Lymphatic filariasis (LF), a mosquito-borne parasitic disease caused by Wuchereria bancrofti and Brugia species is one of the most prevalent and yet the most neglected of the tropical diseases with serious economic and social consequences (Remme et al. 1993). It is a disease affecting people in rural areas as well as an increasing number of people living in urban slums. Over 128 million people world-wide are infected and another 1.2 billion are at risk of infection. India’s 1 billion population live in known endemic areas and 48 million are infected accounting for 40% of the global LF burden (Boakye et al. 2007, Ramaiah 2008) with an estimated 4,918,000 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) (WHO 1999). This disease has been identified as one of the six diseases considered eradicable or potentially eradicable (WHO 1992). However, its successful control like that of many other infectious diseases depends to a great extent on community-wide understanding of and support for such global initiatives (Evans et al. 1993).

LF is characterised by a spectrum of clinical manifestations that affects the work output of its victims and subject them to hardships such as teasing, unsuitability for marriage, sexual dysfunction and divorce. Single dose Mass Drug Administration (MDA) of Diethylcarbamazine (DEC) has emerged as a savior to combat the disease and has shown some illuminating results albeit equivocal lowering of the disease prevalence is still debatable. The microfilaraemic individuals, serving as carriers of the disease needs special attention and require a thorough and proper screening of the population. Age and sex specific prevalence data of endemic areas is always important for the re-assessment of operational strategies of the global initiatives.

There is an urgent need to conducted an epidemiological survey in endemic region with the aim:

(i) To effectively survey the unreached population (those who are not exposed to the MDA programme) thereby enhancing the efforts of GPELF and

(ii) To create social awareness about the disease and its treatment through interaction with various communities of the urban slum/rural areas.

This study may attempts to alarm present situation and hence can contribute effectively in global elimination of LF.

References:

1. Remme JHF, de Raadt P & Godal T (1993) The burden of tropical diseases. Med J Aust 158, 465.

2. Boakye DA, Baidoo HA, Glah E, Brown C, Appawu M and Wilson MD (2007) Monitoring lymphatic filariasis interventions: Adult mosquito sampling, and improved PCR â€" based pool screening method for Wuchereria bancrofti infection in Anopheles mosquitoes. Filaria Journal 6, 13.

3. Ramaiah KD (2008) Lymphatic filariasis elimination programme in India: progress and challenges. Trends Parasitol 25, 7-8

4. World Health Organization. Fifth Report of the WHO Expert Committee on Filariasis. Lymphatic Filariasis: The Disease and its Control (1992). Technical Report Series 821.

5. World Health Organization: Building partnerships for lymphatic filariasis-strategic plan (1999).

6. Evans DB, Gelband H & Vlassoff C (1993) Social and economic factors and the control of lymphatic filariasis: a review. Acta Tropica 53, 1-26.

About Author / Additional Info:
I am working as Research Associate in National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi