Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39252131›Full record

ArticleParasites & vectors2024

Molecular xenomonitoring as an indicator of microfilaraemia prevalence for lymphatic filariasis in Samoa in 2019.

Maddison Howlett, Helen J Mayfield, Brady McPherson, Lisa Rigby, Robert Thomsen, Steven A Williams, Nils Pilotte, Shannon M Hedtke, Patricia M Graves, Therese Kearns and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Parasites & vectors, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–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

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Meta-analysis of the prevalence ofFrontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2025
    Pooled it
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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

14 authors.

Maddison HowlettSchool of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4006, Australia.
Helen J MayfieldSchool of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4006, Australia.
Brady McPhersonAustralian Defence Force Malaria and Infectious Disease Institute, Enoggera, 4051, Australia.
Lisa RigbyAustralian Defence Force Malaria and Infectious Disease Institute, Enoggera, 4051, Australia.
Robert ThomsenSamoa Ministry of Health, Apia, WS, 1330, Samoa.
Steven A WilliamsDepartment of Biological Sciences, Smith College, Northampton, MA, 01063, USA.
Nils PilotteDepartment of Biological Sciences, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, CT, 06518, USA.
Shannon M HedtkeDepartment of Environment and Genetics, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia.
Patricia M GravesCollege of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns, 4878, Australia.
Therese KearnsMenzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, NT, 0810, Australia.
Take NaseriSamoa Ministry of Health, Apia, WS, 1330, Samoa.
Sarah SheridanNational Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, Westmead, Sydney, Australia.
Angus McLure *National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. angus.mclure@anu.edu.au.
Colleen L Lau *School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4006, Australia.

Funding

National Health and Medical Research Council APP1193826
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLymphatic filariasis (LF) is a globally significant, vector-borne, neglected tropical disease that can result in severe morbidity and disability. As the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis makes progress towards LF elimination, there is greater need to develop sensitive strategies for post-intervention surveillance. Molecular xenomonitoring (MX), the detection of pathogen DNA in vectors, may provide a sensitive complement to traditional human-based surveillance techniques, including detection of circulating filarial antigen and microfilaraemia (Mf). This study aims to explore the relationship between human Mf prevalence and the prevalence of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-positive mosquitoes using MX.

methodsThis study compared Mf and MX results from a 2019 community-based survey conducted in 35 primary sampling units (PSUs) in Samoa. This study also investigated concordance between presence and absence of PCR-positive mosquitoes and Mf-positive participants at the PSU level, and calculated sensitivity and negative predictive values for each indicator using presence of any Mf-positive infection in humans or PCR-positive mosquitoes as a reference. Correlation between prevalence of filarial DNA in mosquitoes and Mf in humans was estimated at the PSU and household/trap level using mixed-effect Bayesian multilevel regression analysis.

resultsMf-positive individuals were identified in less than half of PSUs in which PCR-positive mosquito pools were present (13 of 28 PSUs). Prevalence of PCR-positive mosquitoes (each species separately) was positively correlated with Mf prevalence in humans at the PSU level. Analysed at the species level, only Aedes polynesiensis demonstrated strong evidence of positive correlation (r) with human Mf prevalence at both PSU (r: 0.5, 95% CrI 0.1-0.8) and trap/household levels (r: 0.6, 95% CrI 0.2-0.9).

conclusionsFindings from this study demonstrate that MX can be a sensitive surveillance method for identifying residual infection in low Mf prevalence settings. MX identified more locations with signals of transmission than Mf-testing. Strong correlation between estimated PCR-positive mosquitoes in the primary vector species and Mf in humans at small spatial scales demonstrates the utility of MX as an indicator for LF prevalence in Samoa and similar settings. Further investigation is needed to develop MX guidelines to strengthen the ability of MX to inform operational decisions.

Indexed as

Elephantiasis, FilarialMosquito VectorsWuchereria bancroftiAdolescentAdultAgedAnimalsChildFemaleHumansMaleMicrofilariaeMiddle AgedPolymerase Chain ReactionPrevalenceSamoaLymphatic filariasis eliminationSurveillanceVector-borne disease

Identifiers

PMID39252131
PMCPMC11386098

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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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.