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This repository contains the published and unpublished research of the Faculty of Medicine by the staff members of the faculty

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End date: 2009Subject: search.filters.subject.Sri Lanka-epidemiology

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Now showing 1 - 10 of 38
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    Rotavirus-associated diarrhoea in buffalo calves in Sri Lanka
    (British Veterinary Association, Elseveir, 1994) Sunil-Chandra, N.P.; Mahalingam, S.
    Faecal samples from 150 buffalo calves, one to 150 days old, located in various districts of Sri Lanka, were examined for group A rotavirus antigen by a screening enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Positive samples were confirmed by the blocking ELISA. In the calves studied 27.3 per cent were diarrhoeic, and the rest were non-diarrhoeic but were in contact with the animals showing diarrhoea. Antigen was detected in 36.6 per cent of the diarrhoeic animals and in 11.9 per cent of the non-diarrhoeic animals. There was a strong association between the presence of antigen in faeces and diarrhoea in these animals (chi 2 = 46.98; P < 0.001). Of the 146 serum samples examined for antirotaviral antibodies, by the blocking ELISA at a single serum dilution (1:20) against a constant dose of antigen (8 units), 68.5 per cent were positive indicating a widespread infection with the virus in the population studied. This is the first record of the detection of rotavirus and its association with diarrhoea in buffalo calves in Sri Lanka.
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    Study of natural rotavirus infection in buffalo calves in Sri Lanka
    (Springer, 1995) Sunil-Chandra, N.P.; Mahalingam, S.
    No Abstract Available
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    Suicidal risk assessment and depression
    (Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2009) Kuruppuarachchi, K.A.L.A.; Wijesinghe, C.A.
    No Abstract Available
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    Maternal sleep deprivation is a risk factor for small for gestational age: a cohort study
    (Wiley-Blackwell, 2009) Abeysena, C.; Jayawardana, P.; Senevirathne, R. de A.
    AIMS: To determine trimester-specific risk factors for small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants. METHODS: A population-based prospective cohort study was conducted in Sri Lanka from May 2001 to April 2002. Pregnant women were recruited on or before 16 weeks of gestation and followed up until delivery. The sample size was 690. Trimester-specific exposure status and potential confounding factors were gathered on average at 12th, 28th and 36th weeks of gestation. SGA was assessed using customised birth centile charts. Multiple logistic regression was applied, and the results were expressed as odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). RESULTS: The risk factors for SGA less than 5th centile were shift work and exposure to physical and chemical hazards during 2nd and 3rd trimesters (OR 4.20, 95%CI 1.10-16.0), sleeping for less than or equal to 8 h during 2nd or 3rd or both trimesters (OR 2.23, 95%CI 1.08-4.59), walking for less than or equal to 2.5 h per day (OR 2.66, 95%CI 1.12-6.31) and alcohol consumption during the 3rd trimester (OR 14.5, 95%CI 2.23-94.7). Poor weekly gestational weight gain was significantly associated with both SGA < 10th and < 5th centiles. None of the other factors became significant for SGA < 10th centile. CONCLUSIONS: Risk factors for SGA less than 5th centile were sleep deprivation and shift work and exposure to physical and chemical hazards during 2nd and 3rd trimesters, less walking hours and alcohol consumption during 3rd trimester. Poor weekly gestational weight gain may be considered as a predictor of delivering an SGA infant.
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    Incidental occult carcinomas in total thyroidectomy for benign diseases of the thyroid
    (Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2009) Fernando, R.; Mettananda, D.S.G.; Kariyakarawana, L.
    BACKGROUND: Total thyroidectomy is increasingly recognised as the preferred surgical option for benign diseases of the thyroid. One factor contributing towards this change in policy is reports of incidental carcinomas in the resected specimens. METHODS: This was a prospective study of patients, who underwent total thyroidectomy for benign diseases of the thyroid at the University Surgical Unit, Colombo North Teaching Hospital from January 2003 to December 2005. RESULTS: There were 68 patients (67 females) aged 28 to 67 years (mean 44.2 (SD=11.1). In 6 (8.8%) patients, histological examination of the post-operative specimen showed incidental carcinomas: 2 papillary, 2 medullary and 2 follicular carcinomas. There was no significant difference in age, clinical presentation and functional thyroid status of patients with incidental carcinomas and those with histologically confirmed benign diseases. CONCLUSIONS: Occurrence of incidental thyroid cancers was 8.8% in this series, and they were difficult to predict pre-operatively. The policy of performing total thyroidectomy for benign disease of the thyroid obviates the need for further surgery if an incidental carcinoma is found.
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    Prevalence and risk factors for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease among adults in an urban Sri Lankan population
    (Wiley-Blackwell, 2009) Dassanayake, A.S.; Kasturiratne, A.; Rajindrajith, S.; Kalubowila, U.; Chackrewarthy, S.; de Silva, A.P.; Makaya, M.; Mizoue, T.; Kato, N.; Wickremasinghe, A.R.; de Silva, H.J.
    BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an emerging problem in the Asia-Pacific region. However, its prevalence and risk factors in Asian (especially South Asian) communities is poorly studied. In this study, the aim was to determine the community prevalence and risk factors for NAFLD among adults in an urban Sri Lankan population. METHODS: The study population consisted of 35-64-year-old adults, selected by stratified random sampling. NAFLD was diagnosed on established ultrasound criteria for fatty liver, safe alcohol consumption (< 14 units/week for men, < 7 units/week for females) and absence of hepatitis B and C markers. Blood pressure (BP) and anthropometric measurements were made, and fasting glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, serum lipids, fasting serum insulin and serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were determined. RESULTS: Of the 2985 study participants, 974 (32.6%) had NAFLD (605 [62.1%] women, mean age 52.8 years [standard deviation, 7.3]). On multivariate analysis, obesity, acanthosis nigricans, insulin resistance, elevated diastolic BP, fasting plasma glucose, plasma triglycerides, and ALT twice the upper limit of the reference range or more were independently associated with NAFLD. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of NAFLD among adults in this urban Sri Lankan community is high and is strongly associated with constituent features of the metabolic syndrome.
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    Neonatal mortality in Sri Lanka: timing, causes and distribution
    (Informa Healthcare, 2009) Rajindrajith, S.; Mettananda, S.; Adihetti, D.; Goonawardana, R.; Devanarayana, N.M.
    OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the timing, causes and distribution of neonatal deaths in Sri Lanka, to provide information for policy makers, to undertake appropriate measures to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. METHODS: All neonatal deaths, reported to the Registrar General's Office, Sri Lanka, from 1997 to 2001, were included in the analysis. RESULTS: During this 5-year period, 17,946 neonatal deaths have occurred, of them 90.5% have occurred during the first week of life. The leading causes were preterm deliveries (33.2%), infections (19.8%) and cardiac anomalies (17.4%). The neonatal mortality rates (NMR) were higher in districts with specialised neonatal care facilities and high concentration of estates. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 3600 neonates die in Sri Lanka annually, even though it has a lower NMR compared to rest of the South Asia. Neonatal deaths were higher in the major cities and in the estate sector. The majority of neonatal deaths were due to complications of preterm birth, neonatal sepsis and cardiac anomalies.
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    Genotyping of Plasmodium vivax infections in Sri Lanka using Pvmsp-3 alpha and Pvcs genes as markers:a preliminary report
    (Malaysian Society of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, 2008) Manamperi, A.; Sanath, M.; Fernando, D.; Wickremasinghe, R.; Anura, B.; Hapuarachchi, C.; Abeyewickreme, W.; Wickremasinghe, A.R.
    Plasmodim vivax malaria accounts for more than 90% of malaria cases in Sri Lanka. There is limited information on the genetic heterogeneity of P. vivax in endemic areas of the country. Here we have assessed the potential of two P. vivax genes as genetic markers for their use in genotyping parasites collected from the field. DNA extracted from Geimsa-stained P. vivax positive slides were genotyped at two polymorphic loci: the P. vivax merozoite surface protein 3- alpha (Pvmsp-3alpha) and circumsporozoite protein (Pvcs). Analysis of these two genetic markers revealed 11 distinguishable variant types from the two genetic markers: 4 for Pvcs and 7 for Pvmsp-3alpha. The results indicate that the P. vivax parasite population is highly diverse in Sri Lanka, despite the low level of transmission.
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    Prion disease in Sri Lanka
    (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2007) Kuruppuarachchi, K.A.L.A.; Wijeratne, L.T.
    Comment on: Br J Psychiatry. 2006;189:295-6; No Abstract Available
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    Low folic acid status and its association with anaemia in urban adolescent girls and women of childbearing age in Sri Lanka
    (Cambridge University Press, 2006) Thoradeniya, T.; Wickremasinghe, R.; Ramanayake, R.; Atukorala, S.
    Folic acid deficiency is implicated in the aetiology of nutritional anaemia and adverse pregnancy outcomes for the fetus. Data on folic acid status among adolescent girls and non-pregnant, non-lactating young women are limited. We assessed folic acid status in a random sample of 552 subjects (277 adolescent girls aged 15-18.9 years and 275 women aged 19-30 years) living in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The association of low folic acid status with anaemia was evaluated. Socio-economic, food intake and anthropometric data were obtained. Hb, serum folic acid, vitamin B12 and ferritin and plasma homocysteine concentrations were measured. Forty-three per cent of subjects studied had low serum folic acid concentrations (<3 ng/ml) and 47 % had low Fe stores (serum ferritin <20 microg/l). Overall prevalence of anaemia was 12.9 %, and 43.9 % of anaemic subjects had both low folicacid status and depleted Fe stores (serum ferritin <12 microg/l). Both low folate status and depleted Fe stores were significantly associated with anaemia (odds ratio = 2.32; 95 % CI 1.34, 4.01 and odds ratio = 5.98; 95 % CI 3.36, 10.63, respectively). Serum folic acid concentration was associated (r = 0.108, P = 0.015) with folate intake as indicated by a computed folate index. Folate index was associated inversely with household size and positively with economic status and education level. In this study population low folic acid status, besides depleted Fe stores, was associated with anaemia. The high prevalence of low folic acid status observed highlights the need for nutrition education to improve intakes of folate, Fe and other micronutrients among adolescent girls and young women.
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