ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence and some epidemiological features of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) status in the Gampaha district. DESIGN: Community based survey. SETTING: The district of Gampaha. SUBJECTS: All individuals over six months of age who were resident in the Gampaha district for a period over one month at time of survey. RESULTS: The HBsAg positivity rate in the Gampaha district was estimated to be 2.5% (95% C.I. 2% to 3%). This places the area in the intermediate endemicity zone as classified by WHO. The epidemiology indicates horizontal intrafamilial spread being more important in the population studied, than vertical, parenteral or sexual routes of transmission. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that immunisation in early childhood is an important measure in prevention of the infection in this district.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Hepatitis B/epidemiology , Hepatitis B Surface Antigens/blood , Humans , Infant , Male , Middle Aged , Prevalence , Seroepidemiologic Studies , Sri Lanka/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Acute and convalescent phase blood samples from five dengue fever (DF) patients and four dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) patients were tested for the presence of tumour necrosis factor (TNF). While all blood samples showed elevated levels, the acute phase blood sample levels were much higher. The mean TNF level in the acute samples of the five DF cases was 862 while in the DHF cases the level was 1722 pg/ml. Though the sample size is small, the difference appears to be statistically significant. Unlike in DF the distinctive features in DHF are the occurrence of shock, thrombocytopaenic purpura and sometimes disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Increased TNF levels have not been reported in the literature in association with DHF, although it has been shown to contribute to these features which appear in some other diseases.