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Determining Soil-transmitted Helminth Infection Status and Physical Fitness of School-aged Children
Published on: August 22, 2012
Lymphatic filariasis among children and adolescents: spatial identification via socio-environmental indicators to
Eduardo Brandão1, Cristine Bonfim2, Ayla Alves3
1Parasitology Department, Aggeu Magalhães Research Center, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Pernambuco, Brazil Postgraduate Course on Tropical Medicine, Federal University of Pernambuco, Pernambuco, Brazil brandaoe@cpqam.fiocruz.br brandaoe@cpqam.fiocruz.br.
Background:
The occurrence of lymphatic filariasis (LF) and its transmission dynamics among children and adolescents are still not clearly elucidated. The aim of this study was to describe the spatial distribution of microfilaremia and its relationship with socio-environmental variables, thereby identifying areas at greater risk of transmission.
Methods:
An ecological study was conducted, in which the analysis unit was formed by districts of the municipality of Jaboatão dos Guararapes in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. The data source was a parasitological survey. Inadequate sewage disposal, number of people in the household and income of between 0.5 and 1 minimum salary were used to construct the socio-environmental indicator. The districts were then grouped according to the indicator into three risk strata, using the k-means clustering technique.
Results:
In the study, 96/8670 (1.1%) of the population were found to present microfilaremia. The high-risk stratum had a mean prevalence rate of 1.9% and a risk of 2.56 (p<0.05), in relation to the low-risk stratum. The middle stratum grouped the households that presented an intermediate risk of transmission, with a prevalence rate of 1.92%.
Conclusions:
The indicator used is a promising tool that enables the precise measurement of the relationship between social deprivation and the prevalence of filarial infection among children. Thus, it can be used to plan control and elimination actions.
