Transmission dynamics of Wuchereria bancrofti in East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea

Bancroftian filariasis is endemic in many areas of Papua New Guinea. This study describes the entomologic indices of transmission near Dreikikir in East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea. A total of 1,735 culicine mosquitoes, including Culex and Mansonia species, were dissected, but none were infected with filarial larvae. In contrast, Anopheles punctulatus and An. koliensis were found to be potential vectors: 7.3% of Anopheles were infected and the mean number of first- to third-stage larvae per infected mosquito was 2.7. Transmission indices varied significantly in five villages located within a 50-km radius of each other. Annual biting rates ranged from 4,789 to 48,020 bites/person/year; annual infective biting rates from 15 to 836/person/year; and annual transmission potential from 31 to 2,340 third-stage larvae/person/year. Monthly transmission potential and monthly infective biting rate varied significantly in each village, with the highest indices of transmission observed in villages nearest sites where puddles formed in river beds during the dry season. These data indicate that there is small area variation in the intensity and temporal pattern of filariasis transmission and that culicine mosquitoes are not important vectors of W. bancrofti in this area.