What Does a KAP Survey Reveal about the Awareness Regarding Leishmaniasis among the Community of an Endemic Area in Sri Lanka?

Leishmaniasis is one of the neglected tropical diseases. Studies show that the poor knowledge about epidemiological aspects of leishmaniasis within communities causes the collapse of existing disease control programs. Therefore, the present study focuses on a detailed survey of the existing awareness among the threatened population in the Medawachchiya Public Health Inspector's (PHI) Area in the Anuradhapura District, Sri Lanka, aiming to assist the health staff to organize community-based vector control programs effectively in the future. Assessment of the awareness of residents of two hundred and seventy households (n = 270) from 10 Grama Niladhari Divisions (GNDs) was carried out by using a structured questionnaire. Among 143 females and 134 males, only 75.1% had knowledge about the disease, 5.8% (n = 16) of the participants knew only about the vector, and 28.9% (n = 80) knew about control methods. The study showed a considerable lack of awareness about the disease among the studied population. The study found that age and education levels had significant impacts on knowledge, attitudes, and practices. However, factors like gender, marital status, occupation, income, and expenses did not show significant correlations. The present study suggests huge scope for greater achievements in community-related vector control methods by implementing a continuous educational program.

Demonstration of bioprocess factors optimization for enhanced mono-rhamnolipid production by a marine Pseudomonas guguanensis.

We identified that Pseudomonas guguanensis produced macromolecular mono-rhamnolipid (1264.52 Da) upon sensing n-hexadecane/diesel/kerosene from its surroundings. Permutation experiments were done to improve the laboratory-scale mono-rhamnolipid production (ie, a three-fold increase) using RSM validation. Consequently, maximal mono-rhamnolipids production [40-50 mg/L] and emulsification abilities [65-70%] were encountered on day 8 using vegetable oil, peptone + yeast extract. EI24 values for the rhamnolipids were found to be 78±1.75% at 12.5 mg/ mL. Production and secretion of rhamnolipids were accompanied by aggregation of cells at day 6 as pictured in SEM. Pure monorhamnolipids of P. guguanensis was found to lower the surface tension of water to 32.98±0.3 mN/m than the crude and CFSs of P. aeruginosa indicating efficient activity. Utilization and subsequent removal of hexadecane was 77.2% and the breakdown products were fatty acids [decanoic, hexadecanoic, octadecanoic acids and methyl stearates] as signified in Head-space GC-MS. The breakdown products of hexadecane are also present in the synthesized rhamnolipids suggesting their biosynthetic role. Rapid degradation of hexadecane, diesel and kerosene by this emulsifier combined with non-pathogenic trait of P. guguanensis identifies this organism as a viable option to remove n-alkanes from aquatic environments.