Medical Faculty of Palangka Raya University, Palangka Raya, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.38035/dijemss.v6i3.4102

Keywords:

Google Trends, dermatophytoses, infodemiology, pityriasis, Indonesia, surveillance

Abstract

Background The global review of invasive fungal infections (IFI) in recent years did not include data from Indonesia bacause lack of pravalence data and its change over time. This paper aims to study the possibility of Google Trends as a tool to estimate the regional differences in the relative prevalence of IFI in Indonesia and its change over time. The research was conducted by searching for keywords related to tinea corporis and pityriasis versicolor in Indonesian on Google Trends using the 2016-2021 annual data. Data is restricted to the health category. The outputs in search interest and related queries are analyzed to see the ongoing trend. The results show that data from Google Trends shows a pattern that indicates the existence of specific areas that always have a high search interest for dermatomycoses. This article demonstrates that it is possible to use Google Trends to estimate which province has a higher or lower prevalence of invasive fungal infections than others and to see the changing over time. This paper provides new evidence of the capabilities of Google Trends in disease surveillance, particularly in developing countries.

References

Agency of Health Research and Development (Indonesia). Indonesia Basic Health Research 2018 [Internet]. Available from: https://ghdx.healthdata.org/record/indonesia-basic-health-research-2018

Althouse BM, Ng YY, Cummings DAT. Prediction of dengue incidence using search query surveillance. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2011 Aug;5(8):e1258.

Andersen LK, Davis MDP. The effects of the El Niño Southern Oscillation on skin and skin-related diseases: a message from the International Society of Dermatology Climate Change Task Force. Int J Dermatol. 2015 Dec;54(12):1343–51.

Arora VS, McKee M, Stuckler D. Google Trends: Opportunities and limitations in health and health policy research. Health Policy. 2019 Mar;123(3):338–41.

Bia?ynicki-Birula R, Siemasz I, Otlewska A, Matusiak ?, Szepietowski JC. Influence of COVID-19 pandemic on hospitalizations at the tertiary dermatology department in south-west Poland. Dermatol Ther. 2020 Jul;33(4):e13738.

Brigo F, Tezzon F, Lochner P, Nardone R. “Magic Google in my Hand, Who is the Sickest in my Land?”. Vol. 41, The Canadian journal of neurological sciences. Le journal canadien des sciences neurologiques. England; 2014. p. 542–4.

Brito L de AR, Nascimento ACM do, Marque C de, Miot HA. Seasonality of the hospitalizations at a dermatologic ward (2007-2017). An Bras Dermatol. 2018;93(5):755–8.

Carneiro HA, Mylonakis E. Google trends: a web-based tool for real-time surveillance of disease outbreaks. Clin Infect Dis an Off Publ Infect Dis Soc Am. 2009 Nov;49(10):1557–64.

Ciaffi J, Meliconi R, Landini MP, Ursini F. Google trends and COVID-19 in Italy: could we brace for impact? Vol. 15, Internal and emergency medicine. Italy; 2020. p. 1555–9.

Costa JEF, Neves RP, Delgado MM, Lima-Neto RG, Morais VMS, Coêlho MRCD. Dermatophytosis in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection: clinical aspects and etiologic agents. Acta Trop. 2015 Oct;150:111–5.

Courtellemont L, Chevrier S, Degeilh B, Belaz S, Gangneux JP, Robert-Gangneux F. Epidemiology of Trichophyton verrucosum infection in Rennes University Hospital, France: A 12-year retrospective study. Med Mycol. 2017 Oct;55(7):720–4.

Dayrit JF, Bintanjoyo L, Andersen LK, Davis MDP. Impact of climate change on dermatological conditions related to flooding: update from the International Society of Dermatology Climate Change Committee. Int J Dermatol. 2018 Aug;57(8):901–10.

de Hoog S, Tang C, Kong X, Kandemir H, Jiang Y. Introduction to Dermatophytes. In: Bouchara JP, Nenoff P, Gupta AK, Chaturvedi V, editors. Dermatophytes and Dermatophytoses [Internet]. Cham: Springer International Publishing; 2021. p. 3–12. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67421-2_1

Duarte B, Galhardas C, Cabete J. Adult tinea capitis and tinea barbae in a tertiary Portuguese hospital: A 11-year audit. Mycoses. 2019 Nov;62(11):1079–83.

