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Serosurveillance to monitor onchocerciasis elimination: the Ugandan experience.

Authors :
Oguttu D
Byamukama E
Katholi CR
Habomugisha P
Nahabwe C
Ngabirano M
Hassan HK
Lakwo T
Katabarwa M
Richards FO
Unnasch TR
Source :
The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene [Am J Trop Med Hyg] 2014 Feb; Vol. 90 (2), pp. 339-45. Date of Electronic Publication: 2013 Dec 16.
Publication Year :
2014

Abstract

Uganda is the only African country whose onchocerciasis elimination program uses a two-pronged approach of vector control and mass drug distribution. The Ugandan program relies heavily upon the use of serosurveys of children to monitor progress toward elimination. The program has tested over 39,000 individuals from 11 foci for Onchocerca volvulus exposure, using the Ov16 ELISA test. The data show that the Ov16 ELISA is a useful operational tool to monitor onchocerciasis transmission interruption in Africa at the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended threshold of < 0.1% in children. The Ugandan experience has also resulted in a re-examination of the statistical methods used to estimate the boundary of the upper 95% confidence interval for the WHO prevalence threshold when all samples tested are negative. This has resulted in the development of Bayesian and hypergeometric statistical methods that reduce the number of individuals who must be tested to meet the WHO criterion.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1476-1645
Volume :
90
Issue :
2
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
24343885
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.13-0546