Rapid assessment method for prevalence and intensity of Loa loa infection

• Published in: Bulletin of the World Health Organization Vol. 80; no. 11; pp. 852 - 858
• Main Authors: TAKOUGANG, Innocent, MEREMIKWU, Martin, REMME, Jan H, WANDJI, Samuel, YENSHU, Emmanuel V, ARIPKO, Ben, LAMLENN, Samson B, EKA, Braide L, ENYONG, Peter, MELI, Jean, KALE, Oladele
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Genève Organisation mondiale de la santé 01-11-2002; World Health Organization; The World Health Organization
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Africa; Aged; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cameroon; Cameroon - epidemiology; Diseases; Diseases caused by nematodes; Endemic Diseases; Endemic diseases/epidemiology; Epidemiology; Eye foreign bodies/parasitology; Filariases; Filaricides - adverse effects; Filaricides - therapeutic use; Health aspects; Health Policy & Services; Helminthic diseases; Humans; Infections; Infectious diseases; Inflammation/parasitology; Interviews; Ivermectin - adverse effects; Ivermectin - therapeutic use; Loa - isolation & purification; Loa - parasitology; Loa/growth and development; Loaiasis; Loiasis - blood; Loiasis - complications; Loiasis - drug therapy; Loiasis - epidemiology; Loiasis/diagnosis; Loiasis/parasitology; Management; Mass Screening - methods; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Nigeria; Nigeria - epidemiology; Observation; Onchocerca volvulus - isolation & purification; Onchocerca volvulus - parasitology; Onchocerciasis; Onchocerciasis - blood; Onchocerciasis - complications; Onchocerciasis - drug therapy; Onchocerciasis - epidemiology; Parasitic diseases; Parasitology; Predictive Value of Tests; Prevalence; Prevention; Public health; Questionnaires; Reproducibility of results; Risk Factors; Sensitivity and specificity; Surveys and Questionnaires; Teams; Tropical diseases; Tropical medicine; Nigeria; Cameroon; Africa; Human; Evaluation; Parasitology; Prevalence; Parasitosis; Helminthiasis; Endemy; Epidemiology; Loaiasis; Infection; Eye; Eye disease; Loa loa; Nematode disease; Helmintha; Community health; Nemathelminthia; Filariosis; Diagnosis; Invertebrata; Nematoda; Public health; Inflamación; Cameroon; Reproducibilidad de resultados; Nigéria; Sensibilidad y especificidad; Endemic diseases; Reproducibility of results; Reproductibilité des résultats; Sensibilité et spécificité (Epidémiologie); Loase; Ivermectina; Nigeria; Cameroun; Ivermectine; Loa; Corps étranger oculaire; Enfermedades endémicas; Camerún; Sensitivity and specificity; Inflammation; Eye foreign bodies; Maladie endémique; Cuerpos extraños en el ojo; Loiasis; Ivermectin
• ISSN: 0042-9686; 1564-0604
• DOI: 10.1590/S0042-96862002001100004

To assess the validity of observations on eye worm and Calabar swellings for the rapid assessment of the prevalence and intensity of loiasis at the community level.
A total of 12895 individuals over the age of 15 years living in 102 communities in Cameroon and Nigeria took part in the study. A standardized questionnaire was administered to participants from whom finger-prick blood samples were collected and examined for Loa loa microfilariae. Rapid assessments of the prevalence and intensity of loiasis were made on the basis of a history of eye worm or Calabar swellings.
There was a strong correlation between the indices of the rapid assessment procedures and the parasitological indices of L. loa endemicity. The rapid assessment indices were effective in diagnosing high-risk communities (sensitivity 94-100%; specificity 66-92%). The highest sensitivity (100%) and specificity (92%) were obtained with a rapid assessment procedure based on a history of eye worm lasting 1-7 days together with confirmation by the guided recognition of a photograph of adult L. loa in the eye.
Rapid assessment of the prevalence and intensity of loiasis at the community level can be achieved using a procedure based on the history of eye worm lasting 1-7 days together with confirmation by the guided recognition of a photograph of an adult L. loa in the eye.