Use of Filaria Test Strips (FTS) in Identification of Filaria Endemicity in Non Filaria Endemic Districts of Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract

Uttar Pradesh is the largest state of India and is comprised of 75 revenue districts. 51 districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh are endemic for LF and are under Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis (ELF). In order to ensure elimination of the disease from the people, the Mass Drug Administration (MDA) was observed in these 51 districts since 2004 by ensuring administration of drug DEC alone once in a year according to the age excluding children >2years, pregnant women & seriously ill persons. Thereafter, 400 mg albendazole to >2 years age group was added with DEC since 2008. 24 districts of Western Uttar Pradesh are non endemic for filariasis. The state in coordination with WHO has conducted filaria antigenemia tests in these 24 non filaria endemic districts with the help of Filaria Test Strips (FTS) and the drive is termed as Mini-transmission assessment survey (Mini-TAS). 300 persons were examined with Filaria Test Strip (FTS) from each of the 04 sentinel sites of each district. On the basis of test reports, all 24 non endemic districts reported >2 % filaria antigenemia and the state claimed to declare the districts as filaria endemic districts/ areas. The possibilities of the claim to establish non filaria endemic districts to filaria endemic districts have been explored & discussed in detail in this paper. The critical examination of the data does not support to assign any non endemic area to endemic area. On the basis of conducting direct filaria antigenemia tests alone and the term used as mini-transmission assessment survey (‘Mini-TAS’) will be a misnomer, consequently misleading to the ELF programme in the country.

How to cite this article:
Chandra R, Singh SM, Kumar A, Kamal S, Mittra KK, Roy N. Use of Filaria Test Strips (FTS) in Identification of Filaria Endemicity in Non Filaria Endemic Districts of Uttar Pradesh, India. J Commun Dis 2020; 52(4): 70-76.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/0019.5138.202043