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This repository contains the published and unpublished research of the Faculty of Medicine by the staff members of the faculty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 A comparison of serological diagnostic techniques in Dengue fever(Sri Lanka College of Microbiologists, 2005) Gunasekera, H.A.K.M.; Senanayake, C.P.; Sunil-Chandra, N.P.; Mendis, L.INTRODUCTION: The Dengue Duo IgM and IgG Rapid Strip test (PanBio Pvt. Ltd., Brisbane, Australia) is a commercially available immunochromatographic test. The Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (AFRIMS), Bangkok Thailand, has developed an in-house anti-dengue/anti-JE IgM and IgG reference enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). OBJECTIVE: To compare the usefulness of the AFRIMS ELISA and PanBio Dengue Duo IgM and IgG Rapid Strip test (PanBio Strip test) in the diagnosis of dengue infections. MATERIALS AND METHOD: 93 non-bacterial undifferentiated fever cases and 50 suspected dengue fever cases were screened for dengue and JE virus infections by the AFRIMS ELISA and also by the PanBio Strip test for dengue. All cases positive for dengue antibodies by either test were also tested by the Haemagglutination Inhibition test. RESULTS: Results were considered conclusive when at least 2 or all 3 of the above tests agreed. The AFRIMS ELISA had a sensitivity of 91.7% and specificity of 100% while the PanBio Strip test has a sensitivity of 93.8% and specificity of 96.8% in diagnosing dengue infections. 91.7% primary and 91.4% secondary infections were correctly classified by the AFRIMS ELISA. The PanBio Strip test identified 100% primary infections and 65.7% of secondary infections. CONCLUSIONS: The PanBio Strip test has a sensitivity and specificity comparable to the AFRIMS ELISA in diagnosing dengue infections although it tends to underestimate the number of secondary infections.Item Hepatitis C seroprevalence: a community survey from the Gampaha district(Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2002) Gunasekera, H.A.K.M.; Sunil-Chandra, N.P.; de Silva, H.J.INTRODUCTION: Seroprevalence of Hepatitis C (HCV) infection is low among Sri Lankan blood donors and new entrant medical students, but high among renal transplant recipients and multiply transfused patients. Prevalence of infection in the general community is not known. METHODS: A community survey of HCV sero-prevalence was performed in the Gampaha district employing a multi-stage cluster sampling technique. A cluster was based in a Public Health Midwife area, and included individuals over one year of age. A pre-tested questionnaire was administered to assess risk of exposure to infection. After informed consent, 1-3 ml of blood was obtained from those recruited. Serum was separated and stored at -20°C. Sera were tested for IgG anti-HCV using a third generation ELISA. Samples giving positive or intermediate results were retested by the same ELISA, a confirmatory Reverse Immunoblot Assay, and also tested for HCV-RNA by RT-PCR. RESULTS: Of the 534 individuals included in the survey [M:F=1.1:1; median age 36yrs (inter-quartile Range 17-55)], 174 (32.6%) had at least one risk factor and 48 (9%) had more than one risk factor for exposure to HCV infection. However, only 3 (0.6%) sera were confirmed positive for anti-HCV. All samples tested were negative for HCV-RNA. CONCLUSIONS: Sero-prevalence of HCV infection was low in this community survey in the Gampaha district. This is despite a significant proportion of those surveyed having risk factors for exposure to the infection, and the previously known relatively high (2.5%) sero-prevalence of Hepatitis B infection (HBsAg) in this district.Item Low community seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in the Gampaha district(Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2002) Gunasekera, H.A.K.M.; Sunil-Chandra, N.P.; de Silva, H.J.No Abstract available