The climatic factors associated with incidence of Leptospirosis in Sri Lanka

<p>Leptospirosis is an endemic disease of public health importance in Sri Lanka. An ecological study was conducted to describe the association of selected climatic factors with district level incidence of Leptospirosis in Sri Lanka between 2008 and 2011. The factors selected were rainfall, rai...

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Main Authors: Paba Palihawadana, Jagath Amarasekera, Samitha Ginige, Deepa Gamage, SAHD Jayasekera, MD Dayananda
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: College of Community Physicians of Sri Lanka 2014-11-01
Series:Journal of the College of Community Physicians
Subjects:
Online Access:https://jccpsl.sljol.info/articles/7581
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author Paba Palihawadana
Jagath Amarasekera
Samitha Ginige
Deepa Gamage
SAHD Jayasekera
MD Dayananda
author_facet Paba Palihawadana
Jagath Amarasekera
Samitha Ginige
Deepa Gamage
SAHD Jayasekera
MD Dayananda
author_sort Paba Palihawadana
collection DOAJ
description <p>Leptospirosis is an endemic disease of public health importance in Sri Lanka. An ecological study was conducted to describe the association of selected climatic factors with district level incidence of Leptospirosis in Sri Lanka between 2008 and 2011. The factors selected were rainfall, rainy days, temperature and humidity. Districts were categorized in to districts reporting high, moderate and low incidence of Leptospirosis based on annual average incident rate of Leptospirosis.</p> <p>In general the present study did not find statistically significant correlation between climatic factors with district level Leptospirosis incidence, though a positive correlation between rainfall and incidence of Leptospirosis was found in majority of districts with high incidence of Leptospirosis. However, the observed correlation was statistically significant only in two districts.</p> <p>Sri Lanka is a country with minimal fluctuation of climatic factors (eg: temperature, humidity) among districts. It may have an impact on the poor correlation between climatic factors with incidence of Leptospirosis cases. Rainfall being positively correlated with Leptospirosis incidence in high incidence districts may suggest the rainfall to play a more important role in Leptospirosis epidemics than endemic transmission. Hence Public Health authorities need to strengthen control and preventive measures during the period of monsoon rains especially in districts with high incidence. Since this is an ecological study, further research is needed to assess the present study findings.</p><p>DOI: <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/jccpsl.v19i2.7581">http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/jccpsl.v19i2.7581</a></p><p>Journal of the College of Community Physicians of Sri Lanka 2014 June 19(2): 29-34</p>
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spelling doaj.art-5d175b65a9ea475d9ea3c14ec5b0c86f2022-12-22T02:10:39ZengCollege of Community Physicians of Sri LankaJournal of the College of Community Physicians1391-31742579-14512014-11-01192293410.4038/jccpsl.v19i2.75815678The climatic factors associated with incidence of Leptospirosis in Sri LankaPaba Palihawadana0Jagath Amarasekera1Samitha Ginige2Deepa Gamage3SAHD Jayasekera4MD Dayananda5Ministry of HealthMinistry of HealthMinistry of HealthMinistry of HealthMinistry of HealthDepartment of Meteorology<p>Leptospirosis is an endemic disease of public health importance in Sri Lanka. An ecological study was conducted to describe the association of selected climatic factors with district level incidence of Leptospirosis in Sri Lanka between 2008 and 2011. The factors selected were rainfall, rainy days, temperature and humidity. Districts were categorized in to districts reporting high, moderate and low incidence of Leptospirosis based on annual average incident rate of Leptospirosis.</p> <p>In general the present study did not find statistically significant correlation between climatic factors with district level Leptospirosis incidence, though a positive correlation between rainfall and incidence of Leptospirosis was found in majority of districts with high incidence of Leptospirosis. However, the observed correlation was statistically significant only in two districts.</p> <p>Sri Lanka is a country with minimal fluctuation of climatic factors (eg: temperature, humidity) among districts. It may have an impact on the poor correlation between climatic factors with incidence of Leptospirosis cases. Rainfall being positively correlated with Leptospirosis incidence in high incidence districts may suggest the rainfall to play a more important role in Leptospirosis epidemics than endemic transmission. Hence Public Health authorities need to strengthen control and preventive measures during the period of monsoon rains especially in districts with high incidence. Since this is an ecological study, further research is needed to assess the present study findings.</p><p>DOI: <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/jccpsl.v19i2.7581">http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/jccpsl.v19i2.7581</a></p><p>Journal of the College of Community Physicians of Sri Lanka 2014 June 19(2): 29-34</p>https://jccpsl.sljol.info/articles/7581leptodpirosis
spellingShingle Paba Palihawadana
Jagath Amarasekera
Samitha Ginige
Deepa Gamage
SAHD Jayasekera
MD Dayananda
The climatic factors associated with incidence of Leptospirosis in Sri Lanka
Journal of the College of Community Physicians
leptodpirosis
title The climatic factors associated with incidence of Leptospirosis in Sri Lanka
title_full The climatic factors associated with incidence of Leptospirosis in Sri Lanka
title_fullStr The climatic factors associated with incidence of Leptospirosis in Sri Lanka
title_full_unstemmed The climatic factors associated with incidence of Leptospirosis in Sri Lanka
title_short The climatic factors associated with incidence of Leptospirosis in Sri Lanka
title_sort climatic factors associated with incidence of leptospirosis in sri lanka
topic leptodpirosis
url https://jccpsl.sljol.info/articles/7581
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