Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38867265›Full record

ArticleInfectious diseases of poverty2024

Efficacy of ivermectin and albendazole combination in suppressing transmission of lymphatic filariasis following mass administration in Tanzania: a prospective cohort study.

Adam M Fimbo, Rajabu Hussein Mnkugwe, Eulambius Mathias Mlugu, Peter P Kunambi, Alpha Malishee, Omary M S Minzi, Appolinary A R Kamuhabwa, Eleni Aklillu

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Infectious diseases of poverty, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Adam M FimboDepartment of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet at Karolinska University, Stockholm, Sweden.
Rajabu Hussein MnkugweDepartment of Clinical Pharmacology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Campus College of Medicine, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, P. O, Box 65013, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
Eulambius Mathias MluguDepartment of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, P. O, Box 65013, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
Peter P KunambiDepartment of Clinical Pharmacology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Campus College of Medicine, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, P. O, Box 65013, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
Alpha MalisheeNational Institute for Medical Research, P. O. Box 9653, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
Omary M S MinziDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, P. O, Box 65013, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
Appolinary A R KamuhabwaDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, P. O, Box 65013, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
Eleni AklilluDepartment of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet at Karolinska University, Stockholm, Sweden. eleni.aklillu@ki.se.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9788-0790

Funding

European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership CSA2016S-1618Styrelsen för Internationellt Utvecklingssamarbete CSA2016S-1618
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPreventive chemotherapy with ivermectin and albendazole (IA) in mass drug administration (MDA) programs for all at-risk populations is the core public health intervention to eliminate lymphatic filariasis (LF). Achieving this goal depends on drug effectiveness in reducing parasite reservoirs in the community to halt transmission. We assessed the efficacy of ivermectin and albendazole in clearing microfilariae and circulating filarial antigens (CFA) following MDA.

methodsThis community-based prospective study was conducted in Mkinga district, Tanga region, Tanzania, from November 2018 to June 2019. A total of 4115 MDA-eligible individuals were screened for CFA using Filarial test strips. CFA positives were re-examined for microfilariae by microscopy. CFA and microfilariae positive individuals were enrolled and received IA through MDA campaign. The status of microfilariae and CFA was monitored before MDA, and on day 7 and six-month following MDA. The primary efficacy outcomes were the clearance rates of microfilariae on day 7 and six-months, and CFA at 6 months of post-MDA. The McNemar test assessed the proportions of microfilariae positive pre- and post-MDA, while Chi-square tests were utilized to examine factors associated with CFA status six months post-MDA.

resultsOut of 4115 individuals screened, 239 (5.8%) tested positive for CFA, of whom 11 (4.6%) were also positive for microfilariae. Out of the ten microfilariae-positive individuals available for follow-up on day 7, nine tested negative, yielding a microfilariae clearance rate of 90% [95% confidence interval (CI): 59.6-98.2%]. Participants who tested negative for microfilariae on day 7 remained free of microfilariae six months after MDA. However, those who did not clear microfilariae on day-7 remained positive six-months post-MDA. The McNemar test revealed a significant improvement in microfilariae clearance on day 7 following MDA (P = 0.02). Out of 183 CFA-positive individuals who were available at 6-month follow-up, 160 (87.4%) remained CFA positive, while 23 became CFA negative. The CFA clearance rate at 6 months post-MDA was 12.6% (95% CI: 8.5-8.5%). There was no significant association of variability in ivermectin plasma exposure, measured by maximum concentration or area under the curve, and the clearance status of microfilariae or CFA post-MDA.

conclusionsPreventive chemotherapy with IA effectively clears microfilariae within a week. However, it is less effective in clearing CFA at six months of post-MDA. The low clearance rate for filarial antigenemia underscores the need for alternative drug combinations and additional preventive measures to achieve LF elimination by 2030.

Indexed as

AlbendazoleElephantiasis, FilarialFilaricidesIvermectinMass Drug AdministrationAdolescentAdultAgedAnimalsAntigens, HelminthChildChild, PreschoolDrug Therapy, CombinationFemaleHumansMaleAlbendazoleAntigens, HelminthFilaricidesIvermectinAlbendazoleCirculating filarial antigenEfficacyIvermectinLymphatic filariasisMass drug administrationMicrofilariaeTanzania

Identifiers

PMID38867265
PMCPMC11167743

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.