High prevalence of Brugia timori infection in the highland of Alor Island, Indonesia.

Abstract

Abstract. To identify areas endemic for Brugia timori infection, a field survey was carried out in 2001 on Alor, East Nusa Tenggara Timor, Indonesia. Elephantiasis was reported on this island by villagers as a major health problem. Bancroftian filariasis was detected in four villages in the coastal area, whereas B. timori was identified in four ricefarming villages. No mixed infections with both species were found. In the highland village Mainang (elevation ‫ס‬ 880 m), 586 individuals were examined for B. timori infection and 157 (27%) microfilaria carriers were detected. The prevalence of microfilaremic individuals standardized by sex and age was 25%. The geometric mean microfilarial density of microfilaremic individuals was 138 microfilariae/ml. Among teenagers and adults, males tended to have a higher microfilarial prevalence than females. Microfilaria prevalence increased with age and a maximum was observed in the fifth decade of life. In infected individuals, the microfilarial density increased rapidly and high levels were observed in those individuals 11−20 years old. The highest microfilaria density was found in a 27-year-old woman (6,028 microfilariae/ml). Brugia timori on Alor was nocturnally periodic, but in patients with high parasite loads, a small number of microfilariae was also detected in the day blood. The disease rate was high and many persons reported a history of acute filarial attacks. Seventy-seven (13%) individuals showed lymphedema of the leg that occasionally presented severe elephantiasis. No hydrocele or genital lymphedema were observed. This study showed that B. timori infection is not restricted to the lowland and indicated that it might have a wider distribution in the lesser Sunda archipelago than previously assumed.

Detection of Brugia Parasite DNA in Human Blood by Real-Time PCR

“…Blood samples from Alor Island were collected 10 months after the last round of MDA; and mf densities were relatively low, with a few exceptions for individuals who had not participated in MDA. Microfilaria densities were assessed by filtration of 1 ml night blood, as described previously (27). Blood samples from Sulawesi were kept at ambient temperatures in the field for 1 to 2 days and were then transported to a central laboratory and stored at Ϫ20°C until use in DNA studies.…”

An Initiative the Used of Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) To Control Filariasis in Indonesia

“…The purpose of this paper is to review the use of nuclear energy in term of SIT to control filariasis vector population in Indonesia. [5,[15][16][17][18]. Brugia malayi classified into two major forms as zoophilic and anthropophilic [2,19].…”

“…Biologically, Brugia timori similar to Brugia malayi on periodicity: nocturnal periodicity. Brugia timori mostly transmitted Anopheles barbiostris and Anopheles subpictus [2,15]. Wuchereria bancrofti, an anthropophilic filarial parasite, classified into three subtypes based on the periodicity of microfilaria in peripheral blood of infectedhuman, i.e.…”

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“…This village was first characterized in April 2001, and it was found to have a prevalence of B. timori microfilaraemia of about 25%. [16]. About 40% of the inhabitants showed signs of infection and 80% presented IgG4 antibodies reactive with a recombinant B. malayi antigen, BmR1 [16,17].…”