Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 13, 2026
12:00
An Optimized Protocol for Rearing Fopius arisanus, a Parasitoid of Tephritid Fruit Flies
Published on: July 2, 2011
14.8K
Postelimination Cluster of Lymphatic Filariasis, Futuna, 2024
Emerging Infectious Diseases
|March 2, 2025
Summary
Lymphatic filariasis (LF) has resurged on Futuna Island, with a 2% child antigenemia prevalence detected, exceeding the post-elimination target of 1%. This indicates a need for renewed mass drug administration and enhanced surveillance to control the spread of this parasitic disease.
Area of Science:
- * Tropical Medicine and Public Health
- * Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Background:
- * Lymphatic filariasis (LF) elimination programs aim for <1% child antigenemia prevalence.
- * Two clinical LF cases were detected in Futuna (Wallis and Futuna) in 2023, signaling a potential resurgence.
- * The island is a post-elimination setting for LF.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To assess the current prevalence of LF in Futuna following the detection of new cases.
- * To identify high-risk areas and potential risk factors for LF transmission.
- * To inform public health strategies for LF control and prevention.
Main Methods:
- * A cross-sectional prevalence survey conducted in May 2024.
- * Target population: Schoolchildren under 18 years of age.
- * Inclusion of spatial analysis and investigation of housing conditions; secondary investigations for microfilariae.
Main Results:
- * An estimated antigenemia prevalence of nearly 2% among children in Futuna.
- * Identification of a spatial cluster of LF cases in Taoa village, with a child antigenemia prevalence of 7.5%.
- * Association found between LF infection and traditional housing; microfilariae detected in contacts.
Conclusions:
- * Findings suggest a resurgence of LF in Futuna, surpassing post-elimination benchmarks.
- * The high prevalence in Taoa village and link to housing warrant targeted interventions.
- * Recommendations include initiating mass drug administration with triple therapy and strengthening surveillance systems.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) is a severe tick-borne illness caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, a Gram-negative, coccobacillary bacterium. This pathogen is an obligate intracellular parasite, requiring a host cell for replication. Transmission occurs through the bite of an infected tick. In the United States, the most important vectors are Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick) and Dermacentor andersoni (Rocky Mountain wood tick), though other tick species may also serve as vectors.
01:30Leishmaniasis
Leishmaniasis is a protozoal disease caused by species of the genus Leishmania and transmitted through the bite of infected female sandflies. The parasite exists in two principal morphological forms during its life cycle. A sandfly acquires intracellular amastigotes from an infected reservoir host, such as a dog. Within the sandfly, these forms differentiate into motile, flagellated promastigotes. During a subsequent blood meal, promastigotes are injected into the human host, where they...
01:22American Trypanosomiasis
Chagas disease, or American trypanosomiasis, is a vector-borne parasitic infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a flagellated protozoan (kinetoplastid) of the family Trypanosomatidae. The disease is endemic in Latin America, although cases are increasingly reported worldwide due to human migration. Transmission most commonly occurs when feces of infected triatomine bugs contaminate bite wounds or mucosal surfaces; additional routes include congenital, transfusional, transplant-related, and oral...
01:15Anthelminthic Agents
Anthelmintic drugs differ significantly from antiparasitic therapies targeting protozoa, primarily due to differences in parasite biology. Whereas most protozoal treatments act on proliferating cells, anthelmintics are typically directed against mature, nonproliferative helminths. The therapeutic approach considers the helminth's reliance on neuromuscular coordination, glucose metabolism, and microtubular integrity for survival, reproduction, and localization within the host. Most anthelmintics...