title: An investigation of the disparity in estimates of microfilaraemia and antigenaemia in lymphatic filariasis surveys.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The diagnosis of lymphatic filariasis (LF) is based typically on either microfilaraemia as assessed by microscopy or filarial antigenaemia using an immuno-chromatographic test. While it is known that estimates of antigenaemia are generally higher than estimates of microfilaraemia, the extent of the difference is not known.
  
  
  METHODS
  This paper presents the results of an extensive literature search for surveys that estimated both microfilaraemia and antigenaemia in order to better understand the disparity between the two measures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In some settings there was a very large disparity, up to 40-70%, between estimates of microfilaraemia and antigenaemia. Regression analysis was unable to identify any predictable relationship between the two measures. The implications of findings for risk mapping and surveillance of LF are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, UK jcano.ortega@lshtm.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cano
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, UK.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moraga
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, UK.
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nikolay
authors.affiliation: NTD Support Center, Task Force for Global Health, Decatur, Atlanta, USA.
authors.forename: Maria P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Rebollo
authors.affiliation: Institute for Advanced Medical Research and Training, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Patricia N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Okorie
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.affiliation: Eastern and Southern Africa Centre of International Parasite Control, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: Sammy M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Njenga
authors.affiliation: Centre for Neglected Tropical Diseases, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Moses J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bockarie
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, UK.
authors.forename: Simon J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Brooker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002353:Carrier State / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004605:Elephantiasis, Filarial / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008842:Microfilariae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014958:Wuchereria bancrofti / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D000947:Antigens, Helminth
keywords: Antigenaemia; Logistic regression; Lymphatic filariasis; Microfilaraemia; Prevalence surveys