Surveillance of lymphatic filariasis 5 years after stopping mass drug administration in Menoufiya governorate, Egypt

The World Health Organization recommends that before lymphatic filariasis elimination in an area can be confirmed, an additional survey should be performed at least 5 years after stopping mass drug administration. The current study aimed to determine the status of lymphatic filariasis 5 years after cessation of the mass drug administration in 3 sentinel Egyptian villages in Menoufiya Governorate. The rapid immunochromatographic card test [ICT] and a new commercial antibody detection kit [CELISA[registered sign]] were used. All 1321 primary-school children aged 6-7 years old were ICT negative but 27 children were antibody positive. All households surveyed in one village with the highest antibody prevalence were ICT negative, indicating an absence of lymphatic filariasis. The CELISA antibody kit needs more standardization and development to be useful under field conditions. We conclude that lymphatic filariasis is no longer a public health problem in these villages and other villages with similar epidemiological conditions

Impact of polystyrene beads as a mosquito control measure to supplement lymphatic filariasis elimination activities in Socotra Island, Yemen

Lymphatic filariasis [LF] is targeted for worldwide elimination. In Yemen, all mainland implementation units met the WHO criteria for stopping mass drug administration [MDA] after 5 rounds. However, in Socotra Island these criteria were not met. Our study evaluated the efficacy of applying expanded polystyrene beads [EPBs] on the Culex population and the effect on LF transmission. Human and mosquito surveys were conducted in 40 randomly selected households in Hadibo [capital of Socotra] before and after application of EPBs. The EPBs intervention resulted in a reduction in mosquito density of 80% and a 64.3% reduction in microfilaria prevalence. The majority of interviewed households [98%] thought EPBs considerably reduced the mosquito population. After the intervention all collected pools tested negative. Application of EPBs is an effective supplement to MDA for achieving the goal of LF elimination

retrospective hospital study of human cystic echinococcosis in Egypt

We performed a retrospective study to determine annual clinical incidence of human cystic echinococcosis [CE] in 14 Egyptian hospitals between January 1997 and December 1999. From 492 353 records examined, 133 [0.027%] new human CE cases were recorded. Of these, 50 [37.6%] were from Alexandria and Matrouh hospitals, 33 [24.8%] from Giza Chest Hospital and 50 from other regions. Matrouh governorate had the highest annual clinical incidence [1.34-2.60 per 100 000] followed by Giza governorate [0.80-1.16 per 100 000]. About a third of those affected were aged

Diabetic nephropathy as a cause of end-stage renal disease in Egypt: a six-year study

The prevalence of diabetic nephropathy as a cause of end-stage renal disease [ESRD] in Egypt has been examined in small cross-sectional studies, with conflicting results. The need for a large-scale study prompted us to perform this 6-year multiple cross-sectional study. A sample of ESRD patients enrolled in the Egyptian renal data system was evaluated during the period 1996-2001 for the prevalence of diabetic nephropathy. Prevalence gradually increased from 8.9% in 1996, to 14.5% in 2001. The mean age of patients with diabetic nephropathy was significantly higher than that of patients with ESRD from other causes. Mortality was also significantly higher in diabetic patients with ESRD

Lymphatic filariasis in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: current status and prospects for elimination

Lymphatic filariasis [LF] represents a major public health problem in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The disease is endemic or suspected in several countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Recent advances in diagnosis and therapy led the World Health Assembly to pass a resolution in 1997 calling for "the elimination of lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem." The elimination strategy is based on rounds of mass drug administration of an annual single-dose of combined drug regimens for 5-6 consecutive years. Subsequent steps included formation of a Regional Programme Review Group to orient national LF control programmes towards the concept of elimination, provide advice, review each national plan of action and review annual reports. To date, Egypt and the Republic of Yemen have active national LF elimination programmes, however, elimination activities in the Republic of Yemen are still restricted to certain identified endemic regions. Other countries in the Region are on their way to verifying the situation and if LF is proved to be endemic, will start mapping endemic localities. This review sheds light on the status of LF elimination activities in the Region and highlights some of the major accomplishments

Evaluation of a school-based health education model in schistosomiasis: a randomized community trial

The objectives of this study were to develop a schistosomiasis health education model and to evaluate its effectiveness in changing knowledge, attitudes and schistosomal infection rate among Egyptian primary school children. A randomized community trial of three pairs of comparable schools in rural areas was implemented. The study revealed a significant improvement in knowledge and attitudes as well as a reduction of schistosomal infection 1 year post-intervention in the intervention schools of pairs I and II. However, the improvements in knowledge in the intervention school of pair III were not accompanied by significant changes in attitude or schistosomal infection