<< Back To HomeCSU 6/2009: MDA WITH DIETHYLCARBAMAZINE PLUS ALBENDAZOLE
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CSU 6/2009: 1) THE IMPACT OF REPEATED ROUNDS OF MASS DRUG ADMINISTRATION WITH
DIETHYLCARBAMAZINE PLUS ALBENDAZOLE ON BANCROFTIAN FILARIASIS IN PAPUA NEW
GUINEA/ 2) PREVENTIVE CHEMOTHERAPY DATABANK 3) READER FEEDBACK
1) MDA IMPACT ON FILARIASIS
After the WHA resolution of 1997, calling for elimination of lymphatic
filariasis as a public health problem, there was an inflow of external
funding in support of efforts to reduce and eliminate LF transmission.
Papua New Guinea is among the most challenging environments for LF
control, both because of the remote terrain and the thin spread of
peripheral infrastructures. The impacts documented in this PLOS article by
Weil and colleagues are, therefore, all the more impressive.
From their text: 'MDA had dramatic effects on all filariasis
parameters in the study area and also reduced incidence rates. Follow-up
studies will be needed to determine whether residual infection rates in
residents of these villages are sufficient to support sustained
transmission by the An. punctulatus vector. Lymphatic filariasis
elimination should be feasible in Papua New Guinea if MDA can be
effectively delivered to endemic
populations.'
Full text at
http://www.plosntds.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pntd.0000344
2) PREVENTIVE CHEMOTHERAPY DATABANK
PCT databank has been published on the WHO Department of Control of
Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) web site. To access the PCT Databank
please use the following link:
http://www.who.int/neglected_diseases/preventive_chemotherapy/databank/en/index.html
This tool presents historical data as reported to WHO. Information can be
searched for by region, country, year or by disease-specific indicator.
There are three modules covering lymphatic filariasis, soil-transmitted
helminthiasis and schistosomiasis.
We would also like to be informed if you have any additional data or errors
have been made in detailing your activities.
Thank you very much for your collaboration.
Best regards,
Mikhailov Alexei
Technical Officer (Data Management)
Preventive Chemotherapy and Transmission Control
Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases
World Health Organization
3) READER FEEDBACK
Thanks for continuing to send these regular notes on recent literature and
events.
I don't mean to spoil everyone's New Year happiness (thanks for the
reference to the the great field epidemiologist Perry Como), but we have
been reminded recently that catastrophic natural events can lead to global
extinctions (comet airbursts 12,900 years ago and the Younger Dryas period
that followed; Science 2009; 323: 94). With this in mind, your readers
might take a few minutes to reflect on this short statement about the
threat of the next influenza pandemic and what it might mean for people in
developing countries.
We should all be aware that the potential for using inexpensive generic
agents to confront an influenza pandemic is well grounded in 21st century
molecular biology. We should also recognize that its potential is being
ignored by most influenza scientists and by the scientific and health
policy elites who support their work (e.g., NIH, CDC, The Gates Foundation,
the Wellcome Trust).
Indonesia continues to confront WHO over H5N1 virus sharing because it
knows it will not have access to pandemic vaccines. Three Intergovernmental
Meetings have failed to resolve this impasse. Next Monday, 19 January, the
Executive Board of the World Health Assembly will begin its annual meeting.
The amended draft of its Medium-term Strategic Plan for 2008-2013 states,
" ... an influenza pandemic causes unprecedented morbidity and mortality,
and serious economic harm. Advanced planning for appropriate detection and
response strategies, including containment and control strategies and
research into the development of vaccines and medicines, is central to
minimizing the potentially disruptive impact of a pandemic."
The WHA EB is probably unaware of the possibility of using a generics
approach for the pandemic. Yet, over the past three years I have approached
WHO staff on four separate occasions to ask that WHO convene a technical
consultation to review the scientific rationale and research agenda for
generics. On each occasion my proposal has been turned down. WHO staff seem
not to recognize that an effective generics approach would help resolve the
impasse with Indonesia.
I would welcome comments from your readers on what I've written. I would be
happy to send them copies of the articles papers mentioned in my attachment.
I would also appreciate any suggestions they might have on how to move the
research and policy agenda for generics forward.
David Fedson
David S. Fedson, MD
57, chemin du Lavoir
01630 Sergy Haut, France
dfedson@wanadoo.fr
Good reading.
BD