Leishmaniasis is a parasite disease established in Sri Lanka with a continuously increasing prevalence.

The risk factors of leishmaniasis may differ from one geographical region to another as well as one form to another. Therefore, demography, epidemiology of the disease and risk factors at endemic setting should be studied to determine proper interventions. Furthermore, the studies on the direct and indirect costs associated with leishmaniasis would allow decision-making authorities and policy planners to manage resources through appropriate prioritization with the limitations in fund allocations.

Leishmaniasis is an infectious disease caused by protozoan parasites of genus Leishmania. The disease has three main clinical manifestations: visceral leishmaniasis, cutaneous leishmaniasis and muco-cutaneous leishmanaisis. Sri Lanka is one of the 98 endemic countries for cutaneous leishmaniasis in the world. Causative agent for this disease in Sri Lanka is L. donovani and the main suspected vector is Phlebotomus argentipes.

My studies were aimed at assessing socio-economic, demographic and landscape/household surrounding related risk factors of leishmaniasis, the economic impact of leishmaniasis from national as well as household perspectives and development of time series prediction models to forecast the disease incidence.

Related Publications (Full papers)

Wimalasiri U, Wijerathna T, Gunathilaka N, Wijegunawardana A, Rodrigo WW. Presence of Leishmania donovani DNA in wild-caught biting midges Culicoides sp. at a Leishmaniasis disease endemic area in Sri Lanka; An alternative vector for disease transmission. Journal of Multidisciplinary & Translational Research. 2024 Aug 9(1): 1-9.

Wijerathna T. & Gunathilaka N (2023). Time series analysis of leishmaniasis incidence in Sri Lanka: Evidence for humidity associated fluctuations. International Journal of Biometeorology.

Wijerathna T. Wickremesinghe K. Gunathilaka N. Perera A. & Bandara A (2022). The epidemiological trend of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Kegalle district, Sri Lanka: a newly established disease focus and assessment of bioclimatic suitability for disease establishment using ecological niche modelling. Acta tropica. 237: 106719.

Wijerathna T, Gunathilaka N, Semege S, Pathirana N, Rodrigo W & Fernando D. (2022) Genetic diversity of Leishmania donovani isolates from cutaneous lesions of military personnel in the Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi districts of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine. 15(9): 418-24.

Mallawarachchi CH, Chandrasena N, Wijerathna T, Dalpadado R, Mallawarachchi MS, Gunarathna DG, Gunathilaka N. (2021). An investigation of a new cutaneous leishmaniasis endemic area in Western Sri Lanka. Transactions of The Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 115(11):1288-97.

Wijerathna T., Gunathilaka N., Gunawardana K., Rodrigo W. (2020). Socio-economic, demographic and environmental factors associated with cutaneous leishmaniasis in Kurunegala District, Sri Lanka. Parasites & Vector. 13:244.

Wijerathna T., Gunathilaka N., & Gunawardana K. (2018). The Economic impact of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Sri Lanka. BioMed Research International. 2018, Article ID 3025185.

Wijerathna T., Gunathilaka N., Gunawardana K., & Rodrigo W. (2017). Potential challenges of controlling leishmaniasis in Sri Lanka at a disease outbreak. BioMed Research International. 2017: Article ID 6931497.

Related conference presentations

Wijerathna, T. Gunathilaka, N. Gunawardena K., Rodrigo, W. (2018). A time-series analysis of the incidence of leishmaniasis integrated with climatic variables in Kurunegala District, Sri Lanka. International Postgraduate Research Conference (IPRC)-2019. 41pp.

Mallawarachchi C.H., Gunathilaka P.A.D.H.N., Wijerathna T., Lahiru N.W.B.A.L., Mallawarachchi S.M.N.S.M., Chandrasena T.G.A.N. A preliminary report on a newly emerging focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Gampaha district, Sri Lanka. Proceedings of the International Conference on Health Sciences 2019, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura. 101pp

Wijerathna T., Gunathilaka N., Gunawardana K., Rodrigo W. (2018). Demographic and socio-economic characterization of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis patients in four selected Medical Officer of Health (MOH) areas in Kurunegala District, Sri Lanka. International Conference on Health Sciences 2018 at University of Sri Jayawardenepura. 89-90 pp.

Wijerathna T., Gunathilaka N., Gunawardana K., Rodrigo W. (2018). Assessing the level of awareness on cutaneous leishmaniasis among people living in Polpithigama Medical Officer of Health (MOH) area in Kurunegala District, Sri Lanka.5th International Conference on Multidiciplinary Approaches. 42 pp.

Wijerathna, A.C.T., Gunathilaka, P.A.D.H.N., Gunawardana, N.K. (2017). Assessment of the economic burden to households due to cutaneous leishmaniasis infections in three selected Medical Officer of Health (MOH) areas in Kurunegala District, Sri Lanka. IN: National Health Research Symposium 2017. 225 pp.

Wijerathna T., Gunathilaka N., Gunawardana K., Rodrigo W. (2017). Leishmaniasis trend and effects of climatic factors in Polpithigama Medical Officer of Health (MOH) area in Kurunegala District, Sri Lanka. 73rd Annual Scientific Sessions of Sri Lanka Association for Advancement of Science. 7 pp.