Medicine
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This repository contains the published and unpublished research of the Faculty of Medicine by the staff members of the faculty
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Item Dirofilaria repens: Cloning and Characterization of a Repeated DNA Sequence for the Diagnosis of Dirofilariasis in Dogs, Canis familiaris(Academic Press, 1994) Chandrasekharan, N.V.; Karunanayake, E.H.; Franzen, L.; Abeyewickreme, W.; Pettersson, U.A highly repetitive DNA element from the genome of the filarial nematode Dirofilaria repens has been cloned and sequenced. The 176-base pair repeating units are arranged in direct tandem and are clustered in the parasite genome. All repeats appear to belong to a single family although some elements have diverged significantly. The repeats are present in about 15,000 copies and constitute approximately 3.0% of the parasite genome. The cloned repetitive sequence hybridized only to D. repens DNA and was sensitive enough to detect 250 to 500 pg of D. repens DNA, a single microfilariae in infected blood samples, and a single third stage larvae in mosquitoes. The high specificity and sensitivity of the cloned fragment makes it ideal as a diagnostic probe for detecting D. repens in both the host and the vector.Item Human infection with Dirofilaria (Nochtiella) repens in Sri Lanka(Sri Lanka Medical Association, 1993) Dissanaike, A.S.; Premaratne, U.N.; Hettiarachchi, S.; Weerasooriya, M.; Abeyewickreme, W.; Ismail, M.M.Human dirofilariasis due to Dirofilaria (Nochtiella) repens is a common zoonotic infection in Sri Lanka. Todate 70 cases are on record, and they include 3 expatriates from Russia, England and Korea, who were undoubtedly infected in Sri Lanka. Around 30-60% of dogs are infected with D. repens in various parts of the country and the mosquito vectors are Aedes aegypti, Armigeres subalbatus, Mansonia uniformis and M. annulifera. Unlike in other countries of the old world infection is most common in children under the age of 9 years, the youngest being 4 months old and the scrotum, penis and perianal regions of male children appear to be frequent sites for the worms. Dirofilaria (Dirofilaria) immitis is not present in Sri Lanka though it is present in neighbouring countries like India, and Malaysia.