Browsing by Author "Abeysekera, C.K."

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    Psychosocial outcomes of children and parents after renal transplantation.
    (Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians., 2015) Ranawaka, P.R.D.; Abeysekera, C.K.; Gamage, M.P.; Illangasekara, O.R.; Silva, G.R.C.; Mettananda, D.S.G.; Pathmanathan, T.; Abeyagunawardena, A.S.
    Introduction: Although some highlighted problems such as parental stress, child behavioural problems and financial instability occur after transplantation, much still remains unknown about the extent, nature, reasons and implications of family difficulties caused by renal transplantation in childhood. Objectives: To examine the psychosocial aspects, levels of parental stress and behavioural problems among children after renal transplantation and to study the predictors of psychosocial issues in the study sample. Design, setting and method: A cross sectional analytical study was conducted at the University Paediatric Unit of the Teaching Hospital, Peradeniya in September-October 2012. All patients who are being followed up at the post renal transplant clinic were recruited to the study. Data was collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS 16.0. Results: Thirty-eight recipients of paediatric renal transplants were recruited. 67.5% were males. Feeling of happiness constantly or regularly was reported by 82.5% of children while irritability was a significant problem in 47.5%. Sleep disturbance was a recognized problem in 50% of children. At 2 years of transplantation 85 % of children had not attended school but at 5 years after transplantation school dropout was 10 %. This difference was statistically significant [X2=25.8, p<0.001]. 52.5% of parents had expressed their stress on a constant or regular basis. 37.5% of fathers had lost their jobs consequent to renal transplantation and 30% of families had a monthly income less than LKR 10, 000. Conclusions: 82.5% of children reported feelings of happiness on a constant or regular basis after renal transplantation. Non-attendance at school was observed in 85% at 2 years of transplantation but the school dropout was 10% at 5 years after transplantation. 52.5% of parents had expressed their stress on a constant or regular basis.
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    Surveillance of rotavirus in three hospital settings of Sri Lanka 2007 - 2010
    (Sri Lanka College of Microbiologists, 2014) Chandrasena, T.G.A.N.; Rajindrajith, S.; Gunawardena, N.K.; Liyanarachchi, N.; Abeysekera, C.K.; Matsomoto, T.; Yahiro, T.; Nishizono, A.; Ahmed, K.
    INTRODUCTION: Rotavirus is an important aetiological agent of childhood diarrhoeas in Sri Lanka. OBJECTIVES: To study the rotavirus epidemiology and genotypic diversity of cases hospitalized in three geographical locations of Sri Lanka, Ragama, Galle and Kandy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was approved by the ethical review board of the Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians. Stool samples were collected from children < 5 years, hospitalized at the Teaching Hospitals at Ragama (RTH) (November 2007 - October 2010) Galle (GTH) and Kandy (KTH) (mid and late 2008) respectively for acute gastroenteritis. Rotavirus was detected using EIA kit, Rotaclone®. A subset of rotavirus positive samples was genotyped by reverse-transcription(Rt)-PCR and polyacrylamide-gel-electrophoresis (PAGE). RESULTS: Stool samples of 1245 children (69.2%, 23.3% and 7.3% from RTH, GTH and KTH respectively) were screened for rotavirus. Of them, 476 were positive by EIA. The overall rate of prevalence of rotavirus infection was 38.2%. The median age of infection ranged from 13-20 months. Rotavirus genotyping was done on 375 (78.8 %) samples. G1 [P8] was the overall dominant strain (44.8%) followed by G9[P8] (10.1%), G2[P4] (5.3%), G3[P8] (3.2%), G1[P6] (2.1%), G12[P6] (1.3%), G2[P8] (1.06%) and 0.26% of G4[P6], G4[P4] and G4[P8]. The G or P serotype was untypable in 25.6% of samples and 5.6% were of mixed-G and P type. PAGE yeilded 25 electropherotypes (E1-E12 and E16-E29), with E5 and E20 causing 19 and 14 percent of infections respectively. The electropherotype could not be determined in 26%. CONCLUSIONS: Rotavirus continues to be an important cause of childhood diarrhoreas in Sri Lanka. Strain G1P8 predominated in all areas during the surveillance period with a notable percentage of mixed-G and P infections. Multiple E types identified indicate increasing strain diversity