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Supali T, Djuardi Y, Sianipar LR, Suryaningtyas NH, Alfian R, Destani Y, Iskandar E, Astuty H, Sugianto N, Fischer PU. Surveillance and Selective Treatment of Brugia malayi Filariasis Eleven Years after Stopping Mass Drug Administration in Belitung District, Indonesia. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2024; 110:111-116. [PMID: 38011734 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.23-0255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Brugia malayi is the major cause of lymphatic filariasis (LF) in Indonesia. Zoophilic B. malayi was endemic in Belitung district, and mass drug administration (MDA) with diethylcarbamazine (DEC) and albendazole ceased after five annual rounds in 2010. The district passed three transmission assessment surveys (TAS) between 2011 and 2016. As part of the post-TAS3 surveillance of the national LF elimination program, we collected night blood samples for microfilaria (Mf) detection from 1,911 subjects more than 5 years of age in seven villages. A B. malayi Mf prevalence ranging from 1.7% to 5.9% was detected in five villages. Only 2 (5%) of the total 40 Mf-positive subjects were adolescents aged 18 and 19 years old, and 38 (95%) Mf-positive subjects were 21 years and older. Microfilarial densities in infected individuals were mostly low, with 60% of the subjects having Mf densities between 16 and 160 Mf/mL. Triple-drug treatment with ivermectin, DEC, and albendazole (IDA) was given to 36 eligible Mf-positive subjects. Adverse events were mostly mild, and treatment was well tolerated. One year later, 35 of the treated Mf-positive subjects were reexamined, and 33 (94%) had cleared all Mf, while the anti-Bm14 antibody prevalence remained almost unchanged. Results indicate that in B. malayi-endemic areas, post-TAS3 surveillance for Mf in the community may be needed to detect a potential parasite reservoir in adults. Selective treatment with IDA is highly effective in clearing B. malayi Mf and should be used to increase the prospects for LF elimination if MDA is reintroduced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taniawati Supali
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Yenny Djuardi
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Lita Renata Sianipar
- Directorate of Communicable Disease, Prevention, and Control, Indonesia Ministry of Health, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Nungki Hapsari Suryaningtyas
- Baturaja Unit for Health Research and Development, National Institute of Health Research and Development, Ministry of Health of Indonesia, South Sumatra, Indonesia
| | - Rahmat Alfian
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Yossi Destani
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Elisa Iskandar
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Hendri Astuty
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Noviani Sugianto
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Peter U Fischer
- Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
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Matapo BB, Mpabalwani EM, Kaonga P, Simuunza MC, Bakyaita N, Masaninga F, Siyumbwa N, Siziya S, Shamilimo F, Muzongwe C, Mwase ET, Sikasunge CS. Lymphatic Filariasis Elimination Status: Wuchereria bancrofti Infections in Human Populations after Five Effective Rounds of Mass Drug Administration in Zambia. Trop Med Infect Dis 2023; 8:333. [PMID: 37505629 PMCID: PMC10383567 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed8070333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Lymphatic filariasis (LF), also commonly known as elephantiasis, is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) caused by filarial parasites. The disease is transmitted via a bite from infected mosquitoes. The bites of these infected mosquitoes deposit filarial parasites, Wuchereria or Brugia, whose predilection site is the lymphatic system. The damage to the lymph system causes swelling in the legs, arms, and genitalia. A mapping survey conducted between 2003 and 2011 determined LF as being endemic in Zambia in 96 out of 116 districts. Elimination of LF is known to be possible by stopping the spread of the infection through large-scale preventive chemotherapy. Therefore, mass drug administration (MDA) with diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) (6 mg/kg) and Albendazole (400 mg) for Zambia has been conducted and implemented in all endemic districts with five effective rounds. In order to determine whether LF prevalence has been sufficiently reduced to levels less than 2% antigenemia and less than 1% microfilaremia, a pre-transmission assessment survey (pre-TAS) was conducted. Therefore, post-MDA pre-TAS was conducted between 2021 and 2022 in 80 districts to determine the LF prevalence. We conducted a cross-sectional seroprevalence study involving 600 participants in each evaluation unit (EU) or each district. The study sites (sentinel and spot-check sites) were from districts that were the implementation units (IUs) of the LF MDA. These included 80 districts from the 9 provinces. A total of 47,235 people from sentinel and spot-check locations were tested. Of these, valid tests were 47,052, of which 27,762 (59%) were females and 19,290 (41%) were males. The survey revealed in the 79/80 endemic districts a prevalence of Wb antigens of 0.14% and 0.0% prevalence of microfilariae. All the surveyed districts had an optimum prevalence of less than 2% for antigenaemia, except for Chibombo district. The majority of participants that tested positive for Wuchereria bancrofti (Wb) Antigens (Ag) were those that had 2, 3, and 4 rounds of MDA. Surprisingly, individuals that had 1 round of MDA were not found to have circulating antigens of Wb. The study showed that all the surveyed districts, except for Chibombo, passed pre-TAS. This further implies that there is a need to conduct transmission assessment surveys (TASs) in these districts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belem Blamwell Matapo
