Luzia Veletzky1, Jennifer Hergeth2, Daniel R Stelzl2, Johannes Mischlinger3, Rella Zoleko Manego4, Ghyslain Mombo-Ngoma4, Matthew B B McCall5, Ayôla A Adegnika6, Selidji T Agnandji6, Wolfram G Metzger7, Pierre B Matsiegui8, Heimo Lagler9, Benjamin Mordmüller7, Christine Budke10, Michael Ramharter11. 1. Department of Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine & I Department of Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; Lambaréné Medical Research Centre, Lambaréné, Gabon; Department of Medicine I, Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research, Tübingen, Germany. 2. Lambaréné Medical Research Centre, Lambaréné, Gabon. 3. Department of Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine & I Department of Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. 4. Department of Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine & I Department of Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; Lambaréné Medical Research Centre, Lambaréné, Gabon; Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research, Tübingen, Germany. 5. Lambaréné Medical Research Centre, Lambaréné, Gabon; Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research, Tübingen, Germany; Radboud University Medical Centre, Department of Medical Microbiology, Nijmegen, Netherlands. 6. Lambaréné Medical Research Centre, Lambaréné, Gabon; Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research, Tübingen, Germany. 7. Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research, Tübingen, Germany. 8. Ngounié Medical Research Centre, Fougamou, Gabon. 9. Department of Medicine I, Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. 10. Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA. 11. Department of Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine & I Department of Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; Lambaréné Medical Research Centre, Lambaréné, Gabon. Electronic address: ramharter@bnitm.de.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Loiasis is a highly prevalent helminth infection found in distinct regions of sub-Saharan Africa. The disease has been considered to be of minor clinical significance, but this belief is being increasingly challenged by recent evidence. We aimed to prospectively quantify the overall burden of disease caused by loiasis in an endemic region of Gabon, using disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). METHODS: We did a cross-sectional survey during 2017 and 2018 in rural Gabon. Volunteers underwent diagnostic tests for loiasis and were given a standardised questionnaire on symptoms. Participants reporting eye worm migration or harbouring Loa loa microfilariae were defined as loiasis positive. Morbidity-based DALYs associated with loiasis were estimated for the rural population of Gabon. FINDINGS: Between Sept 1, 2017 and May 31, 2018, 1235 participants residing in 38 villages in the Gabonese departments of Tsamba-Magotsi and Ogooué et des Lacs were screened. 626 (50·8%) of 1232 eligible participants had loiasis. 520 (42·2%) of 1232 participants reported eye worm migration. 478 (93·9%) of 509 individuals with eye worm migration also reported associated pain, and 397 (78·6%) of 505 reported vision disturbances. After correcting for age and sex, loiasis was significantly associated with a variety of symptoms, including transient painful oedema (adjusted odds ratio 1·76 [95% CI 1·37-2·26]) and arthralgia (1·30 [1·01-1·69]). Application of attributable fractions of correlating symptoms resulted in 412·9 (95% CI 273·9-567·7) morbidity-based DALYs per 100 000 people in rural Gabon. INTERPRETATION: Loiasis, with the pathognomonic sign of eye worm migration, appears to not be benign, but severely impeding to affected individuals. Furthermore, loiasis is associated with substantial morbidity, comparable to that of other neglected tropical parasitic diseases. These findings call for reconsideration of L loa as a relevant pathogen in affected populations, with a need for more concerted research and control of these infections. FUNDING: Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy of Austria, and the European Union.
BACKGROUND:Loiasis is a highly prevalent helminth infection found in distinct regions of sub-Saharan Africa. The disease has been considered to be of minor clinical significance, but this belief is being increasingly challenged by recent evidence. We aimed to prospectively quantify the overall burden of disease caused by loiasis in an endemic region of Gabon, using disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). METHODS: We did a cross-sectional survey during 2017 and 2018 in rural Gabon. Volunteers underwent diagnostic tests for loiasis and were given a standardised questionnaire on symptoms. Participants reporting eye worm migration or harbouring Loa loa microfilariae were defined as loiasis positive. Morbidity-based DALYs associated with loiasis were estimated for the rural population of Gabon. FINDINGS: Between Sept 1, 2017 and May 31, 2018, 1235 participants residing in 38 villages in the Gabonese departments of Tsamba-Magotsi and Ogooué et des Lacs were screened. 626 (50·8%) of 1232 eligible participants had loiasis. 520 (42·2%) of 1232 participants reported eye worm migration. 478 (93·9%) of 509 individuals with eye worm migration also reported associated pain, and 397 (78·6%) of 505 reported vision disturbances. After correcting for age and sex, loiasis was significantly associated with a variety of symptoms, including transient painful oedema (adjusted odds ratio 1·76 [95% CI 1·37-2·26]) and arthralgia (1·30 [1·01-1·69]). Application of attributable fractions of correlating symptoms resulted in 412·9 (95% CI 273·9-567·7) morbidity-based DALYs per 100 000 people in rural Gabon. INTERPRETATION:Loiasis, with the pathognomonic sign of eye worm migration, appears to not be benign, but severely impeding to affected individuals. Furthermore, loiasis is associated with substantial morbidity, comparable to that of other neglected tropical parasitic diseases. These findings call for reconsideration of L loa as a relevant pathogen in affected populations, with a need for more concerted research and control of these infections. FUNDING: Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy of Austria, and the European Union.
Authors: Michael Ramharter; Selidji T Agnandji; Ayôla A Adegnika; Bertrand Lell; Ghyslain Mombo-Ngoma; Martin P Grobusch; Matthew McCall; Riko Muranaka; Andrea Kreidenweiss; Thirumalaisamy P Velavan; Meral Esen; Frieder Schaumburg; Abraham Alabi; Christiane Druml; Benjamin Mordmüller; Carsten Köhler; Peter G Kremsner Journal: Wien Klin Wochenschr Date: 2021-01-04 Impact factor: 1.704