Background: Sri Lanka has been free from indigenous malaria since November 2012 and received the WHO certificate for malaria-free status in September 2016. Due to increased global travel, imported malaria cases contin...Background: Sri Lanka has been free from indigenous malaria since November 2012 and received the WHO certificate for malaria-free status in September 2016. Due to increased global travel, imported malaria cases continue to be reported in the country. Military personnel returning home from international peace-keeping missions in malaria endemic countries represent a key risk group in terms of imported malaria. The present study intended to characterize the potential causes of a malaria outbreak among the Sri Lankan security forces personnel deployed in the Central African Republic(CAR).Methods: Data were collected from a cross-sectional survey distributed among Sri Lankan Air Force personnel who had returned from United Nations peace-keeping missions in the CAR region. A pre-tested questionnaire was used for the data collection, and focus group discussions were also conducted.Results: One hundred twenty male Air Force personnel were interviewed(out of a group of 122 officers and airmen). All participants were deployed in the CAR for 14 months and were aware of the existence of chemoprophylaxis against malaria. The majority of the subjects(92.5%, 111/120) also knew that prophylaxis should be started prior to departure. However, the regular use of chemoprophylaxis was reported by only 61.7%(74/120) of the sample. Overall, 30.8% of the participants(37/120) had 44 symptomatic episodes of malaria during deployment, and one person succumbed to severe malaria. All cases were associated with noncompliance with chemoprophylaxis.Conclusion: Better coordination with overseas healthcare services and the establishment of directly observed chemoprophylaxis may help to avoid similar outbreaks in the future.展开更多
This study assesses radiation levels in soil, water and air in the Norochcholai,<span> </span><span>an area in Sri Lanka closest to the Kundankulam nuclear power plant, India which is situated in the...This study assesses radiation levels in soil, water and air in the Norochcholai,<span> </span><span>an area in Sri Lanka closest to the Kundankulam nuclear power plant, India which is situated in the North Western coast. This is important for monitoring radiation hazards </span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">and</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> will be useful in case of a nuclear accident. Superficial soil and water samples from 23 locations were analyzed by Gamma spectrometry using<span style="color:red;"> </span>HPGe detector. The activity concentrations of Th232, K40, Ra226 and Pb210 in the soil were 56.0</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">Bq<span style="white-space:normal;">·</span>kg</span></span></span><span><span><span><span><sup><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span style="font-size:10px;">-</span>1</span></sup></span></span></span></span><span></span><span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">, 96.0</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">Bq</span></span></span>·<span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">kg</span></span></span><span><span><sup><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span><span style="font-size:10px;">-</span>1</span></span></sup></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">, 24.0</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">Bq<span style="white-space:normal;">·</span>kg</span></span></span><span><span><sup><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span><span style="font-size:10px;">-</span>1</span></span></sup></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> and 27.0</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">Bq<span style="white-space:normal;">·</span>kg</span></span></span><span><span><sup><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span><span style="font-size:10px;">-</span>1</span></span></sup></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> respectively. Dose rate at 1</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">m height w</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">as</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> recorded using a survey meter</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">(Automess 6150AD). Median dose rate was 0.098</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">μSv<span style="white-space:normal;">·</span>h</span></span></span><span><span><sup><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span><span style="font-size:10px;">-</span>1</span></span></sup></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">. The median gamma ray absorbed dose rate w</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">as</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> 51.2 nGy<span style="white-space:normal;">·</span>h</span></span></span><span><span><sup><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span><span style="font-size:10px;">-</span>1</span></span></sup></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">,</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> which is lower than the global average of 57 nGy<span style="white-space:normal;">·</span>h</span></span></span><span><span><sup><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span><span style="font-size:10px;">-</span>1</span></span></sup></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">. Radium equivalent activity</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">(Raeq) ranged from 30.3</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">Bq/Kg -</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">458.3</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">Bq/Kg and only one sample recorded the Raeq ></span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">370</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">Bq/Kg as safe to be used in building materials. External hazardous indices of all the samples w</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">ere</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> below 1 a</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">nd the mean annual effective dose was within the safe limit of 1</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">mSv/y. The health risk of exposure to terrestrial radiation from the soil in the area is minimal. These data could be used as baseline for radiation assessment.</span></span></span>展开更多
