Lymphatic filariasis elimination in the Pacific: PacELF replicating Japanese success (original) (raw)
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Neglected Patients with a Neglected Disease? A Qualitative Study of Lymphatic Filariasis
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 2007
Background: Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a so-called neglected tropical disease, currently overshadowed by higher-profile efforts to address malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS. Despite recent successes in arresting transmission, some 40 million people who already have the disease have been largely neglected. This study aims to increase understanding of how this vulnerable, neglected group can be helped.
How Thailand eliminated lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem
Infectious Diseases of Poverty, 2019
Background: Lymphatic filariasis is endemic in nine of the eleven Member States of the World Health Organization South East Asia Region. This article describes the intensive interventions with the National Programme for Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis in Thailand since its launch in 2001 till the validation of its elimination in 2017. Methods: A baseline epidemiological survey was initiated in 2001 to identify both brugian and bancroftian filarial areas and delineate its endemicity. Mass drug administration (MDA) with diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) and albendazole (ALB) was implemented in a total of 357 implementation units (IUs) in 11 lymphatic filariasis (LF) endemic provinces. The implementing unit (IU) was a sub-village. Stop-MDA surveys were conducted in 2006 in the 11 LF endemic provinces among population over 6 years of age and children of ≤6 years using immunochromatographic test (ICT) for Wuchereria bancrofti antigen and microfilariae (mf) detection for Brugia malayi. In Narathiwat province, Stop-MDA surveys were done in 2011 using ELISA. Transmission assessment surveys (TAS) were conducted in 2012-2013, 2015 and 2016-2017 among school students in the 6-7-year age-group. Surveillance of migrant populations through the national migrant health checkup were intensified in seven provinces over 2002-2017 for LF antigenaemia using ICT test cards. In four B. malayi endemic provinces, annual surveys to detect LF reservoir in domestic cats commenced in 1994. A 2001 survey of the chronic disease burden for LF established a register of the cumulative number of people with lymphedema/elephantiasis. Results: A total of five rounds of MDA annually were implemented over 2002-2006 in all IUs. Additional annual rounds of MDA were required in 87 IUs of Narathiwat province from 2007 to 2011 due to persistent infection. The annual national drug coverage with MDA over 2002-2012 was in the range of 68.0 to 95.4%. Stop-MDA surveys in 2006 in the 11 LF endemic provinces found nine mf positive cases in seven IUs in Narathiwat province with the highest prevalence of 0.8% (range: 0.1-0.8%). In Narathiwat TAS-1, TAS-2 and TAS-3 detected below transmission threshold rates for B. malayi mf among antibody positive children (0.3, 0.2 and 0.7% respectively). Contact tracing both all mf cases in all three TAS yielded no positive cases. Through the migrant health checkup, a total of 23 477 persons were tested, showing a positive rate of 0.7% (range: 0. 1-2.7%) over years 2002-2017. In Narathiwat province, annual ivermectin treatment among cats commenced in 2003 resulting in a decline of mf prevalence among cats from 8.0% in 1995 to 0.8% in 2015. As of April 2017, a total of 99 lymphoedema/elephantiasis patients were registered and followed-up under 34 health facilities.
Socio-cultural insights and lymphatic filariasis control--lessons from the Pacific
Filaria journal, 2007
Sustainable and equitable health programmes require a grounded understanding of the context in which they are being implemented. This socio-cultural understanding is pivotal for effective delivery of elimination programmes. Standardised valid methods are needed for gathering authentic socio-cultural insights. The currently recommended protocol for collecting Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) related socio-cultural data, while moving in the right direction, is inadequate. To collect data which provides an understanding of local health beliefs and practices, and communities' understanding of LF, techniques must be developed that are both valid and time efficient. An approach developed in the Pacific provides a basic snapshot of socio-cultural insights which are crucial to the development of relevant and sustainable health education and elimination programmes. The increasing interest in socio-cultural LF research presents a unique opportunity for coupling socio-cultural and bio-medical und...
