ABSTRACT
Age-adjusted morbidity rates of Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever in Thailand during the period 1983-1987 were analysed. The 1983 data were used as standard baseline rates. The age-adjusted rates showed increasing trend in the disease morbidity, i.e., 60.2, 138.2, 159.6, 55.2 and 344.7 (per 100,000 capita) respectively. These rates were consistently higher than the crude rates. The Standardised Morbidity Ratios (SMRs) as compared with the baseline 1983 were 1.00, 2.30, 2.65, 0.92 and 5.73 respectively. Regional comparisons revealed annual increases in Bangkok areas, other Central provinces, the North and the Northeast with fluctuations observed in the South. The epidemic was most of the time higher in the Central provinces other than Bangkok areas. The authors suggest that age-adjusted rates (or possibly sex) should be applied in the study of DHF morbidity data, since there were discrepancies in the age distribution among different regions of the country.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Age Factors , Child , Child, Preschool , Dengue/epidemiology , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Morbidity , Thailand/epidemiologyABSTRACT
A study of the effect of sulphadoxine/pyrimethamine (Fansidar) on P. falciparum's gametocytes in peripheral blood was carried out in Western Thailand. One group of 77 patients with asexual form P. falciparum sensitive to Fansidar were followed weekly to detect the appearance and the duration of gametocytes in peripheral blood after Fansidar treatment on the basis of thick blood film examination. Another group of 14 patients with sexual form P. falciparum was not given any antimalarial treatment and also followed up weekly. No significant difference of average duration of detectable gametocytes was observed between the groups. The average number of days that gametocytes appeared after asexual form in patients receiving treatment was the same as in the untreated group. It is unlikely that Fansidar has the stimulating effect on gametocytogenesis as previously reported.