Influence of seasonal variation on reported filarial attacks among people living with lymphedema in Ghana

BMC Infectious Diseases

John Kanyiri Yamba¹  Yarhands Dissou Arthur²  Alexander Kwarteng³  Samuel Terkper Ahuno³  Priscilla Kini⁴  Ellis Owusu-Dabo⁵  Augustina A. Sylverken⁶ 

[1] 0000 0004 0441 5457, grid.442315.5, College of Agriculture Education, University of Education Winneba, Asante Mampong, Mampong, Ghana;0000 0004 0441 5457, grid.442315.5, Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, University of Education Winneba, Kumasi Campus, Kumasi, Ghana;0000000109466120, grid.9829.a, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, PMB, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana;0000000109466120, grid.9829.a, Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana;0000000109466120, grid.9829.a, Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana;0000000109466120, grid.9829.a, Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana;0000000109466120, grid.9829.a, Department of Global and International Health, School of Public Health, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana;0000000109466120, grid.9829.a, Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana;0000000109466120, grid.9829.a, Department of Theoretical and Applied Biology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana;

关键词: Lymphatic filariasis;    Lymphedema;    Adenolymphangitis, Ghana;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12879-019-4084-2

来源: publisher

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundLymphatic Filariasis (LF) is a vector-borne neglected tropical disease caused by the filarial nematode parasites that can lead to the disfiguring swelling of the limbs (lymphedema or elephantiasis for late stage) and/or genitalia (hydrocele) in men. Growing evidence suggests that not only are filarial lymphedema patients confronted with huge societal stigma and discrimination, but also experience acute filarial attacks accompanied by swelling of the affected part(s), fever, wounds and peeling of the skin of affected limbs(s). However, the extent to which seasonal variation influence filarial attacks among people with lymphedema was highly speculated without empirical evidence and was thus investigated.MethodsIn light of this, a cross-sectional study where 142 (70.4% females and 29.6% males) lymphedema patients were recruited from 8 established Wuchereria bancrofti endemic communities in the Ahanta West District, Ghana was carried out to investigate the prevalence and seasonal variation (rainy/wet and dry seasons) of acute filarial attacks. Chi-square test was used to test for association between frequency of attacks and seasonality. The STROBE guidelines for reporting cross-sectional studies was adopted.ResultsThe average lymphedema leg stage was 2.37 and 2.33 for left and right legs, respectively, while mossy lesions, sores and ulcers were observed among 33.1% of patients with late stage disease (elephantiasis). It was found that 97 (68.3%) of the study participants experience filarial attacks during the wet season and 36 (25.4%) reported the incidence of filarial attacks during both seasons (wet and dry) while 9 (6.3%) of the study participants did not experience any attack at all.ConclusionsFindings from the present study show compelling evidence that the frequency and the prevalence of filarial attacks is significantly increased during wet seasons compared to the dry season.

【 授权许可】

CC BY