MyMedR

BACKGROUND: The filarial nematodes Wuchereria bancrofti (Cobbold, 1877), Brugia malayi (Brug, 1927) and B. timori Partono, Purnomo, Dennis, Atmosoedjono, Oemijati & Cross, 1977 cause lymphatic diseases in humans in the tropics, while B. pahangi (Buckley & Edeson, 1956) infects carnivores and causes zoonotic diseases in humans in Malaysia. Wuchereria bancrofti, W. kalimantani Palmieri, Pulnomo, Dennis & Marwoto, 1980 and six out of ten Brugia spp. have been described from Australia, Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka and India. However, the origin and evolution of the species in the Wuchereria-Brugia clade remain unclear. While investigating the diversity of filarial parasites in Malaysia, we discovered an undescribed species in the common treeshrew Tupaia glis Diard & Duvaucel (Mammalia: Scandentia).

METHODS: We examined 81 common treeshrews from 14 areas in nine states and the Federal Territory of Peninsular Malaysia for filarial parasites. Once any filariae that were found had been isolated, we examined their morphological characteristics and determined the partial sequences of their mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) and 12S rRNA genes. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products of the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) region were then cloned into the pGEM-T vector, and the recombinant plasmids were used as templates for sequencing.

RESULTS: Malayfilaria sofiani Uni, Mat Udin & Takaoka, n. g., n. sp. is described based on the morphological characteristics of adults and microfilariae found in common treeshrews from Jeram Pasu, Kelantan, Malaysia. The Kimura 2-parameter distance between the cox1 gene sequences of the new species and W. bancrofti was 11.8%. Based on the three gene sequences, the new species forms a monophyletic clade with W. bancrofti and Brugia spp. The adult parasites were found in tissues surrounding the lymph nodes of the neck of common treeshrews.

CONCLUSIONS: The newly described species appears most closely related to Wuchereria spp. and Brugia spp., but differs from these in several morphological characteristics. Molecular analyses based on the cox1 and 12S rRNA genes and the ITS1 region indicated that this species differs from both W. bancrofti and Brugia spp. at the genus level. We thus propose a new genus, Malayfilaria, along with the new species M. sofiani.

Matched MeSH terms: Filariasis/epidemiology

Studies on filariasis in Malaya; the clinical features of filariasis due to Wuchereria malayi

TURNER LH

Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg, 1959 Mar;53(2):154-69.

PMID: 13647621

Matched MeSH terms: Filariasis/epidemiology*

Studies on filariasis in Malaya: the periodicity of the microfilariae of Wuchereria malayi

TURNER LH, EDESON JF

Ann Trop Med Parasitol, 1957 Sep;51(3):271-7.

PMID: 13470766

Matched MeSH terms: Filariasis/epidemiology*

Fulltext Impact of six rounds of mass drug administration on Brugian filariasis and soil-transmitted helminth infections in eastern Indonesia

Supali T, Djuardi Y, Bradley M, Noordin R, Rückert P, Fischer PU

PLoS Negl Trop Dis, 2013;7(12):e2586.

PMID: 24349595 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002586

The lymphatic filarial parasite Brugia timori occurs only in eastern Indonesia where it causes high morbidity. The absence of an animal reservoir, the inefficient transmission by Anopheles mosquitoes and the high sensitivity to DEC/albendazole treatment make this species a prime candidate for elimination by mass drug administration (MDA).

Matched MeSH terms: Filariasis/epidemiology*

Social and behavioral aspects of filariasis transmission in Kumpeh, Jambi, Indonesia

Sudomo M, Kasnodiharjo, Oemijati S

Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. Public Health, 1993;24 Suppl 2:26-30.

PMID: 7973942

Studies on the social and behavioral aspects of filariasis transmission were conducted in the transmigration area of Kumpeh, in the province of Jambi, Sumatra, Indonesia. Three methods were used in the study namely, interview, participation observation and focus group discussion. A total of 266 respondents (136 males and 130 females) were interviewed. The results of the study showed the most of the transmigrants were not familiar with the word "filariasis". They were more used to the name of "penyakit kaki gajah" or "elephant's leg" disease or "untut". The word "untut" is similar to what people of Selangor, Malaysia call this disease. The community attitude towards control efforts against filariasis was positive, as evidenced by their readiness in being bled and their readiness to help change the environment which serves as mosquito breeding places. Usually the transmigrants live in the "ladang" or dry farming area for 3-4 months to protect their crops from damages by pests. This habit was rather negative, because in their "ladangs" they exposed themselves to high risk of mosquito bites and thus to filariasis infection.

