Sanath Thushara Kudagammana

University of Peradeniya | UOP · Department of Paediatrics

Background Asthma is one of the most common non-communicable diseases globally. This study aimed to assess asthma medicine use, management plan availability, and disease control in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood across different country settings. Methods We used data from the Global Asthma Network Phase I cross-sectional epidemiological stud...

Background Asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema have been identified as the most prevalent childhood allergic diseases. However, the prevalence of these allergic diseases can vary in different regions within a country and in the world. Methods The objective of the study was to estimate the prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema in scho...

Background Nasopharyngeal colonization is considered a necessary step in the initiation of pneumococcal diseases. Real time PCR (RT-PCR) is an alternative approach for the identification and quantification of pneumococci directly from samples. Objectives To compare pneumococcal detection rates using culture-based method versus RT-PCR direct detect...

Tuberculosis (TB) is the commonest cause of death by a single infectious agent globally and ranks amongst the top ten causes of global mortality. The incidence of TB is highest in Low-Middle Income countries (LMICs). Prompt institution of, and compliance with, therapy are cornerstones for a favourable outcome in TB and to mitigate the risk of multi...

Introduction: Micronutrient deficiencies have been identified as a global health problem with higher prevalence rates in developing countries. In Sri Lanka, a multiple micronutrient (MMN) supplementation programme was started in 2007 in the most nutritionally vulnerable districts and extended to the whole country in 2012. Though effectiveness is es...

Inaccurate penicillin allergy labels (PALs) are a major public health problem in high-income countries and has been linked to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and huge healthcare costs. Data regarding epidemiology of PALs and its potential association with AMR is sparse in low-income countries (LICs), low-middle-income countries (LMICs) and upper-mid...

Background—The Global Asthma Network (GAN) Phase I is surveying school pupils in high-income and low- or middle-income countries using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) methodology. Methods—Cross-sectional surveys of participants in two age groups in randomly selected schools within each centre (2015–2020). The co...

Background: Streptococcus pneumoniae continues to cause mortality and morbidity despite availability of effective vaccines. Pneumococcal colonization is considered a pre-requisite for disease. Identifying the serotypes circulating in a given locale is important for surveillance purposes as well as for assessing the need for vaccination. Aim of the...

Background: Childhood pneumonia continues to be a disease that causes severe morbidity and mortality among children mainly in South-East Asia and Africa though it is not so in the developed world. Pneumonia accounts for 16% of all deaths of children under 5 years old in the world, killing nearly one million children in 2015. In Sri Lanka, there we...

Objectives: A lack of correct awareness about immunization among parents put them at risk of falling prey to the anti-vaccine movement. This risk is present even in countries with a high vaccine uptake. This study was done with the objective of assessing the awareness of parents childhood vaccination. Results: In this study conducted among 141 pare...

Gallbladder perforation secondary to enteric fever is a rare complication in children and precise diagnosis is essential to decide on the management. Preoperative diagnosis of gallbladder perforation is demanding and most of the cases are diagnosed intra-operatively. We report a case of gallbladder perforation due to enteric fever in an eight-year-...

A CASE OF ENCEPHALITIS ASSOCIATED WITH PANUVEITIS IN A 8 YEAR OLD CHILD

A greater diversity of crops grown in homegardens in Sri Lanka is thought to be positively associated with increased nutritional diversity of the diet of members of households and their improved nutritional status and health. However, no studies have been made to evaluate the quantitative contribution of homegardens to people's food and nutrient in...

A greater diversity of crops grown in homegardens in Sri Lanka is thought to be positively associated with increased nutritional diversity of the diet of members of households and their improved nutritional status and health. However, no studies have been made to evaluate the quantitative contribution of homegardens to people's food and nutrient in...

Pneumococcal colonisation in two groups of vaccine-naive Sri Lankan children: a preliminary report

Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) of the family Paramyxoviridae is a relatively new virus causing severe acute respiratory tract infections (SARI) in children. Data on hMPV infection in Asia including Sri Lanka is limited. We aimed to detect respiratory viruses including hMPV in a selected group of children affected by a small outbreak of SARI presented...

Abstract Down syndrome, also known as Trisomy-21, is the most common viable aneuploidy in humans. It was first described as a syndrome by John Langdon Down in 1866 and later Jerome Lejeune and Patricia Jacobs explained the association between the third copy of the 21st chromosome and syndromic manifestations. The usual incidence of Down syndrome is...

During inflammation, leukocytes play a key role in maintaining tissue homeostasis by elimination of pathogens and removal of damaged tissues. Leukocytes migrate to the site of inflammation by crawling over and through the blood vessel wall, into the tissue. Leukocyte adhesion deficiencies (LAD 1, LAD 2 and LAD 3) are caused by defects in the adhesi...

Background: To assess the outcome of functional motor disability in ankle dorsiflexion in children with cerebral palsy who are having spastic diplegia following low dose botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) injection. Methods: Ten children with cerebral palsy who are having spastic diplegia, who had received low dose BTX-A injection to gastrocnemius-soleus g...

Introduction: Protein energy malnutrition continues to be a serious health concern in Sri Lanka and the country’s estate sector is worst affected. Understanding the local patterns of food consumption will be beneficial before planning programmes of nutritional intervention. Method: This study was conducted among preschool children of two tea estate...

Smallholder tea sector plays a vital role in Sri Lanka's economy and also in the rural economy. Smallholder tea lands are associated with homegardens in many areas, which have implications towards the development and maintenance of the homegardens. Thus, this study was focused on identifying prospects and issues in tea production of smallholders wh...

Background: Childhood nephrotic syndrome (NS) has a relapsing-remitting course resulting in a significant corticosteroid burden or a prescription of cytotoxic immunosuppressive therapy. The ideal steroid regimen for the initial episode remains elusive. Objective: This study was conducted at a single centre to assess the outcome of a longer regimen...

36th Annual Academic sessions - February 2014

36th Annual Academic sessions - February 2014

Aims and objectives: To assess the outcome of functional motor disability in ankle dorsiflexion in children with cerebral palsy who are having spastic diplegia following low dose botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) injection. Method: Ten children with cerebral palsy who are having spastic diplegia, who had received low dose BTX-A injection to gastrocnemius-...