Potential of triple-drug therapy to accelerate lymphatic filariasis elimination

Abstract

The Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF) has made great strides since its inception to tackle the affliction of this vector-borne parasitic disease. National programmes have been working continuously to implement the main strategies to interrupt transmission with mass drug administration and to control morbidity in affected populations. Since 2000, more than 8·6 billion cumulative drug treatments have been delivered to more than 925 million people, the number of people infected has halved, and 17 of the 72 endemic countries have reached the elimination criteria and been validated by WHO.