Integrated school-based surveillance for soil-transmitted helminth infections and lymphatic filariasis in Gampaha district, Sri Lanka.
We explored the practicality of integrating surveillance for soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH, assessed by Kato-Katz) with transmission assessment surveys for lymphatic filariasis (LF) in two evaluation units (EUs) in Gampaha district, Sri Lanka (population 2.3 million). The surveys were performed 6 years after five annual rounds of mass drug administration with diethylcarbamazine and albendazole. Each transmission assessment survey tested children (N = 1,462 inland EU; 1,642 coastal EU) sampled from 30 primary schools. Low filarial antigenemia rates (0% and 0.1% for the inland and coastal EUs) suggest that LF transmission is very low in this district. The STH rates and stool sample participation rates were 0.8% and 61% (inland) and 2.8% and 58% (coastal). Most STH detected were low or moderate intensity Trichuris trichiura infections. The added cost of including STH testing was ∼$5,000 per EU. These results suggest that it is feasible to integrate school-based surveillance for STH and LF.
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka; Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka; Anti Filariasis Campaign, Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka; Department of Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Centre for Neglected Tropical Diseases, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom.
Sharmini
S
Gunawardena
Nipul K
NK
Gunawardena
Ganga
G
Kahathuduwa
Nadira D
ND
Karunaweera
Nilanthi R
NR
de Silva
Udaya B
UB
Ranasinghe
Sandhya D
SD
Samarasekara
Kumara C
KC
Nagodavithana
Ramakrishna U
RU
Rao
Maria P
MP
Rebollo
Gary J
GJ
Weil
D000818:Animals; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000276:immunology*; D001196:Ascariasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission; D017164:Ascaris lumbricoides / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D004605:Elephantiasis, Filarial / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D017221:Necator americanus / Q000276:immunology; D009332:Necatoriasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission; D010270:Parasite Egg Count; D012572:School Health Services / Q000191:economics; D012987:Soil / Q000469:parasitology; D013188:Sri Lanka / Q000453:epidemiology; D014257:Trichuriasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission; D014258:Trichuris / Q000276:immunology; D014958:Wuchereria bancrofti / Q000276:immunology
D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D012987:Soil