Seroprevalence of varicella zoster virus infections in Colombo District, Sri Lanka

Liyanage, Namal P. M.; Fernando, S.S.N.; Malavige, Gathsaurie Neelika; Mallikahewa, R Rajapakse; Sivayogan, S; Jiffry, M.T.M.; Vitarana, T

doi:10.4103/0019-5359.30747

Cited by 36 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…In contrast to the current study findings, a study carried out in the Colombo District had less than ½ of the females in the child bearing agewere positive for anti-VZV IgG [16]. On the other hand, the new entrant students of the University of Peradeniya showed 49.1% sero-prevalence for anti-VZV IgG [19] and a group of adolescents from the Kandy District showed a sero-prevalence of 34.0% for anti-VZV IgG [20].…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

“…On the other hand, the new entrant students of the University of Peradeniya showed 49.1% sero-prevalence for anti-VZV IgG [19] and a group of adolescents from the Kandy District showed a sero-prevalence of 34.0% for anti-VZV IgG [20]. Thus, the sero-prevalence rate noted for anti-VZV IgG in the current study showed a considerable increment from previous studies done from 1999 to 2004 [16, 19, 20], however, the data on VZV sero-prevalence in Sri Lanka is limited in the past decade. Apart from the difference in the time at which past studies were conducted from now, the age groups covered in those studies may also be accountable for the discrepancies in the anti-VZV IgG status between those studies and the current study.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 50%

“…This may be due to the lack of knowledge about varicella or acquiring the infection at a very early age and thus could not recall. In a study carried out in Colombo District, 28.0% of the study population with a self-reported history of varicellaturned out to be sero-negative for VZV IgG [16]. Based ona study carried out among adolescents in Kandy District,only 53.0% of those with a self-reported history of varicellashowed positivity for anti-VZV IgG [20].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the same study, a sero-positivity of 17.0% and 24.0% for anti-VZV IgG was observed among children below 15 years in urban and rural populations, respectively. In those aged 60 years, only 50.0% in the rural population were immune to VZV whereas in the urban population, 78.9% were immune to VZV [16]. …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Exposure rate of VZV among women attending antenatal care clinic in Sri Lanka - a cross sectional study

et al. 2017

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BackgroundVaricella or chickenpox was not a notifiable disease until 2005 in Sri Lanka and only a few studies have been conducted on the epidemiology of VZV infection in the country. The antiVZV IgG sero-prevalence among antenatal women is extremely limited and thus a selected group of antenatal clinic attendees were chosen to determine the exposure rate to VZV infection.MethodsWomen attending the antenatal clinic at Teaching Hospital, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka were selected for the study and 3 mL of venous blood was collected from 181 participants and the demographic data was obtained through a pretested questionnaire. Sera of the women were then tested for the presence of antiVZV IgG using ELISA (HUMAN Diagnostics, Germany). Data was analysed using the SPSS statistical software for Windows, Version 12.0.ResultsOf the 181 antenatal women who took part in the study, 141 were positive for antiVZV IgG giving a sero-prevalence of 77.9% for the past exposure to VZV. Of the 141 antiVZV IgG positive women, 43.3% (n = 61) were from urban, 41.8% (n = 59) were from rural and 14.9% (n = 21) were from estate populations (an ethnic population living in small settlements in the tea estates whose ancestors were brought from India during the British colonial period to work in the tea plantations in Sri Lanka). Out of the 88 antenatal women with a positive history for varicella, 85 (96.6%) were positive for anti-VZV IgG. The highest number of antiVZV IgG positivity was seen in the 31–35 age group, which was 85.0% of the total number of antenatal women included in that category. An increase in the antiVZV IgG sero-prevalence with increasing age was also noted in the study sample.ConclusionExposure rate of VZV infection as confirmed by antiVZV IgG in the present study sample of antenatal women was 77.9%. Age specific, population based future sero-prevalence studies should be conducted in Sri Lanka to understand the anti-VZV IgG status in the country.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 50%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Exposure rate of VZV among women attending antenatal care clinic in Sri Lanka - a cross sectional study

