Distribution of filarial elephantiasis and hydrocele in Matara district, Sri Lanka, as reported by local leaders, and an immunological survey in areas with relatively high clinical rates.

To eliminate lymphatic filariasis by means of mass drug administration, it is essential to have reliable data on the disease distribution and prevalence in targeted areas. In Matara district, Sri Lanka, self-administered questionnaires were mailed to 2105 local leaders questioning the presence and the numbers of elephantiasis and hydrocele cases. The information provided by them revealed that elephantiasis was clearly aggregated in the southern part of the district along the coast, while hydrocele was distributed rather evenly in the whole district, including Deniyaya region where no endemic filariasis had been known.

Who's who at a major incident: standardising role titles for emergency planners.

Objective: To standardise the names for key roles in a major incident.

Methods: A Delphi study using experts in major incident planning.

Results: There is clear consensus regarding the need for standard nomenclature.

Knowledge on lymphatic filariasis and the response to July 2002 mass treatment campaign in two communities in the Galle district.

Objective: To ascertain the knowledge on filariasis and response to the July 2002 mass treatment campaign in two sample populations.

Design: Application of pre-tested questionnaire by direct interviews of individuals from randomly selected streets.

Methods: Study areas were a coastal community in Unawatuna (population sample 381), and an inland community in Baddegama (population sample 236) in the Galle district.

Human infection with Wuchereria bancrofti in Matara, Sri Lanka: the use, in parallel, of an ELISA to detect filaria-specific IgG4 in urine and of ICT card tests to detect filarial antigen in whole blood.

The ICT card test to detect circulating filarial antigen and an ELISA that detects filaria-specific urinary IgG(4) were each used to screen 473 subjects from a community in Sri Lanka where Wuchereria bancrofti is endemic. When the ICT test was used as the gold standard, the ELISA was found to have a sensitivity of 91.2%.

Wuchereria bancrofti antigenaemia in Sri Lanka.

The prevalence of Wuchereria bancrofti antigenaemia determined in 353 subjects in Matara, Sri Lanka by Og4C3 ELISA was 20.7%. Positive rates obtained with the same subjects by 1 ml Nuclepore filtration and 60 microl thick blood smear were 11.