Clinical, serological and DNA testing in Bengo Province, Angola further reveals low filarial endemicity and opportunities for disease elimination


Paulo, Rossely, Brito, Miguel, Van-Dunem, Pedro, Martins, Antonio, Novak, Robert J, Jacob, Benjamin, Molyneux, David M, Unnasch, Thomas R, Stothard, J Russell and Kelly-Hope, Louise ORCID: 0000-0002-3330-7629 (2020) Clinical, serological and DNA testing in Bengo Province, Angola further reveals low filarial endemicity and opportunities for disease elimination. PARASITE EPIDEMIOLOGY AND CONTROL, 11. e00183-.

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Abstract

The prevalence of <i>Loa loa, Onchocerca volvulus</i> and <i>Wuchereria bancrofti</i> infections in an under-surveyed area of Bengo Province, Angola, was determined by surveying 22 communities with a combination of clinical, serological and DNA diagnostics. Additional information was collected on participants' duration of residency, access to mass drug administration, knowledge of insect vectors and use of bednets. A total of 1616 individuals (38.1% male: 61.9% female), with an average age of 43 years, were examined. For L. <i>loa,</i> 6.2% (<i>n</i> = 100/16616) individuals were found to have eyeworm, based on the rapid assessment procedure for loiasis (RAPLOA) surveys, and 11.5% (<i>n</i> =178/1543) based on nested PCR analyses of venous blood. <i>L. loa</i> prevalences in long-term residents (>10 years) and older individuals (>60 years) were significantly higher, and older men with eyeworm were better informed about <i>Chrysops</i> vectors. For <i>O. volvulus</i>, 4.7% (<i>n</i> = 74/1567) individuals were found to be positive by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Ov 16 ELISA), with only three individuals reporting to have ever taken ivermectin. For <i>W. bancrofti,</i> no infections were found using the antigen-based immunochromatographic test (ICT) and real-time PCR analysis; however, 27 individuals presented with lymphatic filariasis (LF) related clinical conditions (lymphoedema = 11, hydrocoele = 14, both = 2). Just under half (45.5%) of the participants owned a bednet, with the majority (71.1%) sleeping under it the night before. Our approach of using combination diagnostics reveals the age-prevalence of loiasis alongside low endemicity of onchocerciasis and LF. Future research foci should be on identifying opportunities for more cost-effective ways to eliminate onchocerciasis and to develop innovative surveillance modalities for clinical LF for individual disease management and disability prevention.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Loiasis, Chrysops, Onchocerciasis, Lymphatic filariasis, Co-infection, Mapping
Divisions: Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 09 Jun 2022 15:12
Last Modified: 18 Jan 2023 21:00
DOI: 10.1016/j.parepi.2020.e00183
Related URLs:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3156120
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