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A Comprehensive Assessment of Lymphatic Filariasis in Sri Lanka Six Years after Cessation of Mass Drug Administration |
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| Authors: | Ramakrishna U Rao Kumara C Nagodavithana Sandhya D Samarasekera Asha D Wijegunawardana Welmillage D Y Premakumara Samudrika N Perera Sunil Settinayake J Phillip Miller Gary J Weil |
| Institution: | 1Department of Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America;2Anti Filariasis Campaign, Sri Lanka Ministry of Health, Colombo, Sri Lanka;3Division of Biostatistics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America;Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Germany |
| Abstract: | BackgroundThe Sri Lankan Anti-Filariasis Campaign conducted 5 rounds of mass drug administration (MDA) with diethycarbamazine plus albendazole between 2002 and 2006. We now report results of a comprehensive surveillance program that assessed the lymphatic filariasis (LF) situation in Sri Lanka 6 years after cessation of MDA.ConclusionsComprehensive surveillance is feasible for some national filariasis elimination programs. Low-level persistence of LF was present in all study sites; several sites failed to meet provisional endpoint criteria for LF elimination, and follow-up testing will be needed in these areas. TAS was not sensitive for detecting low-level persistence of filariasis in Sri Lanka. We recommend use of antibody and MX testing as tools to complement TAS for post-MDA surveillance. |
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