Surveillance ofbancroftianfilariasis in some foci in Sohag, Middle Egypt

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Departments Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University

2 Departement of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine , Sohag University

Abstract

Bancroftianfilariasis (BF) is a debilitating disease that has plagued Egypt since the time of the pharaohs. Egypt is the first large endemic country in the world to reach the five-year mark in its national anti BF campaign. Now that the mass treatments are completed, a follow-up epidemiological assessment will reveal whether this large-scale pioneering campaign has been successful in finally eliminating the disease.Hence the aim of the present work was to detect the prevalence of BF inTema, El-Maragha, Akhmeem and Girga districts in Sohag Governorate. Finger prick thick blood films were collected from 500 clinically suspected individuals representing different sexes and ages from May 2015 to February 2017.Fourpatients (0.8%) were suffering from BF; threewere microfilariaemicwhile one chronic case was detected with severe chronic elephantiasis that was amicrofilaraemic but was confirmed serologicallyby by a private laboratory. It was concluded thatBF is still endemic in three districts (Tema, El-maragha and Girga); although in few sporadic cases, the problem should be taken seriously as one microfilaramic patient could be a patent reservoir for spreading of the disease through infecting the prevailingCulexpipienseintermediate host.

Keywords


  1. Addis, D., Brady, M. (2007): Morbidity management in the Global Programme to eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis: a review of the scientific literature. Filaria J., 6 (2):1-19.
  2. Anosike JC, Onwuliri COE. (1994); Studies on filariasis in Bauchi State, Nigeria II.The prevalence of human filariasis in Darazo Local Government Area.ApplParasitol; 35: 242–50.
  3. Bockarie, M.J., Taylor, M.J. Gyapong JO. (2009): Current practices in the management of lymphatic filariasis. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther., 7:595–605.
  4. Dunyo, S., Appawu, M., Nkrumah Fk., et al., (1996): Lymphatic filariasis on the coast of Ghana. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg, 90: 634–8.
  5. Dyab, AK, Galal, LA, Mahmoud AE and Mokhtar, Y. (2015): Xenomonitoring of different nematodes using single and multiplex PCR in mosquitoes from Assiut Governorate, Egypt. Korean J. Parasitol.,35 (1): 77-83.
  6. Eassa, A., El-Badry, A., Farrag, N. et al., (2007): Autoantobodies in bancroftianfilariasis in an endemic location in Egypt: Association with clinical findings. Kasr El-Aini Med. J., 13 (1): 23-30.
  7. Ebraheem, M. E. (1987): Studies on filariasis and the role played by mosquiteos in its transmission in SohagGovernorate.M Sc. Thesis in Zoology (Parasitology, Assiut University.          
  8. El-Shazly, A., Sakr, T., El-Bayoumy, A. et al., (2008): Treatment oof asymptomatic bancroftianfilariasis. J. Med Sci., 29 (2): 931-43.
  9. Etewa, S., Mattar, M., Metwally, A. et al., (2011): Evaluation of immunodiagnostic tests for detection of bancroftianfilariasis in some endemic areas in Egypt. G. Med. Sci.,, 32  (2): 875-90.
  10. Fahmy,M., Arafa, M., Mandour, A. and Makhlouf, L.(1977); Bancroftianfilariasis in Assiut Area, Upper Egypt. J. Egypt. Soc. Parasitol., 7 (1): 3-9.
  11. Gaur, R.L., Dixit, S., Sahoo, M.K., Khanna, M., Singh, S., Murthy, P.K (2007): Anti-filarial activity of novel formulations of albendazole against experimental brugianfilariasis. Parasitology.PMID 12076624.
  12. Khalifa, RMA, El-Nadi, NA, Ahmed AM and Hassan, FA. (2013): Histological and PCR xenomontoring of culicine mosquitoes for filarial infestation in Sohag Governorate, Upper Egypt. J. Egypt. Soc. Parasitol.,43 (3): 591-600.
  13. Khalil, M. (1939): The role of Arabic countries and Egypt in the discovery of elephantiasis and filariasis. J Egypt Med Assoc, 22: 86-106
  14. Mahmoud, AE, (2004): Parasitological studies on filariasis in AssiutGovernorate.MD Thesis, Med Parasitology, Fac. Of Medicine, Assiut University.
  15. Martha AR, Rebecca SC, Claudio GC, Ellen MA, Javier SA, Calos C, Allen WH, Allen JM (2000). The Epidemiology of malaria in an Epidermic area of the Peruvian Amazon.Am. J. Trop. Med andHyg.62(27): 241 – 256.
  16. Melrose, W.D (2002): "Lymphatic filariasis: New insights into an old disease". Int J Parasitol 32 (8): 947–60. doi:10.1016/S0020-7519(02)00062-
  17. Michael, E., Bandy, D., and Grenfell, B. (1996): Reassissingthe global prevalence and distribution of lymphatic filariasis. Parasitol., 112: 409-28.
  18. Michael, E., Malecela-Lazaro, M., Simonsin, P. et al., (2004): Mathematical modeling and control ofllymphaticfilariasis.Lancet Infect. Dis. 4: 223-34.
  19. Mohamed, N., Safar, E., Fawzy, A. et al, (1994): Study of the present status of filariasis in an endemic area in Giza Governorate, Egypt. J. Egypt. Soc. Parasitol., 24 (1): 127-135.
  20. Moussa, H., Mahgoub, A. and El-Gammal, N., (2008): Evaluation of a new rapid IgG4 detection test (WB Rapid) for diagnosis of bancroftianfilariasis from endemic areas in Egypt. G. Med. Sci., 29 (1): 325-43.
  21. Moustafa, M., Thabbet, H.,El-Setouhy, M. andHamdy, D.(2014): Surveillance of lymphatic filariasis 5 years after stopping mass drug administration in Menoufiya Governorate, Egypt. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal (EMHJ),20 (5): 195-99.
  22. Moustafa, M., Salamah, M., Thabet, H. et al., (2017): Molecular xenomonitoring (MX) and transmission assessment survey (TAS) of lymphatic filariasis elimination in two villages, Menoufyia Governorate, Egypt. Eur. J.Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis., 36 (1): 11-50.
  23. Ottesen, E.A  (2000): The global programme to eliminate lymphatic filariasis. Trop. Med. Int. Health; 5: 591-4.
  24. Ramzy, R., El Setuhy, M., Helmy, H. et al., (2006): Effect of yearly mass drug administration with diethylecarbamazine and albendazole on bancroftianfilariasis in Egypt: a comprehensive assessment. Lancet, 367:992-99.
  25. Shabrawy, A., Mahdi, A., Naguib, K, and Moharram, A. (1965): Incidence of filariasis in Egypt.J. Egypt. Pub. Health Assoc., 11 (4): 267-282.
  26. Shenoy RK. (2003): Filariasis in children. Indian J Lymphol, 1: 7–13.
  27. Udonsi, J.K., (1985). The status of human filariasis in relation to clinical signs in endemic areas of Niger Delta.Ann Trop Med Parasitol 1986; 80: 425–32.
  28. World Health Organization(2004): Report on the mid-term assessment of microfilaraemia reduction in sentinel sites of 13 countries of the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis. WklyEpidemiol Rec 79:358–365.
  29. World Health Organization (2017): Weekly epidemiological record: Summary oof global update on preventive chemotherapy implementation in 2016: crossing the billion. 2017: 589-608.