The epidemiology and control of lymphatic filariasis on Lihir Island, New Ireland Province

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_A66067A5A785
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
The epidemiology and control of lymphatic filariasis on Lihir Island, New Ireland Province
Journal
Papua New Guinea Medical Journal
Author(s)
Hii  J., Bockarie  M. J., Flew  S., Genton  B., Tali  A., Dagoro  H., Waulas  B., Samson  M., Alpers  M. P.
ISSN
0031-1480 (Print)
Publication state
Published
Issued date
12/2000
Volume
43
Number
3-4
Pages
188-95
Notes
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't --- Old month value: Sep-Dec
Abstract
Clinical, parasitological and entomological surveys performed in 9 villages on Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea, before mass treatment with diethylcarbamazine (DEC), showed that lymphatic filariasis, caused by nocturnally periodic Wuchereria bancrofti, was endemic in 8 of them. Blood samples from 593 people revealed an overall microfilarial carrier rate of 24%. Amongst endemic villages, microfilarial carrier rates ranged from 5% to 43% and there was no significant difference in parasite prevalence between males and females. Obstructive filarial disease, defined as lymphoedema of the limbs or hydrocele, was observed in only 2% of 262 males examined. None of the 265 females examined had clinical symptoms. Entomological surveys yielded a total of 4095 mosquitoes including 3,692 anophelines and 241 culicines but only Anopheles farauti was found to harbour infective larvae of W. bancrofti. Pretreatment infection and infective rates of An. farauti were 7% and 1% respectively and up to 12 infective larvae were found in a single specimen. The microfilarial carrier rate in a cohort of people who received two DEC treatments dropped from 59% to 32% but the difference was not statistically significant. However, density of microfilaraemia decreased significantly from 170 to 10 mf/ml. Biannual mass treatment with DEC significantly reduced vector infection rates and transmission intensity on Lihir.
Keywords
Diethylcarbamazine/*therapeutic use Elephantiasis, Filarial/*epidemiology/*prevention & control Female Filaricides/*therapeutic use Humans Male Papua New Guinea/epidemiology
Pubmed
Create date
28/01/2008 11:48
Last modification date
20/08/2019 15:11
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