Matched MeSH terms: Filariasis/epidemiology

Experimental infection of Rattus sabanus and Rattus muelleri with subperiodic Brugia malayi

Sivanandam S, Mak JW, Lai PF

Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. Public Health, 1975 Mar;6(1):68-73.

PMID: 1145240

R. sabanus and R. muelleri are very common in the lowland forests of Malaysia. In nature they are infected with Breinlia sp. and D. ramachandrani. In an attempt to determine whether they are also susceptible to subperiodic B. malayi and thereby being potential reservoirs of infection of the disease, 24 R. muelleri and 17 R. sabanus were experimentally infected with the parasite. Results show that although they can support the full development of the parasite, they are poor hosts. This confirms the observation that in Malaysia natural infection of Rattus spp. with the parasite has not been seen. These rats therefore are probably not important in the zoonotic transmission of subperiodic B. malayi in Malaysia.

Matched MeSH terms: Filariasis/epidemiology*

Studies on filariasis in New Guinea. Observations on periodicity

Saave JJ, Desowitz RS

Med J Malaya, 1966 Jun;20(4):335-6.

PMID: 4224350

Matched MeSH terms: Filariasis/epidemiology*

Parasitological and entomological studies on filariasis in seven villages, Serian District, Sarawak, East Malaysia

Rubis P, Chang MS, Nagum AJ, Jau JL

Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. Public Health, 1981 Mar;12(1):30-5.

PMID: 6114566

A total of 82 persons have been found to be positive for microfilaria a sub-periodic Brugia malayi out of 1,613 examined in seven villages in Serian District. This represents an average microfilaria infection rate of 5.1% with a range of zero to 10.7%. It is found that males are more predominantly affected than females with a ratio of 3:1. It is also confirmed that Mansonia dives and M. bonneae are possible vectors for the transmission of the disease although Anopheles species cannot be ruled out owing to the small number of specimens examined. The study is confined to areas where indoor DDT spraying has been done since 1960 and only in two of the areas it has been terminated in 1966. Yet to be published data shows higher filaria infection rate than any of these villages.

Matched MeSH terms: Filariasis/epidemiology*

Cultural factors in the epidemiology of filariasis due to Brugia malayi in an endemic community in Malaysia

Riji HM

Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. Public Health, 1983 Mar;14(1):34-9.

PMID: 6612423

A study was carried out to identify some of the cultural factors in the epidemiology of filariasis in an endemic community in Malaysia. The viewpoint of the community, data an responses on knowledge of illness and filariasis, host related factors, health examination, vector study were analysed and discussed. The observations noted on cultural factors were: Occupational pattern: Different agricultural occupations seemed to related to transmission in terms of body exposure. Activities not related to production of crops: Play groups in late afternoon, bathing of household members near and after sunset, congregations at prayer houses very much exposed the population to mosquito bites in different degree in terms of length of time spent outside the house. Knowledge of filariasis: Filariasis was understood in terms of elephantiasis, the chronic stage of the disease. Other signs of disease-adenolymphangitis, red lines running down one or both legs and abscess were generally recognized but not often annonated with specific disease. Attitude toward disease: Filariasis was not seen as a health problem and the idea of filarial worms was still hard to believe. Knowledge on disease causation: Biological causes were generally recognized, though the idea of bacteria was not widespread.

Matched MeSH terms: Filariasis/epidemiology*

Comparison of knowledge on filariasis and epidemiologic factors between infected and uninfected respondents in a Malay community

Riji HM

Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. Public Health, 1986 Sep;17(3):457-63.

