Step towards elimination of Wuchereria bancrofti in Southwest Tanzania 10 years after mass drug administration with Albendazole and Ivermectin.

BACKGROUND: Lymphatic filariasis is a mosquito transmitted parasitic infection in tropical regions. Annual mass treatment with ivermectin and albendazole is used for transmission control of Wuchereria bancrofti, the infective agent of lymphatic filariasis in many African countries, including Tanzania. METHODOLOGY: In a general population study in Southwest Tanzania, individuals were tested for circulating filarial antigen, an indicator of W. bancrofti adult worm burden in 2009 before mass drug administration commenced in that area. Seven annual rounds with ivermectin and albendazole were given between 2009 and 2015 with a population coverage of over 70%. Participants of the previous study took part in a follow-up activity in 2019 to measure the effect of this governmental activity. FINDINGS: One thousand two hundred and ninety nine inhabitants of Kyela district in Southwest Tanzania aged 14 to 65 years who had participated in the study activities in 2009 were revisited in 2010/11 and 2019. Among this group, the prevalence of lymphatic filariasis of the 14-65 years olds in 2009 was 35.1%. A follow-up evaluation in 2010/11 had shown a reduction to 27.7%. In 2019, after 7 years of annual treatment and an additional three years of surveillance, the prevalence had dropped to 1.7%, demonstrating successful treatment by the national control programme. Risk factors for W. bancrofti-infection were the occupation as farmer, male sex, and older age. Most infected individuals in the 2019 follow-up study already had a positive test for filarial antigen in 2009 and/or 2010/11. CONCLUSIONS: This data supports the findings of the Tanzanian Neglected Tropical Disease Control Programme (NTDCP), who conducted Transmission Assessment Surveys and found an impressive reduction in the prevalence of LF in children. Our results complement this data by showing a similar decrease in prevalence of LF in the adult population in the same area. The elimination of LF seems achievable in the near future.

Proceedings from the CIHLMU Symposium 2020 on "eHealth: Trends and innovations".

Electronic Health (eHealth) is the use of information and communication technologies for health and plays a significant role in improving public health. The rapid expansion and development of eHealth initiatives allow researchers and healthcare providers to connect more effectively with patients. The aim of the CIHLMU Symposium 2020 was to discuss the current challenges facing the field, opportunities in eHealth implementation, to share the experiences from different healthcare systems, and to discuss future trends addressing the use of digital platforms in health. The symposium on eHealth explored how the health and technology sector must increase efforts to reduce the obstacles facing public and private investment, the efficacy in preventing diseases and improving patient quality of life, and the ethical and legal frameworks that influence the proper development of the different platforms and initiatives related to the field. This symposium furthered the sharing of knowledge, networking, and patient/user and practitioner experiences in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) in both public and private sectors.