Browsing by Author "Weerasinghe, C.R."

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    Complicance with single-dose diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) mass treatment programme for filariasis in Colombo, Sri Lanka
    (World Health Organization Regional Office for South-East Asia, 2002) Weerasinghe, C.R.; Abeyewickreme, W.; de Silva, N.R.
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    Consequences of ante-natal and intrapartum exposure to Wuchereria bancrofti infection
    (Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2004) Weerasinghe, C.R.; Wijesinghe, P.S.; de Silva, N.R.
    INTRODUCTION: It has been shown that prenatal exposure to parasite antigens may render newborns tolerant to infection and increase susceptibility to clinical disease. OBJECTIVE: To assess frequency of ante-natal and intrapartum exposure to W. bancrofti antigens among babies born to mothers living in a selected, lymphatic filariasis endemic area. METHODS: A total of 240 parturient women who delivered in the Colombo North Teaching Hospital, Ragama were surveyed, during October 2002. Microscopy and the immunochromatographic card test for filariasis were deployed to assess microfilaraemia and antigenaemia respectively in maternal and umbilical cord blood. An expert validated, pre-tested questionnaire was utilized in obtaining a detailed obstetric profile and to screen for any past or present significant clinical manifestations. RESULTS: The mean age of the study population was 27.4 years (range 17-40, SD 5.42). All mothers were free from any clinical evidence of filariasis. Antigenaemia was detected in 53/240 (22.08%) maternal blood samples while 37/240 (15.41%) cord blood samples were also positive. All the antigen positive cord blood samples were from mothers who were antigenaemic, whereas none of the offspring bom to non-ant'igenaemic mothers were positive. Microscopy of 52 night-blood samples of maternal and cord blood failed to detect any microfilaraemia. CONCLUSIONS: In utero or intrapartum transfer of filarial antigens frem mother to foetus appears to be quite common. These findings need to be taken into consideration in the national filariasis control programme.
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    Evaluation of the Mass Drug Administration(MDA) programme for filariasis control
    (Sri Lanka College of Microbiologists, 2003) Weerasinghe, C.R.; de Silva, N.R.
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    Impact of mass chemotherapy filariasis control programme on soil-transmitted helminth infections in Ragama
    (Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2003) de Silva, N.R.; Pathmeswaran, A.; Fernando, S.D.; Weerasinghe, C.R.; Selvaratnam, R.R.; Padmasiri, E.A.
    OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of using albendazole in the'national Mass Drug Administration (MDA) programme for filariasis control, on soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections'in Ragama. METHODS: The prevalence and intensity of STH infections was assessed before and after introduction of albendazole into the MDA programme in the Ragama MOH area, which has endemic transmission of both lymphatic filariasis and STH. Children attending Year 3 classes in 6 schools (selected in a random stratified manner) were examined during a baseline survey in March-May 2002. The follow-up survey (Sept-Oct) covered Year 4 children in the same schools after the MDA programme in July. All stool samples were examined on the day of collection using the modified Kato-Katz technique. RESULTS: The cumulative prevalence of STH infection was very low in both surveys: 4.5% (12/265) at baseline, and 2.0% (5/252) at follow-up. Trichuriasis was. the commonest infection (4.1% and 1.6%), followed by ascariasis (0.8% and 0.4%). The species prevalence rates, cumulative prevalence, and mean egg counts all declined from baseline to follow-up, but the differences were not statistically significant. The majority of children (85%) examined in the follow-up survey said they had taken both diethylcarbamazine citrate and albendazole during the MDA programme. CONCLUSIONS: Although it is possible that inclusion of albendazole in the MDA programme had an impact on STH infections, it is unlikely that any resultant decline in prevalence will have a significant impact on the health of schoolchildren in the Ragama MOH area since prevalence rates are now very low.
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    Impact of mass chemotherapy for the control of filariasis on geohelminth infections in Sri Lanka
    (Academic Press, 2003) de Silva, N.R.; Pathmeswaran, A.; Fernando, S.D.; Weerasinghe, C.R.; Selvaratnam, R.R.; Padmasiri, E.A.; Montresor, A.
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    Maternal filarial-infection status and its consequences on pregnancy and the newborn in Ragama, Sri Lanka
    (Academic Press, 2005) Weerasinghe, C.R.; de Silva, N.R.; Michae, E.
    No Abstract Available