PMID: 3563614

A study to identify the knowledge of infected and uninfected respondents on filariasis and epidemiologic factors in one endemic community in Malaysia to determine their role in the transmission and control of filariasis was carried out. The data were collected by non-participant observations and interviews using semi-structured schedules. The majority of respondents in both groups had knowledge of filariasis. There was no marked difference between male and female respondents, and similarly, there was fair distributions of knowledgeable respondents with and without some years of schooling. On filarial transmission, 9.2% of the infected said that filariasis was contacted through mosquito bites, while among the uninfected it was 7.4%. Within the infected, 14.8% thought that filarial worms entered the human body through the consumption of unhygenically prepared foods and drinks while, among the uninfected it was 20.4%. Both groups were aware of the presence of mosquitoes in their village. However, the majority did not associate this factor with host's susceptibility to filarial infections. Rather, they were of the opinion that personal hygiene and proper meals had something to do with filariasis. The findings showed there was general awareness of filariasis in the community which might indicate that the health campaigns had reached various levels of the population. Yet, they still lacked knowledge on disease transmission. Also, they did not make direct association between environment and exposure to mosquitoes bites though they were aware of their presence but which they regarded as not directly harmful to their health.

Matched MeSH terms: Filariasis/epidemiology*

Filariasis in a rubber plantation in Negeri Sembilan, West Malaysia

Ramachandran CP, Dondero TJ, Mullin SW, Sivanandam S, Stevens S

Med J Malaya, 1971 Jun;25(4):273-7.

PMID: 4261299

Matched MeSH terms: Filariasis/epidemiology*

Mass treatment of Malayan filariasis in the Gumbasa irrigation area of Central Sulawesi

Putrali J, Kaleb YM, Van Peenen PF, Saroso JS

Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. Public Health, 1975 Jun;6(2):206-10.

PMID: 1166347

Matched MeSH terms: Filariasis/epidemiology

Human cases of filarial infection in West Malaysia

Ponnampalam JT

Med J Malaya, 1971 Sep;26(1):62-4.

PMID: 4258579

Matched MeSH terms: Filariasis/epidemiology*

Fulltext Comparison of effects of mass annual and biannual single dose therapy with diethylcarbamazine for the control of Malayan filariasis

Panicker KN, Krishnamoorthy K, Sabesan S, Prathiba J, Abidha

Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. Public Health, 1991 Sep;22(3):402-11.

PMID: 1818392

Annual and biannual mass single dose diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) at 6 mg/kg body weight was administered to people in a Brugia malayi endemic area in Shertallai part of Kerala, India, in 1987 and 1988. The coverage of population ranged between 41.33% and 66.01% in different rounds. The highest percentage of treated population developing side reactions was 8.4%. Both annual and biannual regimens were effective in reducing the microfilaria prevalence significantly from 4.90% to 1.23% and from 6.27% to 0.62% respectively and the incidence of infection was minimal in the adult population and zero among children. There was significant reduction in mean microfilaria count in both annual (81.08%) and biannual (98.00%) areas. Marked reduction in the proportion of high density carriers and infectivity index of the population after DEC therapy was also observed. Beneficial effect of mass single dose DEC on clinical cases of filariasis was evident from the reduction in the prevalence of acute manifestations, recent edema cases and the proportion of chronic cases with acute episodes. Results obtained from mass treatment areas were compared with those of the control area.

Matched MeSH terms: Filariasis/epidemiology

Fulltext Prevalence and distribution of intestinal and blood parasites among Ibans in the Nanga Atoi in the Second Division in Sarawak

Neo CB, Cheah YK, Chin PW, Tan TV, Wong NC, Yap LM, et al.

Med J Malaysia, 1987 Dec;42(4):294-8.

PMID: 3454401

About two-thirds (67.6%) of 142 Ibans (from birth to 90 years of age) from 26 house-holds in a longhouse in Nanga Atoi in the Second Division of Sarawak were infected with intestinal parasites. The more common helmintic infections were hookworms (47.2%) and Trichuris trichiura (43.0%). Intestinal protozoan infections were less common. Single helmintic infections were more common than multiple infections and the commonest type of multiple infections was Trichuris mixed with hookworms. Malaria and filariasis were not reported among these inhabitants surveyed.

Matched MeSH terms: Filariasis/epidemiology*

Ecological distribution of blood parasites in some arboreal rodents

Muul I, Yap LF, Lim BL

Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. Public Health, 1973 Sep;4(3):377-81.

PMID: 4203491

Matched MeSH terms: Filariasis/epidemiology

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