Bancroftian filariasis in the Kassena Nankana District of the upper east region of Ghana: a preliminary study.

A filariasis prevalence survey was conducted in April 1992 in the Southern sector of the Kassena Nankana District which was the site of the Ghana Vitamin A Supplementation morbidity trial. In all, 106 compounds from five different communities were randomly selected from the vitamin A trial database. All resident compound members of 10 years and above were clinically examined and blood was taken for thick films between 2100 and 0200 hours. Haemoglobin levels were also measured. All the blood slides were examined by the investigators in Navrongo. Two reference laboratories examined 10% each of the slides for quality control. In all, 531 people were examined, 247 males and 284 females. The results showed an overall microfilaraemia rate of 41.1% (95% CI 36.9-45.3%). The only species identified was Wuchereria bancrofti. The most important clinical manifestation was hydrocele, 30.8% of males (95% CI 25-36.6%); followed by elephantiasis of the leg, 3.6% of the study population (95% CI 2.0-5.2%). The mean haemoglobin level of the population was 12.4 g dl-1. There were no significant differences between the communities in clinical or parasitological findings.