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Item A geo-spatial analysis of dengue patients and rainfall in Sri Lanka -2017(Research Symposium on Pure and Applied Sciences, 2018 Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2018) Pathiraja, K.; Premadasa, S.; Gnanasinghe, S.; Wadasinghe, L. G. Y. J. G.; Weerasinghe, V. P. A.Dengue is one of the most prevalent arthropod borne virus affecting human. There are four serotypes that manifest with similar symptoms and two main vectors identified in Sri Lanka named as Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Dengue disease range from mild to dengue hemorrhagic fever. The distribution of dengue vector is varied mostly according to the rainfall. This study evaluates the relationship between percentage dengue patients in each district of Sri Lanka and monthly average rainfall distribution in 2017. Data was analyzed using ArcGIS 10.2 software. In order to get descriptive results, spatial autocorrelation (Moran’s I) was carried out. Positive Moran’s I shows that the average rainfall data are clustered according to the climatic zones in Sri Lanka and percentage dengue patients’ data for February, March, May, June, July and August months are clustered. Hot Spot Analysis was carried out for the clustered months for dengue patients. According to the Hot Spot Analysis the average rainfall distribution of each month of 2017 in Sri Lanka is restricted to specific districts; Hot spots are, Ampara (February), Rathnapura (May, June, July), Rathnapura and Kaluthara (September), Kaluthara (October) and Badulla (December) (99% confidence). Similarly, percentage dengue patients’ distribution in 2017 is restricted to specific districts; Hot spots are Trincomalee (February) and Colombo (March) (99% confidence). Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) linear regression was carried out to identify the relationship between the percentage dengue patients and monthly average rainfall. The variable distributions and relationships graphs of each month indicate a positive relationship between average rainfall and percentage dengue patients. Adjusted R2 in the diagnostic output of each month range between 0.7785 (June) and 0.1674 (February) and indicates that 16.74% - 77.85% of the variation in percentage dengue patients can be explained by average rainfall in 2017. It shows that only rainfall cannot explain the total percentage of dengue patients and that there are other environmental parameters which may contribute. There is a relationship between the percentage of dengue patients in each district and average rainfall distribution which appears to vary. Therefore, further studies should be carried out to identify other environmental parameters on the distribution of dengue such as atmospheric temperature, humidity, wind velocity, intensive farming, urbanization and solid waste disposal practices etc. Using multiple regression, multicollinearity between independent variables can be estimated using Geo statistics. Using environmental parameters, an environmental dengue index can be developed to further relate it with dengue patients’ percentage for geo-spatial analysis to develop a model for incidence of dengue in each district in Sri Lanka with varying environmental variables.Item Comprehensive evaluation of demographic,socio-economic and other associated risk factors affecting the occurrence of dengue incidence among Colombo and Kandy Districts of Sri Lanka: a cross-sectional study(Parasites & Vectors (2018) 11:478, 2018) Udayanga, L.; Gunathilaka, N.; Iqbal, M.C.M.; Lakmal, K.; Amarasinghe, U.S.; Abeyewickreme, W.Background: Comprehensive understanding of risk factors related to socio-economic and demographic status and knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of local communities play a key role in the design and implementation of community-based vector management programmes, along with the identification of gaps in existing control activities. Methods: A total of 10 Medical Officers of Health (MOH) areas recording high dengue incidence over the last five years were selected from Colombo (n = 5) and Kandy (n = 5) Districts, Sri Lanka. From each MOH area, 200 houses reporting past dengue incidence were selected randomly as test group (n = 1000 for each district) based on the dengue case records available at relevant MOH offices. Information on socio-economic and demographic status and knowledge, attitudes and practices were gathered using an interviewer administered questionnaire. The control group contained 200 households from each MOH area that had not reported any dengue case and the same questionnaire was used for the assessment (n = 1000 for each district). Statistical comparisons between the test and control groups were carried out using the Chi-square test of independence, cluster analysis, analysis of similarities (ANOSIM) and multidimensional scaling (MDS) analysis. Results: Significant differences among the test and control groups in terms of basic demographic and socio-economic factors, living standards, knowledge, attitude and practices, were recognized (P < 0.05 at 95% level of confidence). The test group indicated similar risk factors, while the control group also shared more or less similar characteristics as depicted by the findings of cluster analysis and ANOSIM. Findings of the present study highlight the importance of further improvement in community education, motivation and communication gaps, proper coordination and integration of control programmes with relevant entities. Key infrastructural risk factors such as urbanization and waste collection, should be further improved, while vector controlling entities should focus more on the actual conditions represented by the public on knowledge, attitudes and personal protective practices. Conclusions: The design of flexible and community friendly intervention programmes to ensure the efficacy and sustainability of controlling dengue vectors through community based integrated vector management strategies, is recommended.Item Demographical characterization of dengue infected patients in Akurana medial officer of health area(central Province of Sri Lanka, University of Sri Jayawardnapura, Sri Lanka., 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.; Amarasingha, U.S.; Abeyewickreme, W.Dengue has been recognized to be one of the major threats on the public health of many tropical countries including Sri Lanka. Controlling of the high rate of mortality caused by dengue, which remains without being altered regardless of the immense efforts and control strategies of the relevant authorities, has remained as a major challenge for the Sri Lankan health sector. Vulnerability assessment of communities to dengue infection is of higher importance in drafting and implementation of management plans to ensure effective management and controlling of dengue epidemics at the regional scale. Therefore, a statistic based analysis of the dengue patient characteristics was carried out to determine the susceptibility of population to dengue infection in Akurana Medical Officer of Health (MOH) area. Monthly records of reported dengue cases from 2010 to 2014 of the Akurana MOH division were collected. Normal Chi square test coupled with Paired-Chi square test was devised to investigate the impact of sex and age on the infection. MINITAB (version 14.12.0) software package was used for statistical analysis. In accordance with the results of the normal Chi square test, the Percentage Infected Male: Female Ratio (PIMFR) remains significantly altered throughout the period of study (p=0.001 61 (1.84%). However, according to the Paired-Chi square test, the vulnerability of age groups tend to shift significantly throughout the study period [>Χ2 (7, 0.95) = 14.067]. In conclusion males tend to indicate relatively high susceptibility to dengue. Age groups of 6 - 10, 11 - 20 and 21 - 30 could be recognized as highly vulnerable age groups in the community for dengue, while age group of >61 emerge as the least vulnerable age group for the infection of dengue in the Akurana MOH.