Preventing the re-establishment of malaria during the COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka: implications for health security.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic-with its first reported case in Sri Lanka in March 2020-had the potential to impact the risk of re-establishing malaria, a disease which was eliminated from Sri Lanka in 2012. Post-elimination, the country remains highly vulnerable to a return of malaria on account of high vector mosquito densities and the inflow of imported malaria cases.

Methods: Parallels between COVID-19 and malaria after its elimination as health security threats were drawn, and the many ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the prevention of re-establishment of malaria programmes in the country in 2020 were examined.

An epidemiological analysis of severe imported malaria infections in Sri Lanka, after malaria elimination.

Background: Imported malaria continues to be reported in Sri Lanka after it was eliminated in 2012, and a few progress to life-threatening severe malaria.

Methods: Data on imported malaria cases reported in Sri Lanka from 2013 to 2023 were extracted from the national malaria database maintained by the Anti Malaria Campaign (AMC) of Sri Lanka. Case data of severe malaria as defined by the World Health Organization were analysed with regard to patients' general characteristics and their health-seeking behaviour, and the latter compared with that of uncomplicated malaria patients.

Larval Indices of Vector Mosquitoes as Predictors of Dengue Epidemics: An Approach to Manage Dengue Outbreaks Based on Entomological Parameters in the Districts of Colombo and Kandy, Sri Lanka.

Background: Early detection of dengue epidemics is a vital aspect in control programmes. Predictions based on larval indices of disease vectors are widely used in dengue control, with defined threshold values. However, there is no set threshold in Sri Lanka at the national or regional levels for larval indices.

Revised morphological identification key to the larval anopheline (Diptera: Culicidae) of Sri Lanka.

Objective: To revise morphological identification keys to the anophelines in Sri Lanka.

Method: Samples were collected from selected entomological sites in different districts in the country. Stage III and IV larvae were identified under a light microscope with an objective (×10) using standard larval keys developed for Sri Lankan anophelines.

Anopheles culicifacies breeding in polluted water bodies in Trincomalee District of Sri Lanka.

Background: Anopheles culicifacies, the major vector of malaria in Sri Lanka, is known to breed in clean and clear water. The main objective of the study was to detect the breeding habitat diversity of An. culicifacies.