ABSTRACT
The mass drug administration programme to eliminate lymphatic filariasis with DEC in Kerala was started in 1997, extended to all the 11 endemic districts by 2005. Since the beginning of Mass drug Administration, the drug consumption rate was found to be not satisfactory. The reasons for noncompliance indicated that the community is not fully convinced about the programme. The knowledge of the medical and para medical workers is certainly a factor in the success of implementation of the programme and is vital. To ascertain the knowledge, a study was undertaken and found not satisfactory. Hence intensive training on all aspects of lymphatic filariasis and the Mass drug Administration programme to achieve the requisite drug consumption rate to meet the goal is needed.
Subject(s)
Animals , Brugia/drug effects , Clinical Competence , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Education, Medical, Continuing , Elephantiasis, Filarial/drug therapy , Filaricides/administration & dosage , Health Personnel/education , Humans , India/epidemiology , Patient Compliance , Wuchereria bancrofti/drug effectsABSTRACT
The patent period of infection which reflects the fecundic life span of the adult female worm was estimated for periodic B. malayi in south India by using immigration death model. Longitudinal data on natural loss of infection or that due to different degrees of DEC pressure in a cohort population of microfilaria carriers after a three years period, were used for the estimations. The patent period of infection was estimated to be 3.45 yr under natural conditions (without DEC therapy), which was reduced to 1.67 yr following one full course of selective therapy (6 mg/kg body wt/day for 12 days). When selective therapy was supplemented with four rounds of biannual single-dose mass DEC therapy (6 mg/kg body wt) the patent period was further reduced to 1.34 yr. The proportion loss of infection was relatively higher in microfilaria carriers who discontinued DEC selective therapy, when compared to natural loss. The percentage reduction in the mean microfilaria count was observed to decrease with increasing DEC pressure. Neither sex nor the age of the host was found to influence the fecundic life span or the survival of female adult worm.