Mapping of Wuchereria bancrofti infection in children and adolescents in an endemic area of Brazil

Autor: Eduardo Brandão, Cristine Vieira do Bonfim, Amélia Maciel, Zulma Medeiros, Ana Maria Aguiar-Santos, Danielle Cabral, José Lancart de Lima
Rok vydání: 2011
Předmět:
Zdroj: Acta Tropica. 120:151-154
ISSN: 0001-706X
Popis: A parasitological survey was conducted among children and adolescents in the municipality of Jaboatão dos Guararapes, Brazil to describe the occurrence and spatial distribution of lymphatic filariasis. Microfilaraemia was investigated through the thick smear technique, using 50 μl of capillary blood that was collected at night. The spatial analysis used a digital base map of the municipality, divided into districts, which were classified as hypoendemic, mesoendemic or hyperendemic. 8670 children were examined and 96 cases of microfilaraemia were identified (1.1%). The prevalence rate did not differ significantly between the sexes. Occurrences of filarial infection increased with increasing age: the greatest prevalence was recorded between 15 and 18 years of age (P0.05). There were 49 reports of clinical manifestations. The spatial distribution of microfilaraemia according to residential district showed that 13 (54.2%) of the 24 districts investigated were positive. Approximately 33% of the districts were hyperendemic. The results demonstrated that the pediatric population had intense early exposure to the parasite, thus characterizing filariasis as endemic in the municipality. The spatial analysis allowed identification of areas with greater occurrence of infection among children, and showed localities where the populations most exposed to transmission were concentrated. Epidemiological surveillance of microfilaraemia among children and spatial analysis are important local transmission indicators and form instruments for planning actions within the Global Program to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis, since they make it possible to identify priority areas.
Databáze: OpenAIRE