Tropical medicine and health, 2017
Lymphatic filariasis (LF) occurs when filarial parasites are transmitted to humans through mosquitoes. The filarial worms affect the lymphatic system which leads to abnormal enlargement of body parts, chronic pain, disability, and social discrimination. In 1999, a commitment was made to eliminate LF from the Pacific Region by 2010. The Pacific Program to Eliminate LF began, with Vanuatu being one of the 16 endemic countries included in this program. In 1997/1998 a LF prevalence baseline survey was conducted to determine the need for mass drug administration (MDA) in Vanuatu. In 1999, the Vanuatu Lymphatic Filariasis Control Program was established, and nationwide MDA was implemented from 2000 to 2004. LF prevalence was collected during the MDA through sentinel site and spot check surveys, and after 5 years of MDA. MDA implementation methods included health worker training, social mobilization, and culturally appropriate health promotion strategies. LF prevalence at baseline was 4.79...
Eliminating Lymphatic Filariasis: A View from the Field
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 2008
One of the oldest of the neglected tropical diseases, lymphatic filariasis, is caused by filarial worms transmitted by insect vectors that live in the lymphatic system and most commonly cause lymphedema, elephantiasis and hydrocele, which may lead to severe deformity, stigma and disability. Similar to other neglected tropical diseases, lymphatic filariasis occurs mostly among the poor disenfranchised populations living in highly endemic settings perpetuating a cycle that traps people into further poverty and destitution. Through the leadership of the World Health Organization, the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis has reached substantial achievements in decreasing the transmission of lympahtic filariasis in multiple settings. The strategic plan for the next 10 years of the Global Programme, in addition to working within the new 'neglected tropical diseases environment,' lays out necessary mass drug administration implementation goals for the filariasis-endemic countries that have not yet started their elimination programs (principally in Africa). The neglected tropical diseases programsand the lymphatic filariasis program in particularare among the very least expensive, most cost-effective tools to benefit needy populations of the developing world.
Prevalence Of Lymphatic Filariasis In Three Villages In Kano State, Nigeria
The Internet Journal of …, 2012
The Nigeria Lymphatic Filariasis Elimination Programme (NLFEP) has set 2015 to eliminate the disease in the country. The success of this programme depends on identifying and treating endemic communities. Unfortunately, information on the distribution and nature of the disease from many parts of the country is lacking. This study aims at determining the distribution and nature of the disease in three selected villages in Kano State, Nigeria. Based on the results of an earlier survey of elephantiasis in 44 local government areas (LGAs) of Kano State, three villages; Marke, Gunduwa and Buda from Dawakin-Tofa, Gabasawa and Garko LGAs respectively were selected for this study. A house-to-house census was undertaken to obtain the demographic information of the selected villages. The prevalence of the disease was determined by clinical and parasitological examinations. The clinical examination identified symptoms of adenolymphangitis (ADL), hydrocoeles and elephantiasis among the population of three villages. The Thick Blood Film (TBF) method was used to screen volunteers for the presence of Wuchereria bancrofti. The results showed that 43(1.5%) of the 2790 males examined had hydrocoele. The prevalence increased with age reaching a peak in the 60-69 year age group before it drops at 70+ year age group. However, the difference in prevalence between the age groups at P< 0.05 was not significant. 12(0.2%) have elephantiasis of various grades, 9(0.3%) were females while 3(0.1%) were males. Parasitological examination among 183 volunteers showed that 3(1.6%) all males were found to be positive. Correlation (r=0.32) was significant (P>0.05) between hydrocoele and the presence of W. bancrofti microfilaria in the villages. The overall prevalence for the three villages is 58(1.1%). Lymphatic filariasis is endemic in the three villages which is above the 1% level of endemicity recommended for selecting endemic communities for the mass drug administration (MDA) to eradicate the disease.