TRANSMISSION INTENSITY AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO INFECTION AND DISEASE DUE TO WUCHERERIA-BANCROFTI IN PAPUA-NEW-GUINEA

This study describes the relationship between transmission intensity a nd infection and disease due to Wuchereria bancrofti in an endemic are a of Papua New Guinea. The prevalence of microfilaremia in the entire study population was 66%. Of 1892 persons examined, 6.2% and 12.3% had lymphedema of the legs and hydroceles, respectively. The prevalences of microfilaremia and clinical morbidity were lowest in persons <20 ye ars old and increased progressively with age. Annual transmission pote ntial and annual infective biting were monitored in five villages wher e Anopheles punctulatus and Anopheles koliensis are the only vectors o f W. bancrofti. Both measures of the entomologic inoculation rate were positively associated with the village-specific microfilarial rate, m ean intensity of microfilaremia, and prevalence of leg edema. These da ta indicate that transmission intensity is a major determinant of pate nt infection and morbidity rates in bancroftian filariasis.