Epidemiology of Wuchereria bancrofti in Leogane, Haiti

A survey for Wuchereria bancrofti in Leogane, Haiti, revealed that 140 of 421 individuals (33%) had a patent infection, of which 40% lived in the suburban outskirts of the city. The median microfilaria density was 19.1 per 20 mm3 of blood for suburban dwellers compared with only 8.8 for those living in the city. The vector, Culex quinquefasciatus (Say), breeds mostly in and around numerous rum distilleries, located exclusively around the periphery of the city, and this undoubtedly accounts for the higher prevalence and intensity of infection among suburban dwellers.