EFFICACY OF DIETHYLCARBAMAZINE-MEDICATED SALT FOR MICROFILAREMIA OF BRUGIA-MALAYI

Background. Pilot studies in India and abroad have demonstrated the be nefit of cooking salt fortified with diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) for the control of lymphatic filariasis. In India, DEC-medicated salt has been introduced on a commercial basis in the Cherthala region of K erala, which is endemic for Brugia malayi (B. malayi). We studied the efficacy of DEC-medicated salt in the clearance of microfilaraemia of B. malayi. Methods. Eighteen cases of microfilaraemia (11 men; 7 women ) were selected; 14 in the experimental group (i.e. treated with 0.2% w/w DEC-medicated salt) and the rest as the control group who were giv en a placebo, The consumption of salt and the status of parasitaemia w ere monitored till all the microfilaria carriers became negative. Resu lts. There was a significant reduction in the density of microfilariae (intensity) among the treated individuals over a period of time, The duration required for the clearance of microfilariae ranged from 9 to 30 [mean (SD) 19.4 (1.7)] weeks. All microfilaraemics except one repor ted side-effects which were mild-to-moderate and persisted for a maxim um period of one month. Conclusion. DEC-medicated salt effectively cle ars microfilariae within 30 weeks in parasitaemic individuals. No 'end emic normals' reported any side-effects, though these were common amon g the microfilaria carriers.