Eke I, Nweze E. Tinea capitis in School Children: Current Status. In 2021. p. 313–35. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-67421-2_15

Eli K. Latin American countries lead in Google search volumes for anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa: Implications for global mental health research. Int J Eat Disord. 2018 Dec;51(12):1352–6.

Fachin A, Petrucelli M, Bitencourt T, Nishimura F, Segura G, Cantelli B, et al. Transcriptome of Host–Dermatophyte Interactions Using Infection Models. In 2021. p. 161–79. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-67421-2_8

Gantenbein L, Navarini AA, Maul L V, Brandt O, Mueller SM. Internet and social media use in dermatology patients: Search behavior and impact on patient-physician relationship. Dermatol Ther. 2020 Nov;33(6):e14098.

Ginsberg J, Mohebbi MH, Patel RS, Brammer L, Smolinski MS, Brilliant L. Detecting influenza epidemics using search engine query data. Nature. 2009 Feb;457(7232):1012–4.

Gnat S, ?agowski D, Nowakiewicz A, Dyl?g M. A global view on fungal infections in humans and animals: infections caused by dimorphic fungi and dermatophytoses. J Appl Microbiol. 2021 Dec;131(6):2688–704.

Gnat S, ?agowski D, Nowakiewicz A, Osi?ska M, Dyl?g M. Identification of emerging trends in the prevalence of dermatophytoses in alpacas (Vicugna pacos) farmed in Poland. Transbound Emerg Dis. 2020 Nov;67(6):2702–12.

Gnat S, ?agowski D, Nowakiewicz A, Tro?cia?czyk A, Zi?ba P. Infection of Trichophyton verrucosum in cattle breeders, Poland: A 40-year retrospective study on the genomic variability of strains. Mycoses. 2018 Sep;61(9):681–90.

Gupta AK, Foley KA, Versteeg SG. New Antifungal Agents and New Formulations Against Dermatophytes. Mycopathologia [Internet]. 2017;182:127–41. Available from: https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:21450601

Harahap M, Nasution MA. Dermatomycoses in Indonesia. Int J Dermatol. 1984 May;23(4):273–4.

Harnis D, Rusmawardiana, Argentina F. Superficial mycosis profile in the Tertiary Hospital Dr. Moh. Hoesin Palembang: retrospective research. J RSMH Palembang. 2020;1:31–40.

Husnayain A, Fuad A, Lazuardi L. Correlation between Google Trends on dengue fever and national surveillance report in Indonesia. Glob Health Action. 2019;12(1):1552652.

Indonesian Ministry of Health. Indonesian Health Profile 2020 [Internet]. Ministry of Health. Available from: https://www.kemkes.go.id/app_asset/file_content_download/Profil-Kesehatan-Indonesia-2020.pdf

Jun SP, Yoo HS, Choi S. Ten years of research change using Google Trends: From the perspective of big data utilizations and applications. Technol Forecast Soc Change [Internet]. 2018;130:69–87. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0040162517315536

Kershenovich R, Sherman S, Reiter O, Huss SR, Didkovsky E, Mimouni D, et al. A Unique Clinicopathological Manifestation of Fungal Infection: A Case Series of Deep Dermatophytosis in Immunosuppressed Patients. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2017 Oct;18(5):697–704.

Kim SH, Jo IH, Kang J, Joo SY, Choi JH. Dermatophyte abscesses caused by Trichophyton rubrum in a patient without pre-existing superficial dermatophytosis: a case report. BMC Infect Dis. 2016 Jun;16:298. DOI: 10.1186/s12879-016-1631-y

Klimiuk KB, Krefta D, Ko?kowski K, Flisikowski K, Soko?owska-Wojdy?o M, Balwicki ?. Seasonal Patterns and Trends in Dermatoses in Poland. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Jul;19(15).

Kutlu Ö, Güne? R, Coerdt K, Metin A, Khachemoune A. The effect of the “stay-at-home” policy on requests for dermatology outpatient clinic visits after the COVID-19 outbreak. Dermatol Ther. 2020 Jul;33(4):e13581.

