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Integrated Prevalence Assessment of Wuchereria bancrofti and Onchocerca volvulus in Three Co-Endemic Districts of Gambella Region, Ethiopia.

Integrated Prevalence Assessment of Wuchereria bancrofti and Onchocerca volvulus in Three Co-Endemic Districts of Gambella Region, Ethiopia.

Authors :
Hassen M
Mohammed A
Endeshaw T
Seid T
Samuel F
Asmare T
Birhanu H
Bekele F
Yayeh A
Seife F
Tamiru M
Meribo K
Tadesse Z
Griswold E
Katabarwa M
Richards F
Noland GS
Source :
The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene [Am J Trop Med Hyg] 2023 Sep 11; Vol. 109 (4), pp. 844-849. Date of Electronic Publication: 2023 Sep 11 (Print Publication: 2023).
Publication Year :
2023

Abstract

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) and onchocerciasis (OV) are among the neglected tropical diseases (NTD) targeted for elimination in Ethiopia. We used a transmission assessment survey (TAS-1) to evaluate the serological status of OV in three co-endemic districts in Gambella simultaneously. During May and June 2019, blood samples were collected from 6- to 7-year-old children who were randomly selected through standard community-based TAS methodology. Children were tested for both circulating filarial antigen (CFA) for LF via filariasis test strip and for Onchocerca volvulus 16 (Ov16) antibody for OV via laboratory-based ELISA. A total of 3,377 children from 150 villages in the three districts were tested; 1,823 (54.0%) were male. All three districts had CFA results below the critical threshold for stopping LF mass drug administration (MDA). In contrast, 40 children (1.2%) were positive for Ov16 antibody, well above the WHO's OV stop MDA threshold of 0.1%. The integrated assessment indicated two programmatic decisions: stop MDA for LF and continue MDA for OV. Accordingly, albendazole MDA was discontinued in the districts but ivermectin MDA continued. This integrated assessment showed that a random sample for TAS can give important information about OV transmission status in co-endemic areas.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1476-1645
Volume :
109
Issue :
4
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
37696513
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.22-0392