Dengue has become a global public health problem. Despite reactive efforts by the government in Malaysia, the dengue cases are on the increase. Adequate knowledge, positive attitude and correct practice for dengue control are essential to stamp out the disease. Hence, this study aims to assess the factors associated with dengue knowledge, attitude and practice (KAp), as well as the association with dengue igM and igG seropositivity. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in a closed, dengue endemic area with multi-storey dwellings. Five hundred individuals (aged 18 years and above) were approached for pre-tested KAp and seroprevalences assessment. the study showed only half of the total participants have good knowledge (50.7%) but they had insufficient knowledge about dengue during pregnancy. 53.2% of people had poor attitude and 50.2% reported poor practice for dengue control. Out of 85 respondents who agreed to participate in the dengue seroprevalence study, 74.1% (n = 63) were positive for dengue IgG and 7.1% (n = 6) were positive for dengue IgM. Among all sociodemographic variable, race is the only independent predicator for all KAp levels (p < 0.05). In conclusion, proactive and sustainable efforts are needed to bring a behavioural change among communities in order to fight dengue outbreaks in endemic areas. Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne viral disease caused by a flavivirus. There are four distinct serotypes of dengue virus, namely DEN-1, 2, 3 and 4. Female Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes are the primary and secondary vectors in Malaysia, respectively. Evidently, dengue is the most rapidly spreading arboviral disease in the world. The Global Burden of Disease reported that dengue incidence has multiplied to six-folds from 1990 to 2013, with Southeast Asia region contributing 52% of the disease burden 1. World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 50 million to 100 million cases occur annually 2 .The disease is currently endemic in more than 100 countries, with SouthEast Asia being among the worst affected region. Dengue fever was established in Malaysia ever since the first reported case of dengue in 1902. From then on, the numbers of cases continued to rise despite numerous initiatives undertaken by the Ministry of Health to curb the disease 3,4. According to WHO, the recent cumulative case count in Malaysia from 1 Jan to 2 Mac 2019 was 157% higher than that of the same period in 2018 5. In addition, a total of 79,151 dengue cases have been reported until end of July 2019 nationwide, with Selangor state contributing more than 50% of the cases (n = 40,849, 51.6%) 6. Vector control and surveillance is still the mainstay of dengue prevention strategies since there is no specific treatment for disease and vaccination remains a non-viable option 7. Local programs like Communications for Behavorial Changes (COMBI) in Malaysia have proved their potential effect in reducing dengue morbidity 8 but it requires understanding from community as well 9. Besides, vector control measures ...

causes cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Sri Lanka. Standard treatment is multiple, painful doses of intralesional sodium stibogluconate (IL-SSG). Treatment failures are increasingly reported, hence the need to investigate alternatives. Efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of thermotherapy were assessed for the first time for . CL. A single blinded noninferiority randomized controlled trial was conducted on new laboratory-confirmed CL patients with single lesions ( = 213). Selected patients were randomly assigned to 1) test group ( = 98; single session of radiofrequency-induced heat therapy (RFHT) given at 50°C for 30 seconds) and 2) control group ( = 115; 1-3 mL IL-SSG given weekly, until cure/10 doses). Patients were followed-up fortnightly for 12 weeks to assess clinical cure. Cost of treatment was assessed using scenario building technique. Cure rates by 8, 10, and 12 weeks in RFHT group were 46.5%, 56.5%, and 65.9% as opposed to 28%, 40.8%, and 59.4% in IL-SSG group, with no major adverse events. Cure rate by RFHT was significantly higher at 8 weeks ( = 0.009, odds ratio [OR]: 2.236, confidence interval [CI]: 1.217-4.108) and 10 weeks ( = 0.035, OR: 1.881, CI: 1.044-3.388), but comparable thereafter. Cost of RFHT was 7 times less (USD = 1.54/patient) than IL-SSG (USD = 11.09/patient). A single application of RFHT is safe, cost-effective, and convenient, compared with multiple doses of IL-SSG in the treatment of CL. Therefore, RFHT would be considered noninferior as per trial outcome when compared with standard IL-SSG therapy with multiple benefits for the patient and the national health care system.

Background: The quality of life in many patients is affected by skin lesions. Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), the commonest form of leishmaniasis is no exception. In Sri Lanka CL is an emerging parasitological condition with over 3000 cases within the last decade. Lesions are often seen on exposed parts of the body which may cause social stigma and hence a study was done to assess the changes in quality of life of CL patients. Method: A total of 294 patients (200 civilians and 94 army personnel) answered a previously validated Sinhala self- administered Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) questionnaire and an interviewer administered questionnaire. Results: The majority of the civilian population 47% had no effect on their quality of life due to CL lesions, 33.5% were affected in a small way,12.5% were affected moderately, 6.5 % suffered in a large way and on 0.5% or one patient was extremely affected due a large ulcerative lesion being on the face. The effect on quality of life was negligible in the majority of army patients as well (35.1%-no effect, 31.9%-small effect), with a few patients affected moderately and very largely (22.3 % and 10.6%) respectively. The most affected domain in patients was symptoms and feeling 1.27±1.400 (mean±SD) and the least was the relationships domain 0.27±0.625. Conclusion: CL does not seem to affect the quality of life in the majority of Sri Lankan patients as compared to CL in other parts of the world or other skin diseases.

No abstract

is a history of YF-outbreak; and our result on entomological risk assessment foresees resurgence.Methods & Materials: A total of 164, 085 female adult mosquitoes were caught and pool-screened using polymerase chain reaction for YF and DEN infections in two Nigerian States (Benue and Bayelsa) between 2010 and 2011. Similarly, a total of 431,381 larvae were collected in only Benue for entomological risk assessments (house, container, Breteau indices) with the determination of the transovarial status of some immature Aedes mosquitoes across studied locations.Results: In Benue, Aedes luteocephalus, Ae. aegypti and Anopheles gambiae were positive for YF. Meanwhile no mosquito was positive for DEN virus in Benue. For Bayelsa, only Mansonia africana was positive for DEN-3 virus as against negative results of all screened mosquitoes for YF. Entomological risk indicators suggest that three (Oju, Ega and Otukpo) of the four communities surveyed in Benue are at the verge of YF-epidemic. Evidence of a possible transovarial transmission was seen in Ae. aegypti from Ega only.Conclusion: These communities should be placed on a high alert of a possible epidemic; and so, urgent step to clear the areas of potential mosquito sites is highly recommended.