Dr Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital

In order to feed the growing population, food production must be increased while minimizing food losses. Nevertheless, diseases caused by pathogens, particularly fungi, are responsible for severe crop losses. Even in today's world, farming systems are prone to various fungal disease epidemics, and care should be taken to avoid disastrous disease outbreak events that the world experienced before. Maize, palm oil, potato, rice, soybean, sugarcane, and wheat are the topmost major crops cultivated extensively worldwide. Any severe disease outbreak that occurs in those crops could cause heartbreak to the world market, and people who are living under the poverty line are highly vulnerable to food insecurity. Given this scenario, we attempt to comprehensively summarize the literature, mainly emphasizing the value of disease control using novel and advanced technologies. Here, first, we discuss previous historical disease outbreaks to showcase what we could learn from the past. Second, new disease emergence/new records of causative agents have been brought to signify the continuing threat and future threat of disease epidemics. Subsequently, the article presents the reasons behind such disease outbreaks, and lastly, it brings the possible disease epidemic mitigating strategies for researchers, farmers, and governing bodies to rethink.

Acute intravascular hemolysis (AIH) with hemoglobinuria is a rare complication of dengue viral infection. Review of the literature revealed only one report of AIH as a complication of dengue fever (DF). We report a case of AIH with massive hemoglobinuria in a 17-year-old Sri Lankan male, in the febrile phase of DF. This unusual and rare complication warranted forced diuresis, to prevent acute kidney injury. This was a departure from the recommended fluid therapy for DF.

The journal is the official publication of the College of Surgeons of Sri Lanka. Its mission is to reach the highest standard of scientific surgical practice by dissemination of high quality scientific information and to foster and promote the growth of scientific surgery in Sri Lanka and in the region. The Sri Lanka Journal of Surgery publishes peer-reviewed leading articles, review articles, scientific articles, perspectives and case reports in the field of surgery and broadly related surgical sciences The journal adheres to the publication ethics as portrayed by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and is a member of this organisation. It is listed as an ICMJE journal which follow its recommendations (ICMJE recommendations) on Conduct, Reporting, Editing and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals.

The journal is the official publication of the College of Surgeons of Sri Lanka. Its mission is to reach the highest standard of scientific surgical practice by dissemination of high quality scientific information and to foster and promote the growth of scientific surgery in Sri Lanka and in the region. The Sri Lanka Journal of Surgery publishes peer-reviewed leading articles, review articles, scientific articles, perspectives and case reports in the field of surgery and broadly related surgical sciences The journal adheres to the publication ethics as portrayed by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and is a member of this organisation. It is listed as an ICMJE journal which follow its recommendations (ICMJE recommendations) on Conduct, Reporting, Editing and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals.

Hip fractures, both extracapsular and intracapsular fractures occur when a person falls on a side. Hip fractures lead to long-term disability, decreased quality of life and even mortality. 50% of patients with hip fracture cannot live independently and up to 20% of them die within a year of the fracture. Previous studies based on different ethnic groups have shown the relationship of hip geometry to the fracture risks. In this study we focus on predicting hip fractures among Sri Lankan population based on the hip geometry. Previous literature have pointed out the importance of identifying the neck shaft angel (NSA) and femoral neck width (FNW) in fracture predictions. We compare the NSA and the ratio between Femoral head diameter to femoral neck width with fractured group and normal group. In both men and women, fractured group has greater NSA compared to the normal group. Femoral head/neck ratio further expressed that, fractured women group has lower ratio compared to the normal group. FNW is greater in fractured women group compared to the normal group.

Background/introduction Genital herpes is becoming the most prevalent STI throughout the world. Patients with genital herpes are more susceptible to psychological distress, possibly due to its natural history of incurability, asymptomatic viral shedding, recurrences, painful ulcers and risk of transmission to the partner and to the baby. Aim(s)/objectives To study the psycho-social impact among patients with genital herpes. Methods Study design was cross sectional comparative study using HSV infected and non-infected group attending central STD clinic Colombo. Study group was having genital herpes and a comparative group was asymptomatic and did not have genital herpes but having any other STI. Interviewer administered questionnaire was used for 85 from each group. General Health Questionnaire (GHQ 30), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Questionnaire (HADQ) and the questionnaire related to socio-demographic variables were used. Results The demographic differences were not statistically significant. Social stigmatisation and the fear of transmitting to their partners were high among herpes. This difference is statistically significant at p Discussion/conclusion Patients with genital herpes had more psychological distress, anxiety and depression compared to non herpes patients.

Background Despite advances in management, the mortality and morbidity due to asthma are increasing globally. Identification of specific correlates in the local context is useful in disease management. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence and to describe selected correlates of asthma among12-14 year old school children in a district in Sri Lanka.Method A school based cross-sectional study was conducted using a self administered questionnaire. Multi-staged stratified cluster sampling was used to select 42 classes in grades 7, 8 and 9. “Current asthma” (CA)(case) was defined as ‘having Physician Diagnosed Asthma (PDA) and having had wheezing during the previous 12 months’. For each case, two healthy controls were selected from the same class to assess correlates. Information on correlates was collected by trained field midwives during home visits. Backward stepwise logistic regression model was used for analysis of correlates. Skin Prick Testing was carried out among asthmatics together with their healthy siblings using standard extracts of House Dust Mite (HDM), cockroach and Blomia. Ethical clearance was obtained from Ethical Review Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Colombo.Results Out of 1483 subjects participated, 753 were females (50.8%). The prevalence rates for current wheezing (CW), ever wheezing (EW), current asthma (CA), and physician diagnosed asthma (PDA) were 16.7%, 19.4%, 10.7% and 14.5% respectively. A total of 158 CA cases were identified. Information on correlates of asthma was collected for 145 CA cases (97.9%) and for 285 controls (96.6%). The unconfounded predictors of having CA among adolescents in the present sample were; only child in the family (OR = 4.2, 95% CI: 1.7-9.9); first born of the family (OR = 2.6 95% CI: 1.3-5.2); presence of allergic rhinitis (OR = 2.7, 95% CI: 1.6-4.6); family history of asthma (OR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.1-3.2); family history of allergic rhinitis (OR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.1-3.2); family history of eczema (OR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.0-3.2). Higher risk of sensitization to cockroach, HDM and Blomia was seen among asthmatics compared to healthy siblings.Conclusion A significant proportion of students reported to have asthma. Atopy and other genetic and environmental correlates should be considered as important correlates in asthma management among early adolescents in Sri Lanka.