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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    Evaluation of the spatial and temporal trends of dengue outbreaks in Akurana, Central Province, Sri Lanka
    (Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science, 2015) Udayanga, N.W.B.A.L.; Gunathilaka, P.A.D.H.N.; Iqbal, M.C.M.; Kusumawathie, P.H.D.; Najim, M.M.M.; Amerasinghe, U.S.; Abeyewickreme, W.
    Renowned as the world's fastest growing vector borne disease, dengue has become one of the major health issues in Sri Lanka leading to an alarming concern due to recent outbreaks throughout the country. Despite the immense efforts taken by the relevant authorities to reduce the rate of mortality, the average number of dengue cases recorded in each year remains around 30,000-35,000 without being changed significantly over time in Sri Lanka. Investigation of the trends in spatial and temporal distribution patterns of dengue is often treasured in the drafting and implementation of management/action plans to ensure effective management of dengue epidemics at regional scale. Thus, a statistical and geo informatics based analysis of the recent trends in dengue distribution was carried out to identify spatial and temporal trends in distribution patterns of Dengue in the Akurana Medical Officer of Health (MOH) area. Monthly records of reported dengue cases from 2010 to 2014 of the Akurana MOH area were obtained and were subjected to a scatter plot analysis in MINITAB (version 14.12.0) to identify the temporal patterns in the recorded dengue cases. Spatial maps of the recorded dengue case distribution in each GND for each month and for the whole study period were prepared by using Arc GIS 10.1. The spatial and temporal variations of dengue outbreak distribution within the Akurana MOH (at GND level) were analyzed to identify the recent trends in dengue incidence. Akurana, Bulugahathenna, Dippitiya, Dunuwila, Konakalagala and Neeralla localities could be identified as areas with relatively high risk to dengue outbreaks throughout the study period, while localities such as Balakanduwa, Delgasgoda, Delgasthenna, Malgamandeniya, Marahela, Palleweliketiya and Udawelikatiya emerged as areas with low risk. As suggested by the results of the paired-Chi square test [>Χ2 (30, 0.95) = 43.773], the emergence of dengue outbreaks indicated a significantly declining trend of recorded dengue cases in most of the GNDs (Aswadduma, Delgasgoda, Kurugoda, Malgamandeniya, Palleweliketiya and Walahena etc.) during the recent years. The evaluation of the trends in temporal and spatial distribution of dengue outbreaks at the localized level, could be recommended as a useful tool in the planning and implementation of action plans to control the rise of dengue, while evaluating the efficacy of already implemented control measures at regional scale.
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    Occurrence of a dengue epidemic in Minipe valley of the Kandy district: evidence for Aedes albopictus being an epidemic vector of dengue in Sri Lanka
    (Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science, 2011) Kusumawathie, P.H.D.; Jayasooriya, G.A.J.S.K.; Abeyewickreme, W.; Hapugoda, M.D.
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    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.