et al. 2017

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“…It is likely that our patients represented reactivated disease while those reported in developed countries were related to primary infection. Furthermore, compared to developed countries where 95% of the population are seropositive for VZV at 5 years, in Sri Lanka it is predominantly an adult disease with seroprevalence reaching 50% at 60 years in rural populations [27]. VZV vaccine in not routinely given to children in Sri Lanka.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Viral aetiologies of acute encephalitis in a hospital-based South Asian population

Lohitharajah¹,

Malavige

Arambepola

et al. 2017

BMC Infect Dis

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BackgroundThe aetiological spectrum of acute encephalitis shows inter- and intra-geographical variations. We aimed to identify the viruses that cause infectious encephalitis in Sri Lanka, which represents a South Asian population.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 99 patients with encephalitis/meningoencephalitis admitted to two tertiary-care hospitals in Colombo. Cerebrospinal fluid and serum were tested for conventional and emerging encephalitogenic viruses. Specific nucleic acid amplification and antibody assays were used to identify viruses. Plaque reduction neutralization test was done to confirm the diagnosis of West Nile virus (WNV).ResultsPatients’ age ranged from 1 month to 73 years (mean = 24.91; SD = 21.33) with a male:female ratio of 1.75:1. A viral aetiology was identified in only 27.3%. These included dengue virus (40.7%), Japanese encephalitis virus (25.9%), varicella zoster virus, WNV and probable Epstein Barr virus (11.1% each). None were positive for herpes simplex viruses or cytomegalovirus. Screening for bacterial aetiologies was negative for all patients. There were no distinguishable clinical or laboratory findings between the different viral aetiologies. The case fatality rate was 7%, which was higher among patients with an identified viral aetiology.ConclusionsA viral aetiology was identified in only about a quarter of patients with encephalitis. Dengue virus accounted for the majority.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12879-017-2403-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Comparison of the dynamics and correlates of transmission of Herpes Simplex Virus-1 (HSV-1) and Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV) in a sample of the Israeli population

et al. 2007

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Herpes simplex virus types-1 (HSV-1) and Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) are herpes viruses that share many characteristics. However, HSV-1 spreads by close contact while VZV spreads mainly by the airborne route. In this study we compared the dynamics and correlates of transmission of these viruses in the same population. In 2000-2001, 1555 sera from an age-stratified general population sample were tested using commercial ELISA kits to measure type-specific HSV-1 and varicella IgG antibodies. The VZV seroprevalence increased rapidly with age reaching 50% seropositivity by the age of 3 years, while HSV-1 reached 50% seropositivity at the age of 14 years. The highest VZV force of infection was in the 3.5-5.5-year age group followed by the 5.5-10.5 years age group, while for HSV-1 the age specific force of infection was substantially lower and stable over the various age groups. Multivariate analysis revealed that HSV-1 seroprevalence was significantly, independently associated with age, country of birth, country of origin, ethnicity, socio-economic status and VZV sero-status. Only age, country of origin and HSV-1 sero-status were found to be associated with VZV seropositivity. In developed countries such as Israel the transmission of VZV is much quicker and less dependent on socioeconomic status as compared with HSV-1.

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Seroprevalence of varicella zoster virus infections in Colombo District, Sri Lanka

Cited by 36 publications

References 8 publications

Exposure rate of VZV among women attending antenatal care clinic in Sri Lanka - a cross sectional study

Exposure rate of VZV among women attending antenatal care clinic in Sri Lanka - a cross sectional study

Viral aetiologies of acute encephalitis in a hospital-based South Asian population

Comparison of the dynamics and correlates of transmission of Herpes Simplex Virus-1 (HSV-1) and Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV) in a sample of the Israeli population

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