- School of Public Health, University of Zambia, Ridgeway Campus, Lusaka P.O. Box 50516, Zambia
- World Health Organization, Corner Andrew Mwenya/Beit Road, Lusaka P.O. Box 32346, Zambia
| | - Evans Mwila Mpabalwani
- School of Medicine, University of Zambia, Ridgeway Campus, Lusaka P.O. Box 50516, Zambia
| | - Patrick Kaonga
- School of Public Health, University of Zambia, Ridgeway Campus, Lusaka P.O. Box 50516, Zambia
| | - Martin Chitolongo Simuunza
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Great East Road Campus, Lusaka P.O. Box 32379, Zambia
| | - Nathan Bakyaita
- World Health Organization, Corner Andrew Mwenya/Beit Road, Lusaka P.O. Box 32346, Zambia
| | - Freddie Masaninga
- World Health Organization, Corner Andrew Mwenya/Beit Road, Lusaka P.O. Box 32346, Zambia
| | - Namasiku Siyumbwa
- Ministry of Health Headquarters Ndeke House, Lusaka P.O. Box 30205, Zambia
| | - Seter Siziya
- Michael Chilufya Sata School of Medicine, Copperbelt University, Ndola P.O. Box 71191, Zambia
| | - Frank Shamilimo
- Ministry of Health Headquarters Ndeke House, Lusaka P.O. Box 30205, Zambia
| | - Chilweza Muzongwe
- Ministry of Health Headquarters Ndeke House, Lusaka P.O. Box 30205, Zambia
| | - Enala T. Mwase
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Great East Road Campus, Lusaka P.O. Box 32379, Zambia
| | - Chummy Sikalizyo Sikasunge
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Great East Road Campus, Lusaka P.O. Box 32379, Zambia
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de Souza DK, Otchere J, Sumboh JG, Asiedu O, Opare J, Asemanyi-Mensah K, Boakye DA, Gass KM, Long EF, Ahorlu CS. Finding and eliminating the reservoirs: Engage and treat, and test and treat strategies for lymphatic filariasis programs to overcome endgame challenges. FRONTIERS IN TROPICAL DISEASES 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fitd.2022.953094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Many lymphatic filariasis (LF) endemic countries, including Ghana, have successfully implemented mass drug administration (MDA) and made significant progress towards the elimination of the disease as a public health problem. Unfortunately, the existence of individuals who seldom or never take part in MDA pose a threat to this success, as they may serve as reservoirs of infection, re-infecting their communities. In this study we implemented strategies to identify and treat these individuals, while also assessing their level of infection, to inform programme actions. The study was undertaken in the Ahanta West hotspot district in Ghana, which has received more than 17 rounds of MDA. Through the community registers used in recording participation in MDAs, we identified and offered treatment to individuals who were ineligible or inadvertently missed the last MDA in April 2021 (Engage and Treat – E&T), or testing using the filariasis test strip followed by treatment to community members who for various reasons chose not to participate in the last MDA (Test and Treat – T&T). During the study, 23,879 individuals ranging from 5 to 98 years were reached, of whom 78% were not captured in the MDA register. Among the E&T group, 75.06% willingly received and swallowed the treatment drugs. The remaining 24.94% were offered testing followed by a re-engagement to receive the drug in the T&T group. Overall, 22,830 (95.61%) of participants were treated by either strategy. Of the participants in the T&T group, 516 (8.66%; 95% CI= 7.96 – 9.41) were positive by the FTS. The highest antigen prevalence was detected among children 5 to 10 years, with 16.59% (95% CI= 12.02 – 22.06) and 22.54% (95% CI= 17.11 – 28.74) among females and males, respectively. Mapping of the data revealed that most infections are in a few select communities. Of the 516 FTS positives, 27.33% reportedly missed MDA once, 18.41% missed MDA twice and 54.26% missed all of the last three MDAs. The main reasons for missing MDA included absence (25.49%), travel (21.24%), being unaware of MDA (20.27%), refusals to take the drug (10.65%), illnesses (7.07%) and fear of adverse events (6.13%). This study demonstrates that greater sensitization and engagement strategies, with a test and treat strategy reserved for the most hesitant individuals, could significantly increase the number of individuals who receive treatment and therefore help districts reach their elimination targets by reducing the remaining reservoir or infection. NTD programmes require new tools to help them identify, engage and treat these individuals, as part of their overall monitoring and evaluation strategy.
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