TY - JOUR
T1 - Integrated school-based surveillance for soil-transmitted helminth infections and lymphatic filariasis in Gampaha District, Sri Lanka
AU - Gunawardena, Sharmini
AU - Gunawardena, Nipul K.
AU - Kahathuduwa, Ganga
AU - Karunaweera, Nadira D.
AU - De Silva, Nilanthi R.
AU - Ranasinghe, Udaya B.
AU - Samarasekara, Sandhya D.
AU - Nagodavithana, Kumara C.
AU - Rao, Ramakrishna U.
AU - Rebollo, Maria P.
AU - Weil, Gary J.
PY - 2014/4
Y1 - 2014/4
N2 - We explored the practicality of integrating surveillance for soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH, assessed by Kato-Katz) with transmission assessment surveys for lymphatic filariasis (LF) in two evaluation units (EUs) in Gampaha district, Sri Lanka (population 2.3 million). The surveys were performed 6 years after five annual rounds of mass drug administration with diethylcarbamazine and albendazole. Each transmission assessment survey tested children (N = 1,462 inland EU; 1,642 coastal EU) sampled from 30 primary schools. Low filarial antigenemia rates (0% and 0.1% for the inland and coastal EUs) suggest that LF transmission is very low in this district. The STH rates and stool sample participation rates were 0.8% and 61% (inland) and 2.8% and 58% (coastal). Most STH detected were low or moderate intensity Trichuris trichiura infections. The added cost of including STH testing was ∼$5,000 per EU. These results suggest that it is feasible to integrate school-based surveillance for STH and LF.
AB - We explored the practicality of integrating surveillance for soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH, assessed by Kato-Katz) with transmission assessment surveys for lymphatic filariasis (LF) in two evaluation units (EUs) in Gampaha district, Sri Lanka (population 2.3 million). The surveys were performed 6 years after five annual rounds of mass drug administration with diethylcarbamazine and albendazole. Each transmission assessment survey tested children (N = 1,462 inland EU; 1,642 coastal EU) sampled from 30 primary schools. Low filarial antigenemia rates (0% and 0.1% for the inland and coastal EUs) suggest that LF transmission is very low in this district. The STH rates and stool sample participation rates were 0.8% and 61% (inland) and 2.8% and 58% (coastal). Most STH detected were low or moderate intensity Trichuris trichiura infections. The added cost of including STH testing was ∼$5,000 per EU. These results suggest that it is feasible to integrate school-based surveillance for STH and LF.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84898759033
U2 - 10.4269/ajtmh.13-0641
DO - 10.4269/ajtmh.13-0641
M3 - Article
C2 - 24493672
AN - SCOPUS:84898759033
SN - 0002-9637
VL - 90
SP - 661
EP - 666
JO - American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
JF - American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
IS - 4
ER -