American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Volume 97, Issue 6, 2017, Pages 1833-1835

Absence of Loa loa microfilaremia among newly arrived congolese refugees in Texas (Article) (Open Access)

Montour J. , Lee D.* , Snider C. , Jentes E.S. , Stauffer W.
  • a Texas Department of State Health Services, Austin, TX, United States
  • b Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30333, United States
  • c Texas Department of State Health Services, Austin, TX, United States
  • d Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30333, United States
  • e Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30333, United States, University of Minnesota, Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics, Infectious Diseases and International Medicine, Minneapolis, MN, United States

Abstract

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that refugees at risk of Loa loa infection be tested for microfilaria before treatment with ivermectin. We report observational results of this approach in African refugees in Texas. Daytime blood smears were performed for microfilaria on at-risk African refugees who arrived in Texas from July 1, 2014 through December 30, 2016. Clinics were asked if there were any adverse events reported among those who received ivermectin.Of the 422 persons screened, 346 (82%) were born in L. loa-endemic countries, with 332 (96%) of these being born in the Democratic Republic of Congo. No smears detected microfilaria, and all received presumptive ivermectin with no reports of significant adverse events. In this investigation, the prevalence of significant microfilarial load in sub-Saharan African refugees appeared to be low, and ivermectin treatment was safe and well tolerated. © 2017 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

refugee human epidemiology Antiparasitic Agents Refugees middle aged antiparasitic agent Loa blood smear ivermectin Microfilariae Animals Congo African ethnology screening animal Young Adult Humans Adolescent male preschool child female loiasis Child, Preschool prevalence isolation and purification Article microfilaria (nematode larva) major clinical study adult endemic disease retrospective study Parasite Load high risk patient Texas Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85037027097&doi=10.4269%2fajtmh.17-0337&partnerID=40&md5=e1e2c56aed98c53ea366a8c7fc571373
DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.17-0337
ISSN: 00029637
Original Language: English