Bancroftian filariasis: clinical parasitologic and serologic evaluation after 4 years applying two antifilarial...

In August 1 997, 124 individuals out ot 1,110 were selected as being seropositive for circulating filarial antigen OG4C3 (CFA). Ten healthy children proven negative for CFA were used as controls. The patients were classified into: G1 28 patients; 20 asymptomatic microfilaraemic and 8 symptomatic amicrofilaraemic (AMF), G2 80 patients, 22 asymptomatic MF, 48 asymptomatic AMF and 10 symptomatic AMF and G3 16 asymptomatic AMF. G1 was treated by single annual dose of diethyl carbamazine (DEC) (6mg/kg), G2 by single annual dose of albendazole 400 mg and DEC 6mg/kg and G3 untreated. Four years later (2001), patients Were re-evaluated. Microfilaraemia prevalence in MF patients was lowered to 20% (G1) and 9.1% (G2). Antigenaemia prevalence was lowered to 46.4%, 17.5% and 87.5% in the three groups respectively. The disease became manifested among the asymptomatic in 5% (G1) and 10% (G2), but 25% (G3). The four years lowered the prevalence of microfilaraemia, but it was not sufficient for its elimination from the blood. So, a program to eliminate filariasis should be extended beyond this period to achieve no transmission and minimizes newly cases.