Parasitological and clinical studies on Wuchereria bancrofti infection in Chuuk (formerly Truk) State, Federated States of Micronesia.

A total of 2193 people in 14 villages on 9 islands was examined for microfilaria (mf). The average mf rate of those examined was 2.6%. High mf rates of 7-10% were obtained in 3 villages on 3 islands. Analysed by sex and age, the highest mf rates were observed among males of age > or = 20 years (6-10%). A clinical study conducted on 466 adult males of age > or = 15 years showed that the average hydrocele rate was 3.4% and that of elephantiasis 0.4%. For the ages > or = 50 years the hydrocele rate was nearly 10%, indicating that filariasis is an important public health problem. Filariasis in Chuuk seems to be decreasing, but some endemic villages found in the study imply the existence of many unknown and thus unattended foci of filariasis in Pacific islands.