Developing the first national database and map of lymphatic filariasis clinical cases in Bangladesh: Another step closer to the elimination goals

by Mohammad J. Karim, Rouseli Haq, Hayley E. Mableson, A. S. M. Sultan Mahmood, Mujibur Rahman, Salim M. Chowdhury, A. K. M. Fazlur Rahman, Israt Hafiz, Hannah Betts, Charles Mackenzie, Mark J. Taylor, Louise A. Kelly-Hope BackgroundThe Bangladesh Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) Elimination Programme has made significant progress in interrupting transmission through mass drug administration (MDA) and has now focussed its efforts on scaling up managing morbidity and preventing disability (MMDP) activities to deliver the minimum package of care to people affected by LF clinical conditions. This paper highlights the Bangladesh LF Programme ’s success in conducting a large-scale cross-sectional survey to determine the number of people affected by lymphoedema and hydrocoele, which enabled clinical risk maps to be developed for targeted interventions across the 34 endemic districts (19 high endemic; 15 low endemic). Methodology/Principal findingsIn the 19 high endemic districts, 8,145 community clinic staff were trained to identify and report patients in their catchment area. In the 15 low endemic districts, a team of 10 trained field assistants conducted active case finding with cases reported via a SMS mHealth tool. Disease burden and prevalence maps were developed, with morbidity hotspots identified at sub-district level based on a combination of the highest prevalence rates per 100,000 and case-density rates per square kilometre (km2). The relationship between morbidity and baselin...
Source: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases - Category: Tropical Medicine Authors: Source Type: research