Filariasis
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Research on filariasis described by N.A. Njepuome and colleagues
2009 JUN 29 - (NewsRx.com) -- "Africa's populous country, Nigeria, contains or contained more cases of dracunculiasis, onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis, and schistosomiasis than any other African nation and ranks or ranked first (dracunculiasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis) or third (lymphatic filariasis) in the world for the same diseases," scientists writing in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene report. "After beginning village-based interventions against dracunculiasis 20 years ago and confronting onchocerciasis a few years later, Nigeria has nearly eliminated dracunculiasis and has provided annual mass drug administration for onchocerciasis to over three quarters of that at-risk population for 7 years. With assistance from The Carter Center, Nigeria began treating lymphatic filariasis and schistosomiasis in two and three states, respectively, over the past decade, while conducting pioneering operational research as a basis for scaling up interventions against those diseases, for which much more remains to be done," wrote N.A. Njepuome and colleagues. The researchers concluded: "This paper describes the status of Nigeria's struggles against these four neglected tropical diseases and discusses challenges and plans for the future.." Njepuome and colleagues published their study in American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (Nigeria's War on Terror: Fighting Dracunculiasis, Onchocerciasis, Lymphatic Filariasis, and Schistosomiasis at the Grassroots. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 2009;80(5):691-698). Additional information can be obtained by contacting D.R. Hopkins, Carter Center, Malaria Control Program, River Blindness Control Program Including Lymphat, 453 Freedom Pkwy, Atlanta, GA 30307, USA. The publisher of the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene can be contacted at: American Society Trop Med & Hygiene, 8000 Westpark Dr., Ste. 130, Mclean, VA 22101, USA. Keywords: United States, Atlanta, Dracunculiasis, Filariasis, Hygiene, Onchocerciasis, Schistosomiasis. This article was prepared by Malaria Weekly editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, Malaria Weekly via NewsRx.com.
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