A study on the human lymphatic filariasis in selected countries in Southeast Asia: Transmission through migration

• Main Authors: Dimaculangan, Nicolas Marcelle D., Dinopol, Therese Marie F., Canlas, Media Zofia S.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2023
• Subjects: Lymphatics; Filariasis; Biology
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etdb_bio/53; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/etdb_bio/article/1047/viewcontent/2023_Canlas_Dimaculangan_Dinopol_A_Study_on_the_Human_Lymphatic_Filariasis_Full_text.pdf
• Institution: De La Salle University

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a disease caused by nematodes, specifically B. malayi, W. bancrofti, and B. timori. Vectors of LF include Aedes, Anopheles, Culex, and Mansonia mosquitoes. LF causes swollen limbs and genitalia weakening. Southeast Asia (SEA) has >50% of LF cases worldwide. The Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF) was implemented in 2001 using mass drug administration and post-surveillance strategies. Migration and LF transmission present difficulties for elimination. Thus, a review of the situation of LF in SEA is imperative. The objective of the study was to conduct a systematic review of human LF in selected countries in SEA. It aimed to compare human LF prevalence and determine the influence of human migration on LF prevalence in selected countries in SEA. The study employed the PRISMA method, including identification, screening, and data analysis of eligible sources. Cross-sectional surveys in SEA revealed a high LF prevalence of 31.14% in Malaysia. The country with the lowest LF prevalence is Cambodia with 0.05%. The result on the possible influence of migration on LF prevalence shows that Myanmar’s migrants in Thailand had the lowest prevalence of 4.6% in Bangkok and 2.73% in Ranong province in 2011. The LF prevalence of 6.8% in Malaysia’s migrants in 2017 study is the highest. Malaysia, Myanmar, and Indonesia still have high LF prevalence. Two factors influence LF prevalence related to human migration, these are the large number of migrants with LF living in LF-free countries and the vector mosquitoes that transmit imported filariasis to the local citizens of the host countries. Keywords: Lymphatic filariasis, Southeast Asia, Prevalence, Migration, Elimination, Brugia, Wuchereria, Aedes, Anopheles, Culex