title: Filariasis elimination in Egypt: impact of low microfilaraemics as sources of infection for mosquitoes.
abstract: The elimination strategy for lymphatic filariasis aims at reducing blood microfilaraemia to levels at which vector transmission cannot be sustained. We aimed to determine whether patients with pre-treatment low or ultra-low microfilaria (MF) counts could be a reservoir of infection after mass drug administration (MDA) with a combined regimen. Laboratory-reared mosquitoes were fed on 30 volunteers after 2 rounds of MDA. Microfilaria uptake, infectivity rates and number of Wuchereria bancrofti L3 per mosquito were assessed. One year after MDA-1, 6 subjects transmitted MF, but up to 9 months after MDA-2 transmission failed. Six months after MDA-2 > 90% had clear MF smears and either failed to transmit MF or transmitted MF that did not develop to L3. We conclude that the transmission cycle is seriously weakened after MDA-2.
authors.affiliation: Research and Training Centre on Vectors of Diseases, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Farid
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Kamal
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Weil
authors.forename: F K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Adham
authors.forename: R M R
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Ramzy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015766:Albendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D002353:Carrier State / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission; D003465:Culex / Q000469:parasitology / Q000502:physiology; D004049:Diethylcarbamazine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D019353:Endemic Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005368:Filariasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission*; D005369:Filaricides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000469:parasitology / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008842:Microfilariae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000469:parasitology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010270:Parasite Egg Count; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014958:Wuchereria bancrofti / Q000187:drug effects / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D005369:Filaricides; D015766:Albendazole; D004049:Diethylcarbamazine