Feasibility of a combined camp approach for vector control together with active case detection of visceral leishmaniasis, post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis, tuberculosis, leprosy and malaria in Bangladesh, India and Nepal: an exploratory study.
BACKGROUND
We assessed the feasibility and results of active case detection (ACD) of visceral leishmaniasis (VL), post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) and other febrile diseases as well as of bednet impregnation for vector control.


METHODS
Fever camps were organized and analyzed in twelve VL endemic villages in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal. VL, PKDL, tuberculosis, malaria and leprosy were screened among the febrile patients attending the camps, and existing bednets were impregnated with a slow release insecticide.


RESULTS
Among the camp attendees one new VL case and two PKDL cases were detected in Bangladesh and one VL case in Nepal. Among suspected tuberculosis cases two were positive in India but none in the other countries. In India, two leprosy cases were found. No malaria cases were detected. Bednet impregnation coverage during fever camps was more than 80% in the three countries. Bednet impregnation led to a reduction of sandfly densities after 2 weeks by 86% and 32%, and after 4 weeks by 95% and 12% in India and Nepal respectively. The additional costs for the control programmes seem to be reasonable.


CONCLUSIONS
It is feasible to combine ACD camps for VL and PKDL along with other febrile diseases, and vector control with bednet impregnation.
Central Department of Microbiology, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal banjaramr@gmail.com.
Megha R
MR
Banjara
University Medical Centre Freiburg, Centre for Medicine and Society, Freiburg, Germany Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (WHO/TDR), Geneva, Switzerland.
Axel
A
Kroeger
International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B), Dhaka.
Mamun M
MM
Huda
Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, India.
Vijay
V
Kumar
Public Health and Infectious Disease Research Center, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Chitra K
CK
Gurung
Department of Microbiology, BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal.
Murari L
ML
Das
Department of Internal Medicine, BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal.
Suman
S
Rijal
Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, India.
Pradeep
P
Das
International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B), Dhaka.
Dinesh
D
Mondal
D000818:Animals; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000453:epidemiology; D060740:Disease Eradication / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019353:Endemic Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005334:Fever / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007300:Insect Control; D057148:Insecticide-Treated Bednets / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007306:Insecticides; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007918:Leprosy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009390:Nepal / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D016730:Program Development; D011576:Psychodidae; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
D007306:Insecticides
Active case detection; Bednet impregnation; Febrile cases; Post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis; Sandfly control; Visceral leishmaniasis