Socio-economic and environmental factors associated with high lymphatic filariasis morbidity prevalence distribution in Bangladesh

by Tijana Williams, Mohammad Jahirul Karim, Shihab Uddin, Sharmin Jahan, Sultan Mahmood ASM, Shaun P. Forbes, Anna Hooper, Mark J. Taylor, Louise A. Kelly-Hope BackgroundLymphatic filariasis (LF) is a vector-borne parasitic disease which affects 70 million people worldwide and causes life-long disabilities. In Bangladesh, there are an estimated 44,000 people suffering from clinical conditions such as lymphoedema and hydrocoele, with the greatest burden in the northern Rangpur division. To better understand the factors associated with this distribution, this study examined socio-economic and environmental factors at division, district, and sub-district levels. MethodologyA retrospective ecological study was conducted using key socio-economic (nutrition, poverty, employment, education, house infrastructure) and environmental (temperature, precipitation, elevation, waterway) factors. Characteristics at division level were summarised. Bivariate analysis using Spearman ’s rank correlation coefficient was conducted at district and sub-district levels, and negative binomial regression analyses were conducted across high endemic sub-districts (n = 132). Maps were produced of high endemic sub-districts to visually illustrate the socio-economic and environmental fact ors found to be significant. ResultsThe highest proportion of rural population (86.8%), poverty (42.0%), tube well water (85.4%), and primary employment in agriculture (67.7%) was found in Rangpur division.Spearman ’s ...
Source: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases - Category: Tropical Medicine Authors: Source Type: research