Surveillance and Vector Control of Lymphatic Filariasis in the Republic of Korea

Abstract

ObjectivesUntil the early 2000s, lymphatic filariasis would commonly break out in the coastal areas in Korea. Through steady efforts combining investigation and treatment, filariasis was officially declared eradicated in 2008. This study surveyed the density of vector species of filariasis in past endemic areas, and inspected filariasis DNA from collected mosquitoes for protection against the reemergence of filariasis.MethodsBetween May and October 2009, mosquitoes were caught using the black night trap in past endemic coastal areas: Gyeongsangnam-do, Jeollanamdo, and Jeju-do. The collected mosquitoes were identified, and the extracted DNA from the collected vector mosquitoes was tested by polymerase chain reaction for Brugia malayi filariasis.ResultsOchletotatus togoi, Anophel es (Hyrcanus) group and Culex pipiens were most frequently caught in Jeollanam-do (Geomun Island, Bogil Island, Heuksan Island), Jeju-do (Namone-ri, Wimi-ri). and Gyeongsangnam-do (Maemul Island). DNA of B malayi was not found in Och Togoi and An (Hyrcanus) group as main vectors of filariasis.ConclusionLymphatic filariasis was not found in the vector mosquitoes collected in past endemic areas. However, considering that the proportion of vector species is quite high, there is a potential risk that filariasis could be reemerging through overseas travel or trade. Thus, there is a need to continuously monitor vector mosquitoes of lymphatic filariasis.

A systematic review of alternative surveillance approaches for lymphatic filariasis in low prevalence settings: Implications for post-validation settings

“…This is important because evidence from countries that have recently eliminated LF indicates an increased risk of disease recrudescence, with ongoing hotspots of infection documented recently in both American Samoa and Sri Lanka [5,12,38]. The lag time between infection with LF and onset of symptoms may be 10 years or more, demonstrating the critical importance of maintaining surveillance programmes following elimination [41,51]…”

Phylogeography of the Coastal Mosquito Aedes togoi across Climatic Zones: Testing an Anthropogenic Dispersal Hypothesis

“…Anthropogenic dispersal may have resulted in the wide distribution across climatic zones in the aedine species Aedes togoi , which is widely distributed from subtropical to subarctic East Asia, breeding in coastal rock pools as well as artificial containers [ 7 ]. This species is a known vector of human and canine filariasis, and Japanese encephalitis virus has been isolated from field-collected mosquitoes [ 7 – 10 ]. The occurrence of A .…”

Monitoring migrant groups as a post-validation surveillance approach to contain the potential reemergence of lymphatic filariasis in Togo

“…In addition, LF is a complex disease, usually silent in the early stages, making untreated cases of W. bancrofti in the community a reservoir of the disease. The delay between LF infection and the onset of morbidity symptoms can be 10 years or more, hence the critical importance of maintaining surveillance activities after elimination [ 6 , 15 ]. It has also been noted that the distribution of LF in the world has been attributed to migration [ 16 , 17 ], and the movement of infected people to non-endemic areas may introduce infection into new areas [ 18 ] or reintroduce active transmission to previously endemic areas.…”