Abstract
Annual single-dose treatments with diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) at a dose of 6 mg/kg have been reported effective in reducing microfilariae (mf) rate and density and applicable to large-scale filariasis control campaigns. However, the efficacy of such treatments has not been studied quantitatively in relation to different pretreatment levels of endemicity. This study of 32 villages in Fiji revealed that five treatments repeated annually steadily reduced village mf rate, and that the degree of reduction was not influenced by pretreatment levels of mf density or rate. This indicates that an annual dosage scheme is applicable to high-endemicity areas. The results also suggest that such treatment affected juvenile forms of Wuchereria bancrofti and may prevent them from reproducing.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Andrade L. D., Medeiros Z., Pires M. L., Pimentel A., Rocha A., Figueredo-Silva J., Coutinho A., Dreyer G. Comparative efficacy of three different diethylcarbamazine regimens in lymphatic filariasis. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 1995 May-Jun;89(3):319–321. doi: 10.1016/0035-9203(95)90561-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Fujimaki Y., Shimada M., Mitsui Y., Kimura E., Aoki Y. Possible direct effect of diethylcarbamazine on the infective larvae of Brugia pahangi. J Helminthol. 1990 Dec;64(4):295–301. doi: 10.1017/s0022149x00012323. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- HAWKING F. A review of progress in the chemotherapy and control of filariasis since 1955. Bull World Health Organ. 1962;27:555–568. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Kazura J., Greenberg J., Perry R., Weil G., Day K., Alpers M. Comparison of single-dose diethylcarbamazine and ivermectin for treatment of bancroftian filariasis in Papua New Guinea. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 1993 Dec;49(6):804–811. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.1993.49.804. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Kimura E., Penaia L., Spears G. F. The efficacy of annual single-dose treatment with diethylcarbamazine citrate against diurnally subperiodic bancroftian filariasis in Samoa. Bull World Health Organ. 1985;63(6):1097–1106. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Laigret J., Fagneaux G., Tuira E. Progrès dans l'emploi de la diéthylcarbamazine en chimiothérapie de la filariose lymphatique à Wuchereria bancrofti var. Pacifica: la méthode des doses espacées. Bull World Health Organ. 1978;56(6):985–990. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Mahoney L. E., Kessel J. F. Treatment failure in filariasis mass treatment programmes. Bull World Health Organ. 1971;45(1):35–42. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Panicker K. N., Krishnamoorthy K., Sabesan S., Prathiba J., Abidha Comparison of effects of mass annual and biannual single dose therapy with diethylcarbamazine for the control of Malayan filariasis. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health. 1991 Sep;22(3):402–411. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]