Mansonella ozzardi infection in Bolivia: prevalence and clinical associations in the Chaco region

• Published in: The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene Vol. 61; no. 5; pp. 830 - 833
• Main Authors: Bartoloni, A, Cancrini, G, Bartalesi, F, Marcolin, D, Roselli, M, Arce, CC, Hall, AJ
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lawrence, KS ASTMH 01.11.1999; Allen Press
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age Distribution; Aged; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Bolivia - epidemiology; Child; Child, Preschool; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diseases caused by nematodes; Female; Filariases; Helminthic diseases; Humans; Infant; Infectious diseases; Logistic Models; Male; Mansonella - isolation & purification; Mansonelliasis - blood; Mansonelliasis - epidemiology; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Parasitemia - epidemiology; Parasitic diseases; Prevalence; Rural Population; Sex Distribution; Tropical medicine; South America; Bolivia; America; Human; Prevalence; Mansonella ozzardi; Microfilaria; Parasitosis; Helminthiasis; Infection; Symptomatology; Nematode disease; Helmintha; Nemathelminthia; Filariosis; Invertebrata; Nematoda
• ISSN: 0002-9637; 1476-1645
• DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.1999.61.830

A cross-sectional survey carried out in the Chaco region of Bolivia showed that 26% (77 of 296) and 0.7% (2 of 298) of the rural population of the Camiri and Villa Montes areas, respectively, harbored Mansonella ozzardi microfilariae (mf). No significant differences were observed between sexes. The lowest prevalence (9%) was in the 0-14-year-old age group, with no children <11 months of age infected. The prevalence increased sharply in the 25-34-year-old age group (32%), and continued increasing in the older age classes. Microfilaremia, ranging from 1 to 305 mf/20 microl of blood, was lowest in 0-14-year-old children (geometric mean concentration = 1.1 mf/20 microl), and increased with age (>100 mf/20 microl in people >44 years old). An expected increasing sensitivity with the blood volume examined was observed. No significant association between clinical symptoms (fever, skin rash, pruritus, headache, lymphedema, elephantiasis, and articular pain) and microfilaremia was observed.