Status of Lymphatic Filariasis Transmission after Two Additional Rounds of Filariasis Mass Drug Administration: A Case Study in Pekalongan City, Central Java, Indonesia

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a neglected tropical disease caused by mosquito-containing filarial worms Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, and Brugia timori. World Health Organization (WHO) had set up the global program to interrupt transmission with mass drug administration and manage morbidity and prevent disability.
 AIM: This study aimed to determine the status of LF transmission in Pekalongan City after two additional rounds of mass drug administration. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Pekalongan City, Indonesia.
 METHOD: Three villages had been selected purposively as study sites: free, non-endemic, and endemic of LF as more than 600 finger blood samples were taken from study participants in the night between 21:00 and 01:00. Laboratory testing for microfilaria examination was conducted in Bendan and Bedono Public Health Center Pekalongan, Indonesia. Mosquitoes were collected in three areas of the study site from the middle of the night until the morning. Identification and biomolecular examination of caught mosquitoes used a polymerase chain reaction. Statistical analysis was made using IBM SPSS Statistics 26 software.
 RESULT: This research found two microfilaria positive samples from 600 finger blood samples examined (microfilariae rate: 0.33%). There were four positive reactions to filaria. The identified mosquito species consisted of Culex quinquefasciatus, Culex vashnui, and Aedes aegypti. Aedes aegypti was only confirmed filaria positive.
 CONCLUSION: A non-endemic village was only found one blood sample positive, but blood and mosquito sample positive were found in endemic villages. It seemed that LF transmission was still in running di endemic village in Pekalongan City.