EPIFIL: The development of an age-structured model for describing the transmission dynamics and control of lymphatic filariasis

Mathematical models of transmission dynamics of infectious diseases provide a useful tool for investigating the impact of community based control meas ures. Previously, we used a dynamic (constant force-of-infection) model for lymphatic filariasis to describe observed patterns of infection and diseas e in endemic communities. In this paper, we expand the model to examine the effects of control options against filariasis by incorporating the impact of age structure of the human community and by addressing explicitly the dy namics of parasite transmission from and to the vector population. This mod el is tested using data for Wuchereria bancrofti transmitted by Culex quinq uefasciatus in Pondicherry, South India. The results show that chemotherapy has a larger short-term impact than vector control but that the effects of vector control can last beyond the treatment period. In addition we compar e rates of recrudescence for drugs with different macrofilaricidal effects.