Academic Journal
Approaching onchocerciasis elimination in Equatorial Guinea: Near zero transmission and public health implication
| العنوان: | Approaching onchocerciasis elimination in Equatorial Guinea: Near zero transmission and public health implication |
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| المؤلفون: | Policarpo Ncogo, Ana Hernández-González, Thuy-Huong Ta-Tang, Lidia Redondo, Ana Álvarez, Maria J. Perteguer, José M. Rubio, Rufino Nguema, Justino Nguema, Marta García, Laura Reguero, Teresa Valverde, Marta Lanza, Laura Cerrada-Gálvez, Maria Rebollo, Jorge Cano, Agustín Benito, Zaida Herrador |
| المصدر: | Infectious Diseases of Poverty, Vol 13, Iss 1, Pp 1-11 (2024) |
| بيانات النشر: | BMC, 2024. |
| سنة النشر: | 2024 |
| المجموعة: | LCC:Infectious and parasitic diseases LCC:Public aspects of medicine |
| مصطلحات موضوعية: | Onchocerciasis, Lymphatic filariasis, Mapping, PCR, Serology, Equatorial Guinea, Infectious and parasitic diseases, RC109-216, Public aspects of medicine, RA1-1270 |
| الوصف: | Abstract Background Onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis (LF) are endemic in Equatorial Guinea with notable variations in disease incidence between island and mainland regions. Historically, efforts to control and map these diseases were concentrated in Bioko Island, where loiasis is absent, allowing for targeted onchocerciasis interruption strategies. With the cessation of onchocerciasis transmission on Bioko and no reported cases on Annobon island, assessing the transmission status in the previously unaddressed mainland region has become imperative. Mapping efforts in mainland Equatorial Guinea have proven low to moderate level of transmission for LF and onchocerciasis, although the results so far have not been very conclusive. The current study aims to update the prevalence estimates for onchocerciasis and LF in mainland Equatorial Guinea using various diagnostic techniques. Methods This is the first cross-sectional study carried out to estimate the prevalence of onchocerciasis and LF in the mainland area of Equatorial Guinea, from September to December 2019, based on the combination of skin snip biopsies, thick blood smears, laboratory serological tests (ELISA tests for the detection of IgG4 antibodies against Onchocerca volvulus recombinant antigen Ov16 and Wuchereria bancrofti recombinant antigen Wb123) and molecular laboratory tests. Frequencies and prevalence rates, along with 95% confidence intervals for interval estimation of a binomial proportion, were computed. Results The overall onchocerciasis seroprevalence calculated for the study was 0.3% (95% CI: 0.1 to 0.5%). Microscopic examination of skin biopsies from the eight individuals seropositive for Ov16, out of the 3951 individuals initially tested, revealed no O. volvulus microfilariae. However, DNA extracted from one skin snip was successfully amplified, with subsequent sequencing confirming the presence of O. volvulus. Among the 3951 individuals, 182 were found to have anti-Wb123 antibodies, suggesting exposure to W. bancrofti, with an estimated seroprevalence of 4.6% (95% CI: 4.0 to 5.3%). Microscopy and Filaria-real time-PCR (F-RT-PCR) analysis for W. bancrofti were negative across all samples. Conclusions The findings indicate that onchocerciasis may no longer constitutes a public health problem in Equatorial Guinea, positioning the country on the verge of achieving elimination. Additionally, the mapped prevalence of LF will facilitate the formulation of national strategies aimed at eradicating filariases countrywide. Graphical Abstract |
| نوع الوثيقة: | article |
| وصف الملف: | electronic resource |
| اللغة: | English |
| تدمد: | 2049-9957 |
| Relation: | https://doaj.org/toc/2049-9957 |
| DOI: | 10.1186/s40249-024-01254-9 |
| URL الوصول: | https://doaj.org/article/9781b6e0d8064001b0c3386abf0bb46d |
| رقم الانضمام: | edsdoj.9781b6e0d8064001b0c3386abf0bb46d |
| قاعدة البيانات: | Directory of Open Access Journals |
Full Text Finder | تدمد: | 20499957 |
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| DOI: | 10.1186/s40249-024-01254-9 |