Lymphatic filariasis in Uganda: baseline investigations in Lira, Soroti and Katakwi districts.
Baseline epidemiological investigations on lymphatic filariasis were conducted for the first time in Uganda in 3 communities in the districts of Lira (Alebtong area), Soroti (Lwala area) and Katakwi (Obalanga area), located to the north of Lake Kyoga at an altitude of 1000-1100 m above sea level. Individuals from the communities were examined, in April-August 1998, for Wuchereria bancrofti specific circulating antigen (by ICT card test), microfilaraemia (by counting chamber and stained blood-smear techniques) and chronic clinical manifestations of lymphatic filariasis. Endophilic mosquitoes were sampled and dissected for filarial larvae. Prevalences of circulating filarial antigen positivity were 29%, 18% and 30% in the Alebtong, Lwala and Obalanga communities, respectively. Microfilaria (mf) prevalences were 18%, 9% and 21%, and geometric mean mf intensities among mf-positive individuals were 306, 171 and 402 mf/mL blood, in the same communities. Examination of stained blood smears revealed mf of both W. bancrofti and Mansonella perstans, but more than 80% of mf-positive individuals harboured the first of these parasites. Prevalences of hydrocoele in adult (> or = 20 years) males were 28%, 7% and 17%, and prevalences of limb elephantiasis in adults were 9%, 4% and 4%, in the Alebtong, Lwala and Obalanga communities, respectively. Anopheles gambiae s.l. (mainly An. gambiae s.s.) and An. funestus were common in all 3 communities, and showed W. bancrofti infectivity rates of 1.1-1.7% and 1.3-2.9%, respectively. It is concluded that lymphatic filariasis is highly endemic in these high-altitude areas of Uganda, with An. gambiae s.l. and An. funestus being the main vectors.
Onapa
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Vector Control Division, Ministry of Health, P.O. Box 1661, Kampala, Uganda.
Simonsen
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Pedersen
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Okello
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000531:Altitude; D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000469:parasitology; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004605:Elephantiasis, Filarial / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007303:Insect Vectors; D008366:Mansonella / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008368:Mansonelliasis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D008842:Microfilariae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D014454:Uganda / Q000453:epidemiology; D014958:Wuchereria bancrofti / Q000302:isolation & purification
D000947:Antigens, Helminth