Browsing by Author "Brooker, S."

Filter results by typing the first few letters
Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Estimates of disease burden due to land-snake bite in Sri Lankan hospitals
    (SEAMEO Regional Tropical Medicine and Public Health Project, 2005) Kasturiratne, A.; Pathmeswaran, A.; Fonseka, M.M.D.; Lalloo, D.G.; Brooker, S.; de Silva, H.J.
    Snake bite is a common cause of hospital admission in Sri Lanka. Despite this, there have been no countrywide studies or national estimates of disease burden due to snake bites in Sri Lankan hospitals. We assessed the disease burden due to snake bite in our hospitals and estimated the frequency of admissions due to bites by different snake species. Sri Lanka was divided into four zones based on climate and topography. Hospital morbidity and mortality data, which are available on an administrative district basis, were collated for the four zones. A survey of opinion among specialist physicians (the Delphi technique) was used to estimate the proportion of bites by different species, and requirements for anti-venom (AV) and intensive care facilities for management of snake bites in hospitals in each of the four zones. A study of hospital admissions due to snake bites in seven selected hospitals was also performed to validate the opinion survey. There was a clear difference in the incidence of hospital admissions due to snake bites in the different zones. Estimates of hospital admissions due to bites by different species also varied considerably between zones. These trends corresponded to estimates of requirements of AV and other supportive health care. Health care planning using data based on environmental information, rather than merely on political boundaries, could lead to targeted distribution of AV and intensive care requirements to manage snake bites.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Estimates of disease burden due to snakebite in Sri Lankan hospitals
    (Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2003) Kasturiratne, A.; Pathmeswaran, A.; Fonseka, M.M.D.; Lalloo, D.G.; Brooker, S.; de Silva, H.J.
    INTRODUCTION: There have been no country-wide studies or estimates of disease burden due to snakebite in Sri Lankan hospitals. OBJECTIVES: To assess disease burden due to snakebite and estimate relative frequency of the biting species in hospitals situated in different parts of the country. METHODS: Hospital morbidity and mortality data on snakebite was obtained for each administrative district. Sri Lanka was divided into 5 zones based on climate and available data on snake habitat (Zone 1-wet zone altitude <900m; Z2-intermediate zone; Z3-dry zone, Z4-wet zone altitude >900m; Z5-northern and north-western dry zone). Administrative districts were allocated to zones based on their geographical location and population using geographical information systems technology. Hospital morbidity and mortality data were collated for the 5 zones. A survey among physicians (37 physicians in 42 hospitals covering the 5 zones) was used (Delphi technique) to estimate the proportion of snakebites by different species and requirement of hospital resources, in each zone. Results: There was a clear difference in incidence of hospital admissions due to snakebite in the different zones (Z3-3.5 and Z4-0.4 per 1000 population). The distribution of bites by individual species also varied between zones (deadly venomous species Z3-85%, Z2-45%), moderately venomous and mildly-venomous species Z4-100%, Zl-70%). These trends corresponded to estimates of requirements for AVS and other hospital facilities (in 2000, Z3-86100 vials of AVS, 7380 Intensive care unit patient-days; Zl-26400 vials of AVS, 2640ICU patient-days). CONCLUSIONS: Incidence of hospital admissions due to snakebite and estimates of relative medical importance of different snake species show geographic variation within the country. This is reflected in estimates of requirements for facilities. Zoning based on environmental information rather than on political boundaries could lead to better distribution of health care resources for management of snakebite in hospitals situated in different parts of the country.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Helminth infections: soil-transmitted helminth infections and schistosomiasis
    (Oxford University Press and World Bank, 2006) Hotez, P. J.; Bundy, D.A.P.; Beegle, K.; Brooker, S.; Drake, L.; de Silva, N.; Montresor, A.; Engels, D.; Jukes, M.; Chitsulo, L.; Chow, J.; Laxminarayan, R.; Michaud, C. M.; Bethony, J.; Correa-Oliviera, R.; Xiao Shu-Hua; Fenwick, A.; Savioli, L.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Intestinal Nematodes: Ascariasis
    (Saunders-Elsevier, 2012) Bundy, D.A.P.; de Silva, N.; Brooker, S.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Soil-transmitted helminth infections: updating the global picture
    (Elsevier, 2003) de Silva, N.R.; Brooker, S.; Hotez, P.J.; Montresor, A.; Engels, D.; Savioli, L.
    No Abstract Available