Mass chemotherapy with diethylcarbamazine for the control of bancroftian filariasis: a twelve-year follow-up in Northern Trinidad, including observations on mansonella ozzardi

A microfilaria survey was conducted in Trinidad in 1992, 12 years after mass treatment with spaced doses of diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC-C) for the control of Bancroftian filariasis; 348 persons were examined using thick blood smears and a membrane filtration technique. They included 104 who had participated in the mass chemotherapy campaign in 1980. No Wuchereria bancrofti microfilariae were detected among 66 percent of the population examined. In 1980, 86 of 592 persons examined were found to be infected with W. bancrofti, 140 with Mansonella ozzardi and 44 with mixed infections, while in 1992, only M. ozzardi infections persisted despite treatment with DEC-C. Of the 104 persons reexamined 12 years later, 46 had M. ozzardi, of which five were new cases, but none had W. bancrofti. During both the 1980 and 1992 surveys, low microfilariae rates for M. ozzardi were observed among those 19 years of age or younger. Of the 302 persons newly examined in 1992, 29 were infected with significantly (P<0.001) more males (79.3 percent) than females (20.9 percent) being microfilaremic. The combined results showed similar prevalence rates for M. ozzardi from 23.3 percent to 21.6 percent in 1980 and 1992. Nuclepore membrane filtration and thick blood films were very efficient in demonstrating the presence of microfilariae. The usefulness of these methods and spaced treatment using DEC-C are also discussed (AU)

Mass chemotherapy with diethylcarbamazine for the control of bancroftian filariasis: a 12-year follow-up in North Trinidad including observations on mansonella ozzardi microfilaraemia - abstract

A microfilaria survey was conducted in Blanchisseuse, North Trinidad in 1992 twelve years after mass treatment with spaced doses of diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC-C) for the control of Bancroftian filariasis; 348 persons were examined, including 104 who had participated in the mass-chemotherapy campaign in 1980. No W. bancrofti microfilarie were detected among 66 percent of the population examined. In 1980, 86 persons were found with W. bancrofti, 140 with M. ozzardi and 44 with mixed infections while in 1992 only Mansonella ozzardi infections persisted despite DEC-C treatment. From the 104 persons re-examined, 46 persons had M.ozzardi, of which 5 were new cases but none had W. bancrofti infections in 1992. During both the 1980 and 1992 surveys, low microfilariae rates of M.ozzardi were observed among the 1-4, 5-9 and 10-19-year age groups. From the 302 persons examined in 1992, 29 were infected, with significantly (p<0.001) more males (79.3 percent) than females (20.7 percent) being microfilaraemic. The combined results showed similar prevalence rates of M.ozzardi from 23.3 percent to 21.6 percent in 1980 and 1992, respectively. A good correlation was found between the results observed from Nucleopore membrane filtration and thick blood films. The usefulness of thes methods and spaced treatment using DEC-C is also discussed (AU)

Filariasis at Port Mourant and its environs Corentyne Coast, British Guiana

Report on a Filariasis survey carried out at Port Mourant Sugar Estate on the Corentyne Coast of British Guiana; 3,539 persons were examined for Micro-filariaemia and 2,815 for both M.F. and clinical manifestations of filarial disease. The over-all M.F. rate 11.2. The local epidemiology, and the relations between parasitological and clinical manifestations of filariasis, and the results of treatment by Diethyl-carbammarize, are discussed