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Infectious Diseases
and STD-AIDS
Infectious Diseases and STD-AIDS 2018
Journal of Transmitted Diseases and Immunity
ISSN 2471-8084
A p r i l 2 6 , 2 7 2 0 1 8
R o m e , I t a l y
Page 56
J Transm Dis Immun 2018 Volume 2
DOI: 10.21767/2573-0320-C1-003
L
ymphatic filariasis caused by a mosquito-borne filarial nematode is a major public health problem which affects people of all
ages and both sexes. The disease inflicts considerable social and economic burden, and the second leading cause of long-
term disability in the tropics and subtropics. The study employed the following methods: Rapid assessment method to search
for clinical manifestation, use of immunochromatgraphic card test to determine circulating filarial antigen (CFA) in diurnal blood,
standard parasitological technique (using thick blood film preparation) to detect microfilaria of W. bancrofti, interviews, focus
group discussion and administration of questionnaires to obtain socio-cultural data. 1,554 night blood samples of individuals
fromTaraba state were collected by finger prick method and analyzed for the presence of W. bancrofti. 494 (31.99%) of individuals
were infected with W. bancrofti with mean microfilarial density of 5.23 mf/60 µL blood. Infection rates among the twenty
communities surveyed differed significantly (ANOVA, P<0.05). There was no significant (χ2=0.13, df=1, P>0.05,) difference in
sex-related infection. There was however, significant (χ2=39.649, df=7, P<0.05) difference in infection among the different age
groups. Various clinical manifestations were observed, close association between microfilaraemia and itching (r=0.742, P<0.05),
ADL (r=0.83, P<0.05), Dermatitis (r=0.92, P<0.05) and Hydrocele (r=0.69, P<0.05) were recorded. However, microfilaraemia was
not significantly (r=0.39, P>0.05) related to elephantiasis and lymphoedema of breast (r=0.40, P>0.05). Serological examination
using immunochromatographic whole blood card test in diurnal blood from 336 persons (181 males and 155 females) in 11
communities gave antigenaemia prevalence of 30.05%. Analysis of the performance of immunochromatographic card recorded
73.27% specificity with confidence interval of (66.86%-79.04%) and sensitivity of 44.16% with confidence interval of (32.84%-
55.93%). Our findings in the current study has confirmed that lymphatic filariasis is a Public Health problem and already integrated
intervention programs had been instituted in the endemic areas.
elkana03@yahoo.comEpidemiology and applied bio techniques in assess-
ment of lymphatic filiariasis in Taraba State, Nigeria
1
Obadiah Sambo Elkanah,
2
Elkanah D. S and
3
Kela S. L
1
Taraba State University, Nigeria
2
Abubakar Tafawa Belewa University, Nigeria