End the Neglect

Blogging on behalf of the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases

Posts Tagged ‘ivermectin’

Worm of the Week – Lymphatic Filariasis

August 24th, 2010

Another installment from our Worm of the Week series, courtesy of student campaigners from Boston University! Today we feature:

Lymphatic Filariasis

***Wuchereria bancrofti* AND Brugia malayi AND *Brugia timori***

Lymphatic Filariasis

A physically and socially debilitating disease, lymphatic filariasis affects over 120 million people in 80 different countries. The thread-like parasitic filarial worms, Wuchereria bancrofti (causing most infections worldwide), and Brugia malayi and Brugia timori (primarily in Asia) lodge in the human lymphatic system. There, adult worms mate and produce millions of microscopic microfilariae that circulate in the person’s blood. Infection spreads by mosquito bites containing larval worms that travel to lymph and grow into adults which takes about six months. Adult worms can live 5 to 7 years.

Symptoms

Sometimes called elephantiasis due to the engorgement and thickening of skin, lymphatic filariasis is characterized by lymphedema, or fluid collection due to improper functioning of the lymph system resulting in swelling. Most infected individuals are asymptomatic and will never develop symptoms. In the severest cases, fluid accumulates in the legs, arms, breasts, and genitalia. Infected persons are at increased risk for bacterial infections in the skin and lymph system.

Diagnosis

Microscopic identification of microfilariae in blood smear. Blood collection should be done at night.

Treatment

Diethylcarbamazine (DEC) kills microfilaria and some of the adult worms; Ivermectin kills microfilaria.

Prevention and Control

The best way to avoid lymphatic filariasis is to avoid mosquito bites (sleep under mosquito net, use repellent, wear long sleeves and trousers). In 1997, the World Health Assembly called for the global elimination of lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem. The strategy for elimination is based on treating everyone eligible to take the medicine living in an affected community with a dose of two drugs: albendazole is used in conjunction with ivermectin (sub-Saharan Africa) and with DEC (elsewhere in world).

Sources: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/lymphaticfilariasis/index.htm

http://www.cartercenter.org/health/lf/index.html

Just 50 cents campaign: http://www.globalnetwork.org/just50cents

No comments »

Posted in NTDs, Public Health

Tags: albendazole elephantiasis Global Health ivermectin LF Lymphatic Filariasis NTDs worm of the week

Night 5: Onchocerciasis

December 16th, 2009

Onchocerciciasis, one of the most common neglected tropical diseases known as “river blindness”, is a major contributor to visual impairment and blindness in sub-Saharan Africa. Onchocerciasis also causes lesions, skin depigmentation, and debilitating itching, all of which foster stigmatization and social isolation. Beyond its health impacts, onchocerciasis has also instilled a fear of blindness in affected communities, prompting them to abandon fertile river valleys in Africa, thereby reducing agricultural productivity and increasing poverty.

Approximately 37 million people around the world are infected with onchocerciasis; over 102 million people are at risk for the disease in 19 countries. 500,000 of those infected with onchocerciasis are severely visually impaired, and another 270,000 have been rendered permanently blind from the disease.

Fortunately, there are African-led efforts underway to control and eliminate this disease that can serve as a model for community-led health interventions and health systems strengthening efforts around the developing world. The African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC) was established in 1995 to eliminate onchocerciasis as a disease of public health importance in Africa. At the core of APOC’s strategy to eliminate the disease is community-directed treatment with ivermectin (CDTI), a strategy largely pioneered by APOC’s dynamic director, Dr. Uche Amazigo.

In 1997, APOC formally adopted the CDTI strategy to deliver ivermectin to infected and at-risk communities, and in the years since it has rapidly scaled up and expanded its efforts. Over 600,165 trained CDDs have been trained and engaged in CDTI projects since APOC’s inception, and they have delivered nearly (965,000,000) ivermectin tablets in 11 years (1997-2007). Millions more have benefitted from other health interventions implemented simultaneously with CDTI, including home-based management of malaria, distribution of insecticide treated bed nets, Vitamin A supplementation, and management of HIV/AIDS as well as awareness campaigns involving the support of CDDs.