基金funded by National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka(Grant No.RG/2014/HS/03)
文摘Background: Sri Lanka has been free from indigenous malaria since November 2012 and received the WHO certificate for malaria-free status in September 2016. Due to increased global travel, imported malaria cases continue to be reported in the country. Military personnel returning home from international peace-keeping missions in malaria endemic countries represent a key risk group in terms of imported malaria. The present study intended to characterize the potential causes of a malaria outbreak among the Sri Lankan security forces personnel deployed in the Central African Republic(CAR).Methods: Data were collected from a cross-sectional survey distributed among Sri Lankan Air Force personnel who had returned from United Nations peace-keeping missions in the CAR region. A pre-tested questionnaire was used for the data collection, and focus group discussions were also conducted.Results: One hundred twenty male Air Force personnel were interviewed(out of a group of 122 officers and airmen). All participants were deployed in the CAR for 14 months and were aware of the existence of chemoprophylaxis against malaria. The majority of the subjects(92.5%, 111/120) also knew that prophylaxis should be started prior to departure. However, the regular use of chemoprophylaxis was reported by only 61.7%(74/120) of the sample. Overall, 30.8% of the participants(37/120) had 44 symptomatic episodes of malaria during deployment, and one person succumbed to severe malaria. All cases were associated with noncompliance with chemoprophylaxis.Conclusion: Better coordination with overseas healthcare services and the establishment of directly observed chemoprophylaxis may help to avoid similar outbreaks in the future.
文摘This study assesses radiation levels in soil, water and air in the Norochcholai,<span> </span><span>an area in Sri Lanka closest to the Kundankulam nuclear power plant, India which is situated in the North Western coast. This is important for monitoring radiation hazards </span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">and</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> will be useful in case of a nuclear accident. Superficial soil and water samples from 23 locations were analyzed by Gamma spectrometry using<span style="color:red;"> </span>HPGe detector. The activity concentrations of Th232, K40, Ra226 and Pb210 in the soil were 56.0</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">Bq<span style="white-space:normal;">·</span>kg</span></span></span><span><span><span><span><sup><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span style="font-size:10px;">-</span>1</span></sup></span></span></span></span><span></span><span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">, 96.0</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">Bq</span></span></span>·<span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">kg</span></span></span><span><span><sup><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span><span style="font-size:10px;">-</span>1</span></span></sup></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">, 24.0</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">Bq<span style="white-space:normal;">·</span>kg</span></span></span><span><span><sup><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span><span style="font-size:10px;">-</span>1</span></span></sup></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> and 27.0</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">Bq<span style="white-space:normal;">·</span>kg</span></span></span><span><span><sup><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span><span style="font-size:10px;">-</span>1</span></span></sup></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> respectively. Dose rate at 1</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">m height w</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">as</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> recorded using a survey meter</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">(Automess 6150AD). Median dose rate was 0.098</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">μSv<span style="white-space:normal;">·</span>h</span></span></span><span><span><sup><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span><span style="font-size:10px;">-</span>1</span></span></sup></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">. The median gamma ray absorbed dose rate w</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">as</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> 51.2 nGy<span style="white-space:normal;">·</span>h</span></span></span><span><span><sup><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span><span style="font-size:10px;">-</span>1</span></span></sup></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">,</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> which is lower than the global average of 57 nGy<span style="white-space:normal;">·</span>h</span></span></span><span><span><sup><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span><span style="font-size:10px;">-</span>1</span></span></sup></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">. Radium equivalent activity</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">(Raeq) ranged from 30.3</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">Bq/Kg -</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">458.3</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">Bq/Kg and only one sample recorded the Raeq ></span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">370</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">Bq/Kg as safe to be used in building materials. External hazardous indices of all the samples w</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">ere</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> below 1 a</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">nd the mean annual effective dose was within the safe limit of 1</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "="">mSv/y. The health risk of exposure to terrestrial radiation from the soil in the area is minimal. These data could be used as baseline for radiation assessment.</span></span></span>
