ArticlePLoS neglected tropical diseases2014
No evidence for lymphatic filariasis transmission in big cities affected by conflict related rural-urban migration in Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Article in PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 23 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
23 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Neglected tropical diseases in conflict-related humanitarian emergency settings: a systematic review of the literature.International health · 2026Pooled it
- Current Gaps in Survey Design and Analysis for Molecular Xenomonitoring of Vector-Borne Neglected Tropical Diseases: A Systematic Review.Tropical medicine & international health : TM & IH · 2025Pooled it
- The impact of mosquito sampling strategies on molecular xenomonitoring prevalence for filariasis: a systematic review.Bulletin of the World Health Organization · 2024Pooled it
- Assessing the need to implement mass drug administration against Wuchereria bancrofti infection using both human serology and xenomonitoring in the urban conurbation of Monrovia, Liberia.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2025Article
- Xenomonitoring as an epidemiological tool supporting post-stop surveillance of albendazole-ivermectin mass drug distribution in the Bougouni-Yanfolila evaluation unit, Sikasso, Mali, in 2023.BMC infectious diseases · 2025Article
- The Threat of Vector-Borne Diseases in Sierra Leone.The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene · 2023Review
- No evidence of lymphatic filariasis transmission in Bamako urban setting after three mass drug administration rounds.Parasitology research · 2022Article
- Lymphatic filariasis elimination endgame in an urban Indian setting: the roles of surveillance and residual microfilaremia after mass drug administration.Infectious diseases of poverty · 2021Article
- Monitoring migrant groups as a post-validation surveillance approach to contain the potential reemergence of lymphatic filariasis in Togo.Parasites & vectors · 2021Article
- African regional progress and status of the programme to eliminate lymphatic filariasis: 2000-2020.International health · 2020Review
- Achievements and challenges of lymphatic filariasis elimination in Sierra Leone.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2020Article
- Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification as Point-of-Care Diagnosis for Neglected Parasitic Infections.International journal of molecular sciences · 2020Review
- Testing a method of sampling for entomological determination of transmission of Wuchereria bancrofti to inform lymphatic filariasis treatment strategy in urban settings.Parasites & vectors · 2020Article
- Increased Biting Rate of Insecticide-Resistant Culex Mosquitoes and Community Adherence to IRS for Malaria Control in Urban Malabo, Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea.Journal of medical entomology · 2019Article
- Training through malaria research: building capacity in good clinical and laboratory practice in Liberia.Malaria journal · 2019Article
- Assessing the Presence ofTropical medicine and infectious disease · 2019Article
- Implementing a community vector collection strategy using xenomonitoring for the endgame of lymphatic filariasis elimination.Parasites & vectors · 2018Article
- An assessment of mosquito collection techniques for xenomonitoring of anopheline-transmitted Lymphatic Filariasis in Ghana.Parasitology · 2018Article
- Molecular xenomonitoring for post-validation surveillance of lymphatic filariasis in Togo: no evidence for active transmission.Parasites & vectors · 2018Article
- Is mass drug administration against lymphatic filariasis required in urban settings? The experience in Kano, Nigeria.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2017Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
12 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundIn West Africa, the principal vectors of lymphatic filariasis (LF) are Anopheles species with Culex species playing only a minor role in transmission, if any. Being a predominantly rural disease, the question remains whether conflict-related migration of rural populations into urban areas would be sufficient for active transmission of the parasite. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL
findingsWe examined LF transmission in urban areas in post-conflict Sierra Leone and Liberia that experienced significant rural-urban migration. Mosquitoes from Freetown and Monrovia, were analyzed for infection with Wuchereria bancrofti. We also undertook a transmission assessment survey (TAS) in Bo and Pujehun districts in Sierra Leone. The majority of the mosquitoes collected were Culex species, while Anopheles species were present in low numbers. The mosquitoes were analyzed in pools, with a maximum of 20 mosquitoes per pool. In both countries, a total of 1731 An. gambiae and 14342 Culex were analyzed for W. bancrofti, using the PCR. Two pools of Culex mosquitoes and 1 pool of An. gambiae were found infected from one community in Freetown. Pool screening analysis indicated a maximum likelihood of infection of 0.004 (95% CI of 0.00012-0.021) and 0.015 (95% CI of 0.0018-0.052) for the An. gambiae and Culex respectively. The results indicate that An. gambiae is present in low numbers, with a microfilaria prevalence breaking threshold value not sufficient to maintain transmission. The results of the TAS in Bo and Pujehun also indicated an antigen prevalence of 0.19% and 0.67% in children, respectively. This is well below the recommended 2% level for stopping MDA in Anopheles transmission areas, according to WHO guidelines.
conclusionsWe found no evidence for active transmission of LF in cities, where internally displaced persons from rural areas lived for many years during the more than 10 years conflict in Sierra Leone and Liberia.
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