TY - JOUR
T1 - A comparison of two tests for filarial antigenemia in areas in Sri Lanka and Indonesia with low-level persistence of lymphatic filariasis following mass drug administration
AU - Yahathugoda, Thishan C.
AU - Supali, Taniawati
AU - Rao, Ramakrishna U.
AU - Djuardi, Yenny
AU - Stefani, Difa
AU - Pical, Femmy
AU - Fischer, Peter U.
AU - Lloyd, Melanie M.
AU - Premaratne, Prasad H.
AU - Weerasooriya, Mirani V.
AU - Weil, Gary J.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported in part by a grant from the Barnes Jewish Hospital Foundation (6794–33) and by grant GH5342 from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The findings and conclusions contained within are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect positions or policies of the funders. Filariasis Test Strips for this study were provided at no cost by Alere Scarborough, Inc. The authors would like to thank the staff (Mr. Samna Weerasekara, Mr. Nihal Jayawardena and many others) of the FRTSU at the University of Ruhuna for excellent technical assistance. The authors also would like to thank Roospita Maylasari, (Elisa Iskandar, Clara Claudia Djimandjaja, and Sudirman) and health staff from Pekalongan (Opick, Mario Anang, MD, and Dr. Heri Wibawa, MD, Head of Health District) for their assistance in this study.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 Yahathugoda et al.
PY - 2015/7/15
Y1 - 2015/7/15
N2 - Background: Filarial antigen tests are key tools for mapping the distribution of bancroftian filariasis and for detecting areas with persistent infections following mass drug administration (MDA). A recent study showed that the new Alere Filariasis Test Strip (FTS) has better analytical sensitivity than the BinaxNOW Filariasis card test (Card Test) for detecting circulating filarial antigen, and the FTS detected more positive results than the Card Test in a field study performed in a highly endemic area in Liberia. Methods: The present study compared the performance of the FTS and the Card Test in community surveys that were conducted in southern Sri Lanka and in Indonesia (Central Java) in areas with low-level persistence of LF following multiple rounds of MDA with diethylcarbamazine plus albendazole. The studies were performed in densely populated semi-urban areas where Wuchereria bancrofti is transmitted by Culex quinquefasciatus. Results: Antigenemia rates by FTS were 138 % higher in the Sri Lanka study (43/852 vs. 18/852) and 21 % higher in the Indonesia study (50/778 vs. 41/778) than antigenemia rates by Card Test. Antigenemia rates were significantly higher in males than in females and higher in adults than in children in both study sites. Although overall antigenemia rates and test scores were significantly higher by FTS than by Card Test in both study areas, rates in young children were similar with both tests in both areas. Conclusions: These results extend the previously reported superior sensitivity of the FTS to areas with low residual infection rates following MDA, and this could affect mapping and post-MDA survey results in adults. However, our findings suggest that results of transmission assessment surveys (TAS) performed in school-aged children are likely to be similar with both tests.
AB - Background: Filarial antigen tests are key tools for mapping the distribution of bancroftian filariasis and for detecting areas with persistent infections following mass drug administration (MDA). A recent study showed that the new Alere Filariasis Test Strip (FTS) has better analytical sensitivity than the BinaxNOW Filariasis card test (Card Test) for detecting circulating filarial antigen, and the FTS detected more positive results than the Card Test in a field study performed in a highly endemic area in Liberia. Methods: The present study compared the performance of the FTS and the Card Test in community surveys that were conducted in southern Sri Lanka and in Indonesia (Central Java) in areas with low-level persistence of LF following multiple rounds of MDA with diethylcarbamazine plus albendazole. The studies were performed in densely populated semi-urban areas where Wuchereria bancrofti is transmitted by Culex quinquefasciatus. Results: Antigenemia rates by FTS were 138 % higher in the Sri Lanka study (43/852 vs. 18/852) and 21 % higher in the Indonesia study (50/778 vs. 41/778) than antigenemia rates by Card Test. Antigenemia rates were significantly higher in males than in females and higher in adults than in children in both study sites. Although overall antigenemia rates and test scores were significantly higher by FTS than by Card Test in both study areas, rates in young children were similar with both tests in both areas. Conclusions: These results extend the previously reported superior sensitivity of the FTS to areas with low residual infection rates following MDA, and this could affect mapping and post-MDA survey results in adults. However, our findings suggest that results of transmission assessment surveys (TAS) performed in school-aged children are likely to be similar with both tests.
KW - Antigenemia
KW - Diagnosis
KW - Elimination
KW - Indonesia
KW - Lymphatic filariasis
KW - Mass drug administration
KW - Sri Lanka
KW - Wuchereria bancrofti
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84937217107&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s13071-015-0979-y
DO - 10.1186/s13071-015-0979-y
M3 - Article
C2 - 26168919
AN - SCOPUS:84937217107
VL - 8
JO - Parasites and Vectors
JF - Parasites and Vectors
SN - 1756-3305
IS - 1
M1 - 369
ER -