RESUMEN
The Bengal Monitor (Varanus bengalensis) is a large, ecologically flexible species and commonly found in many ecological settings including human-modified habitats. We conducted a study on the activity budget of this species employing the focal sampling method in the Chandpur district of Bangladesh. The Bengal Monitor spent the highest proportion of time in resting (33.09%) and the least proportion (3.75%) of time in anti-predatory behavior. The proportion of time spent on each activity by Bengal Monitor varied significantly between age classes and seasons except anti-predatory behavior. The highest proportion of basking activity was recorded for adult and sub-adult individuals in the dry season. Meanwhile, resting and foraging behavior was higher during the wet season. Locomotion activities were higher in sub-adults than in adult individuals. The duration of the activities did not differ significantly for daytime and season. However, an increase of air temperature significantly impacted lowering basking and rising locomotion activities among all behaviors of adult Bengal Monitor. The present findings suggest that the activities of the Bengal Monitor varied according to temporal and seasonal changes in the habitat's temperature, and age may crucially affect the allocation time for different activities.
RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and types of epilepsy in Bangladesh. METHODS: We conducted a nationwide population-based cross-sectional survey among Bangladeshi population of all ages, except children under one month. We surveyed 9839 participants (urban, 4918; rural, 4920) recruited at their households using multistage cluster sampling. Trained physicians with neurology background confirmed the diagnosis of suspected epilepsy cases identified by interviewer-administered questionnaires. We reported the overall and sex, residence, and age groups-specific prevalence of epilepsy per 1000 populations with 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: The national prevalence of epilepsy per 1000 was 8.4 (95% CI 5.6-11.1), urban 8.0 (4.6-11.4), and rural 8.5 (5.60-11.5). The prevalence in adult males and females was 9.2 (5.7-12.6) and 7.7 (3.6-11.7), respectively. The prevalence in children aged <18 years (8.2, 3.4-13.0 was similar to adults (8.5 (5.4-11.4). Among all epilepsy cases, 65.1% had active epilepsy. Their (active epilepsy) prevalence was 5.8 (3.5-8.1). Of them, 63.4% were not receiving treatment. Moreover, those who received allopathy treatment, 72.5% had low adherence leading to a high treatment gap. SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings out of this first-ever national survey were similar to other Asian countries. However, the prevalence of active epilepsy and treatment gap were considerably higher. This study serves useful evidence for tailoring interventions aimed to reduce the burden of epilepsy-primarily through targeted community awareness program-and access to antiepileptic treatment in health facilities in Bangladesh.
