OBJECTIVE: To assess the validity of observations on eye worm and Calabar swellings for the rapid assessment of the prevalence and intensity of loiasis at the community level. METHOD: A total of 12895 individuals over the age of 15 years living in 102 communities in Cameroon and Nigeria took part in the study. A standardized questionnaire was administered to participants from whom finger-prick blood samples were collected and examined for Loa loa microfilariae. Rapid assessments of the prevalence and intensity of loiasis were made on the basis of a history of eye worm or Calabar swellings. FINDINGS: There was a strong correlation between the indices of the rapid assessment procedures and the parasitological indices of L. loa endemicity. The rapid assessment indices were effective in diagnosing high-risk communities (sensitivity 94-100%; specificity 66-92%). The highest sensitivity (100%) and specificity (92%) were obtained with a rapid assessment procedure based on a history of eye worm lasting 1-7 days together with confirmation by the guided recognition of a photograph of adult L. loa in the eye. CONCLUSION: Rapid assessment of the prevalence and intensity of loiasis at the community level can be achieved using a procedure based on the history of eye worm lasting 1-7 days together with confirmation by the guided recognition of a photograph of an adult L. loa in the eye.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the validity of observations on eye worm and Calabar swellings for the rapid assessment of the prevalence and intensity of loiasis at the community level. METHOD: A total of 12895 individuals over the age of 15 years living in 102 communities in Cameroon and Nigeria took part in the study. A standardized questionnaire was administered to participants from whom finger-prick blood samples were collected and examined for Loa loa microfilariae. Rapid assessments of the prevalence and intensity of loiasis were made on the basis of a history of eye worm or Calabar swellings. FINDINGS: There was a strong correlation between the indices of the rapid assessment procedures and the parasitological indices of L. loa endemicity. The rapid assessment indices were effective in diagnosing high-risk communities (sensitivity 94-100%; specificity 66-92%). The highest sensitivity (100%) and specificity (92%) were obtained with a rapid assessment procedure based on a history of eye worm lasting 1-7 days together with confirmation by the guided recognition of a photograph of adult L. loa in the eye. CONCLUSION: Rapid assessment of the prevalence and intensity of loiasis at the community level can be achieved using a procedure based on the history of eye worm lasting 1-7 days together with confirmation by the guided recognition of a photograph of an adult L. loa in the eye.
Authors: Pere P Simarro; Giuliano Cecchi; Massimo Paone; José R Franco; Abdoulaye Diarra; José A Ruiz; Eric M Fèvre; Fabrice Courtin; Raffaele C Mattioli; Jean G Jannin Journal: Int J Health Geogr Date: 2010-11-01 Impact factor: 3.918
Authors: Ricardo J Soares Magalhães; Archie C A Clements; Anand P Patil; Peter W Gething; Simon Brooker Journal: Adv Parasitol Date: 2011 Impact factor: 3.870
Authors: Jean Paul Akue; Dieudonné Nkoghe; Cindy Padilla; Ghislain Moussavou; Hubert Moukana; Roger Antoine Mbou; Benjamin Ollomo; Eric Maurice Leroy Journal: PLoS Negl Trop Dis Date: 2011-10-11
Authors: Honorat Gustave Marie Zouré; Samuel Wanji; Mounkaïla Noma; Uche Veronica Amazigo; Peter J Diggle; Afework Hailemariam Tekle; Jan H F Remme Journal: PLoS Negl Trop Dis Date: 2011-06-28