THE USE OF IVERMECTIN TO STIMULATE THE EMERGENCE OF WUCHERERIA BANCROFTI IN DIURNAL BLOOD

Abstract

Human infection with Wuchereria bancrofti causes a disabling disease known as lymphatic filariasis. The disease burden and conditions are not known in several endemic communities of sub-Saharan Africa due to the nocturnal periodicity of the causative parasite. A study to determine the prevalence of the disease was carried out in five communities of Lau Local Government Area of Taraba State using the Rapid Assessment Method (RAM) based on clinical signs and standard parasitological techniques. Two hundred and seventy three night blood samples were collected between 20.00hours and 1.00hours while the day blood samples (130 samples) was collected between 8.00hours and 17.00hours one hour after the administration of 1 tablet(3mg) of ivermectin. The prevalence rate of 23.57% infection was recorded in the over all. The detection of W.bancrofti in the five communities differed significantly (ANOVA,P<0.05). Microfilariae were observed in 24 (18.46%) individuals out of the 130 daytime blood samples collected. Females appear to be more infected (22.53%) than the males (13.56%). However, chi square analysis did not show significant difference in infection between gender (x²=1.591, df=1,p>0.05) and the different age groups (x² =12.33,df=6,p>0.05). A low mean microfilariae density of 1.98mf/50µl of blood was recorded. The results obtained are useful addition to the present pool of knowledge in the search for suitable, cost effective and culturally appropriate methods of diagnosing Wuchereria bancrofti in diurnal blood.