Conference Papers
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This collection contains abstracts of conference papers, presented at local and international conferences by the staff of the Faculty of Medicine
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Item Importance of private health sector in malaria surveillance: a case study in Nuwara-Eliya district, Sri Lanka(Sri Lanka College of Microbiologists, 2002) Kusumawathie, P.H.D.; Wickremasinghe, A.R.; Karunaweera, N.OBJECTIVE: To determine the Utilization of public and private health facilities by suspected malaria cases in Divisional Director of Health Services (DDHS) area Hanguranketha in Nuwara-eliya district (from July 2000 to June 2001). DESIGN, SETTING AND METHODS: Two state hospitals, DH Rikillagaskada and RH Gonagantenna were selected as public health facilities. Seven clinics at Rikillagaskada and Gonagantenna in which government medical officers engaged in private practice after duty hours were selected as private health facilities. The number of cases blood filmed for malaria at public facilities was obtained from hospital records. Data for the private sector was obtained using a pre designed form. Reporting from the private sector was done on a monthly basis. RESULTS: Among 572 cases blood filmed at government hospitals, 22 were positive for P.vfvax. In the private sector. 634 cases of suspected malaria were reported and treated on clinical grounds. During the study period, 40 P.vivax and 65 P.falciparum cases were detected by examining 1270 blood films collected by Active Case Detection and Special Malaria Clinics, conducted in the villages with risk of malaria transmission within the study area. Of the microscopically confirmed malaria cases, 15.4% of P.falciparum infections were resistant to chloroquine. Investigation of malaria cases revealed 66.7% of cases were indigenous while 33.3% were imported. If the Slide Positive Rate (SPR) of the government facilities is applied to the data of the private sector, 610 cases would have been given chloroquine without actually having malaria. CONCLUSIONS: According to this study, 52.57% of suspected malaria cases had sought treatment at private health facilities. Incorporating the private health sector in malaria surveillance would be helpful in correct treatment and control of malaria in malarious areas. Unnecessary anti malarial therapy should be reduced by provision of laboratory facilities at private health centers. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Assistance provided by the Provincial Director Health Services, Central Province and Deputy Provincial Director Health Services, Kandy, and the Director Anti-Malaria Campaign is acknowledged.Item Nocturnal human biting behavior of Anopheles culicifacies in a hydro electric power project area situated in a sylvatic environment in the Central Province of Sri Lanka(Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science, 2007) Kusumawathie, P.H.D.; Jayasooriya, G.A.J.S.K.; Abeyasinghe, R.R.; Wickremasinghe, A.R.Nocturnal human biting behavior of Anopheles culicifacies was studied from January 2006 - March 2007 at the Victoria hydro electric power generation project area in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. Monthly collections of indoor and outdoor, landing and biting, mosquitoes were made from 1700 - 0600 hours (13 hours) using 3 - 4 indoor and 4 -8 outdoor human baits. In each collection, human baits were seated with exposed hands and legs below the knees. Hourly collections of landing and biting mosquitoes on the exposed surfaces of the body using torches and aspirators were made and mosquitoes were identified to species. Data was summarised as the number of An. culicifacies collected indoors and outdoors each hour/bait separately. The majority (97.83%) of An. culicifacies bit outdoors as compared to indoors. There were monthly variations in the biting habits with the highest densities being observed from February to April. An. culicifacies bit throughout the night with peak biting hours from 2200 - 2400 hours. Previous studies indicated that the peak biting hours were earlier in the evening and the morning. Further studies are required to study the nocturnal human biting behavior of An. culicifacies in other areas of Sri Lanka since this information is very important in planning malaria control activities. However, preventive measures directed to protect the outdoor workforce in the Victoria project should be a priority. If space spraying is planned, it should be carried out between 2200 - 2400 hours to cover the peak biting period of An. culicifacies in the project area.Item Most productive and prevalent breeding habitats of Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus (pupae) in the Kandy and Nuwara Eliya districts of Sri Lanka(Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science, 2007) Kusumawathie, P.H.D.; Jayasooriya, G.A.J.S.K.; Wickremasinghe, A.R.Breeding habitats of Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus in the Kandy and Nuwara Eliya districts were studied from April 2006 to April 2007. Surveys of Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus immatures were carried out in 101 localities in the Divisional Director of Health Services (DDHS) areas of Akurana, Doluwa, Gampola, Gangawatakorale, Hanguranketha, Kundasale, Medadumbara, Nawalapitiya, Pathadumbara, Pathahewaheta, Poojapitiya, Tumpane, Udunuwara, Werallagama, Yatinuwara and in the Kandy Municipal Council area. During each survey, all potential indoor and outdoor breeding habitats of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus were examined. Aedes larvae and pupae, 10 of each, were randomly collected from each mosquito immature positive habitat by dipping, pipetting or straining (if a particular habitat had < 10 larvae/ pupae, all larvae/ pupae were collected). Larvae and emerged adults from pupae were identified using larval and adult identification guides. Twenty two (22) types of container habitats were positive for Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus larvae. Of these 14, were positive for Ae. aegypti and or Ae. albopictus pupae. Pupal container index (percentage of containers positive for Ae. aegypti and / or Ae. albopictus pupae) of different types of container habitats were: metal ware (11.59%), unprotected plastic tanks (8.33%), roof gutters (7.14%), tyres (5.69%), polythene bags/sheets (3.85%), ornamental ponds (2.97%), coconut shells (2.67%), refrigerator trays (1.87%), water storage barrels (1.73%), clay pots (1.48%), water storage cement tanks (1.41%), tins (0.75%), leaf axils (0.72%) and discarded plastic containers (0.60%). However, water storage cement tanks (35.09%), water storage barrels (18.45%), discarded plastic containers (15.43%), refrigerator trays (7.13%), clay pots (5.40%) and tyres (4.91%) constituted the majority (86.41%) of potential breeding sites of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus. Management of mostly prevalent and pupae positive containers would reduce the adult Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus density and consequently the dengue and dengue haemorrhagic fever incidence in the Kandy and Nuwara Eliya districts.