Kutlu Ö. Analysis of dermatologic conditions in Turkey and Italy by using Google Trends analysis in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dermatol Ther. 2020 Nov;33(6):e13949.

Li M, Spaccarelli N, Kendra K, Wu RC, Verschraegen C. Refractory dermatitis contributed by pityriasis versicolor: a case report. J Med Case Rep. 2021 Apr;15(1):212.

Madireddy S CJ. Hypopigmented Macules. In: Treasure Island (FL), editor. In: StatPearls [Internet] [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing; 2024. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK563245/

Mavragani A, Ochoa G. Google Trends in Infodemiology and Infoveillance: Methodology Framework. JMIR public Heal Surveill. 2019 May;5(2):e13439.

Monod M, Feuermann M, Yamada T. Terbinafine and Itraconazole Resistance in Dermatophytes. In 2021. p. 415–29.

Nuti S V, Wayda B, Ranasinghe I, Wang S, Dreyer RP, Chen SI, et al. The use of google trends in health care research: a systematic review. PLoS One. 2014;9(10):e109583.

Pelat C, Turbelin C, Bar-Hen A, Flahault A, Valleron AJ. More diseases tracked by using Google Trends. Vol. 15, Emerging infectious diseases. United States; 2009. p. 1327–8.

Pilmis B, Puel A, Lortholary O, Lanternier F. New clinical phenotypes of fungal infections in special hosts. Clin Microbiol Infect Off Publ Eur Soc Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2016 Aug;22(8):681–7. DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2016.05.016

Rodríguez-Cerdeira C, Martínez-Herrera E, Szepietowski JC, Pinto-Almazán R, Frías-De-León MG, Espinosa-Hernández VM, et al. A systematic review of worldwide data on tinea capitis: analysis of the last 20 years. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2021 Apr;35(4):844–83.

Saris K, Meis JF, Baño JR, Tacconelli E, van de Belt TH, Voss A. Does Online Search Behavior Coincide with Candida auris Cases? An Exploratory Study. J fungi (Basel, Switzerland). 2019 Jun;5(2).

Seifter A, Schwarzwalder A, Geis K, Aucott J. The utility of “Google Trends” for epidemiological research: Lyme disease as an example. Geospat Health. 2010 May;4(2):135–7.

Wahyuningsih R, Adawiyah R, Sjam R, Prihartono J, Ayu Tri Wulandari E, Rozaliyani A, et al. Serious fungal disease incidence and prevalence in Indonesia. Mycoses. 2021 Oct;64(10):1203–12.

Warycha MA, Leger M, Tzu J, Kamino H, Stein J. Deep dermatophytosis caused by Trichophyton rubrum. Dermatol Online J. 2011 Oct;17(10):21.

Wiederhold N. Antifungal Susceptibility Testing of Dermatophytes. In: Bouchara JP, Nenoff P, Gupta AK C V, editor. Dermatophytes and Dermatophytoses. Springer International Publishing; 2021. p. 401–14.

Wu LC, Sun PL, Chang YT. Extensive deep dermatophytosis cause by Trichophyton rubrum in a patient with liver cirrhosis and chronic renal failure. Mycopathologia. 2013 Dec;176(5–6):457–62. DOI: 10.1007/s11046-013-9696-2

Yalçin B, Tamer E, Toy GG, Ozta? P, Hayran M, Alli N. The prevalence of skin diseases in the elderly: analysis of 4099 geriatric patients. Int J Dermatol. 2006 Jun;45(6):672–6.

Yaldiz M. Dermatological diseases in the geriatric age group: Retrospective analysis of 7092 patients. Geriatr Gerontol Int. 2019 Jul;19(7):582–5.

Zhan P, Liang G, Liu W. Dermatophytes and Dermatophytic Infections Worldwide. In 2021. p. 15–40. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-67421-2_2

Zuzarte M, Lopes G, Pinto E, Salgueiro L. Are Natural Products an Alternative Therapy for Dermatophytosis? In 2021. p. 473–519. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-67421-2_22