Elimination of bancroftian filariasis (Wuchereria bancrofti) in Santa Catarina state, Brazil

During the 1950s, three foci of Wuchereria bancrofti transmission were iden tified in the State of Santa Catarina, Brazil. In Florianopolis, Sao Jose d a Ponta Grossa and Barra da Laguna community treatment of bancroftian filar iasis with diethylcarbamazine (DEC) was performed using two distinct approa ches, without vector control or improvements in sanitation. In two of the t hree communities only microfilaraemic individuals were treated, while in Ba rra da Laguna the entire population received DEC treatment regardless of th eir infection status. In both cases, transmission of the parasite was block ed and no new cases were detected in all localities fur up to 10 years. Rec ently, a new survey in Sao Jose da Ponta Grossa and Barra communities revea led no microfilaria-positive individuals, including residents that were pos itive in the 1950s. These data confirm that transmission of W. bancrofti wa s interrupted in Santa Catarina, and mass treatment appears to be more effe ctive than treatment of microfilaraemic individuals only.