title: Parasitological and clinical aspects of bancroftian filariasis in Kassena-Nankana District, upper east region, Ghana.
abstract: A survey of the prevalence of bancroftian filariasis was conducted in August-September 1992 in the northern part of the Kassena-Nankana District, Upper East Region, Ghana. 200 compounds from 3 different communities were randomly selected from the vitamin A trial database. All resident compound members were examined for clinical manifestations of lymphatic filariasis and capillary blood was obtained between 21:00 and 01:00 and examined using the counting chamber technique. 1603 people were examined, 741 males and 862 females. The overall prevalence of microfilaraemia was 32.4% (95% confidence interval 30.1-34.7). Geometric mean microfilaria density (infected persons only) was 794 per mL. The most important clinical manifestation was hydrocele (in 32% of males) followed by limb elephantiasis (in 3.6% of the study population). There was no significant difference between the 3 communities in clinical or parasitological findings.
authors.affiliation: Navrongo Health Research Centre, Ministry of Health, Ghana.
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Gyapong
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Magnussen
authors.forename: F N
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Binka
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004605:Elephantiasis, Filarial / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005869:Ghana / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008842:Microfilariae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D014958:Wuchereria bancrofti