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Twelve-month longitudinal parasitological assessment of lymphatic filariasis-positive individuals: impact of a biannual treatment with ivermectin and albendazole
- Source :
- Tropical medicineinternational health : TMIH. 22(11)
- Publication Year :
- 2017
-
Abstract
- Objective Mass drug Administration (MDA) for the control of Lymphatic filariasis (LF), in Ghana, started in the year 2000. While this had great success in many implementation units, there remain areas with persistent transmission, after more than 10 years of treatment. A closer examination of the parasite populations could help understand the reasons for persistent infections, and formulatingn appropriate strategies to control LF in these areas of persistent transmission. Materials and Methods In a longitudinal study, we assessed the prevalence of microfilaraemia (mf) in two communities with 12 years of MDA in Ghana. In baseline surveys 6 months after the National MDA in 2014, 370 consenting individuals were tested for antigenaemia using immunochromatographic test (ICT) cards, and had their mf count determined through night blood surveys. 48 ICT positives, of whom 17 were positive for mf, were treated with 400 μg/kg ivermectin + 400 mg albendazole and subsequently followed for parasitological assessment at 3-month intervals for 1 year. This overlapped with the National MDA in 2015. Results There was a 68% parasite clearance 3 months after treatment. The pre-treatment mf count differed significantly from the post-treatment mf counts at 3 months (p = 0.0023), 6 months (p = 0.0051), 9 months (p = 0.0113) and 12 months (p = 0.0008). Conclusion In these settings with persistent LF transmission, twice-yearly treatment may help accelerate LF elimination. Further large-scale evaluations are required to ascertain these findings. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Male
Longitudinal study
medicine.medical_specialty
Adolescent
030231 tropical medicine
Immunochromatographic test
Elephantiasis
Albendazole
Ghana
03 medical and health sciences
Young Adult
0302 clinical medicine
Ivermectin
Elephantiasis, Filarial
Internal medicine
medicine
Prevalence
Animals
Humans
030212 general & internal medicine
Longitudinal Studies
Mass drug administration
Child
Microfilariae
Lymphatic filariasis
Filarioidea
Aged
business.industry
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Middle Aged
medicine.disease
Surgery
Government Programs
Infectious Diseases
Filaricides
Antigens, Helminth
Parasitology
Female
business
After treatment
medicine.drug
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 13653156
- Volume :
- 22
- Issue :
- 11
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Tropical medicineinternational health : TMIH
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....e33a292650f47fb3641dcaa16b8cacbc