Dataset Information

Assessment of environmental variability on malaria transmission in a malaria-endemic rural dry zone locality of Sri Lanka: The wavelet approach.

ABSTRACT: Malaria is a global public health concern and its dynamic transmission is still a complex process. Malaria transmission largely depends on various factors, including demography, geography, vector dynamics, parasite reservoir, and climate. The dynamic behaviour of malaria transmission has been explained using various statistical and mathematical methods. Of them, wavelet analysis is a powerful mathematical technique used in analysing rapidly changing time-series to understand disease processes in a more holistic way. The current study is aimed at identifying the pattern of malaria transmission and its variability with environmental factors in Kataragama, a malaria-endemic dry zone locality of Sri Lanka, using a wavelet approach. Monthly environmental data including total rainfall and mean water flow of the "Menik Ganga" river; mean temperature, mean minimum and maximum temperatures and mean relative humidity; and malaria cases in the Kataragama Medical Officer of Health (MOH) area were obtained from the Department of Irrigation, Department of Meteorology and Malaria Research Unit (MRU) of University of Colombo, respectively, for the period 1990 to 2005. Wavelet theory was applied to analyze these monthly time series data. There were two significant periodicities in malaria cases during the period of 1992-1995 and 1999-2000. The cross-wavelet power spectrums revealed an anti-phase correlation of malaria cases with mean temperature, minimum temperature, and water flow of "Menik Ganga" river during the period 1991-1995, while the in-phase correlation with rainfall is noticeable only during 1991-1992. Relative humidity was similarly associated with malaria cases between 1991-1992. It appears that environmental variables have contributed to a higher incidence of malaria cases in Kataragama in different time periods between 1990 and 2005.

SUBMITTER: Mahendran R

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7034797 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Assessment of environmental variability on malaria transmission in a malaria-endemic rural dry zone locality of Sri Lanka: The wavelet approach.

Mahendran Rahini R Pathirana Sisira S Piyatilake Ilangamage Thilini Sashika ITS Perera Shyam Sanjeewa Nishantha SSN Weerasinghe Manuj Chrishantha MC

PloS one 20200221 2

Malaria is a global public health concern and its dynamic transmission is still a complex process. Malaria transmission largely depends on various factors, including demography, geography, vector dynamics, parasite reservoir, and climate. The dynamic behaviour of malaria transmission has been explained using various statistical and mathematical methods. Of them, wavelet analysis is a powerful mathematical technique used in analysing rapidly changing time-series to understand disease processes in ...[more]

PMID: 32084156

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Project description:BackgroundLeishmaniasis is a notifiable disease in Sri Lanka since 2008. Previous studies show a gap in the notification of leishmaniasis. The purpose of the present study was to determine the Knowledge, attitudes and practice of medical officers regarding leishmaniasis.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in the Anuradhapura district which reported the highest case load of leishmaniasis. Medical officers from public and private health care institutes in the area filled a self-administered questionnaire in the presence of the investigators.ResultsOne hundred and eighty-eight (188) medical officers completed the questionnaire. Of them, 95.7% were aware of leishmaniasis as a parasitic infection and 84.7% correctly identified Leishmania donovani as the causative organism in Sri Lanka. From the respondents, 181 (96.8%) knew that the vector of leishmaniasis is sand fly. Cutaneous leishmaniasis was reported as the most prevalent form of leishmaniasis in the country by 176 (94.1%). Nearly half of the respondents (98, 54.1%) were aware of the fact that the Anuradhapura district has the highest disease burden. Many of them had the idea that leishmaniasis is an emerging disease (155, 84.3%,) and early diagnosis is important in controlling the disease (163, 89.1%). Although about three fourth (123, 73.7%,) of the participants mentioned that leishmaniasis should be notified at first clinical suspicion, only 74 (42.5%) were aware that it is a legal requirement. Some medical officers (39, 22%) believed that the current notification system in the country is not effective. Unavailability of notification forms (60, 36.8%) heavy workload (85, 50.3%) and inadequate supportive staff (55, 35.1%) were reported as barriers for timely notification. Even though 105 (58.0%) of medical officers had suspected leishmaniasis during the last 8 years period only 35 (19.4%) had notified.ConclusionsEven though more than 90% of the participants had good theoretical knowledge about leishmaniasis; notification of leishmaniasis is considerably inadequate. This study emphasizes the need for greater efforts to improve the notification of leishmaniasis in Sri Lanka.

Dataset Information

Assessment of environmental variability on malaria transmission in a malaria-endemic rural dry zone locality of Sri Lanka: The wavelet approach.

Publications

Assessment of environmental variability on malaria transmission in a malaria-endemic rural dry zone locality of Sri Lanka: The wavelet approach.

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