Status of lymphatic filariasis in five communities of Yorro Local Government Area, Taraba State, Nigeria

Lymphatic filariasis is a public health problem in the tropics. A study to determine the status of the disease in five rural communities was carried out in Yorro LGA. The study employed three methods namely, the standard parasitological techniques, Rapid assessment method and the use of structured questionnaire to collect socio-cultural data. A total of 327 night blood samples were collected using finger prick method and analysed. The overall prevalence of infection in the study-area was high (30.8%) but low mean microfilarial densities (3.90 mf/60μl). Infection rates among the five communities vary but not statistically significant (ANOVA, p>0.05). However, chi square analysis showed a significant difference in infection among the different age groups (x2=31.34, p>0.05) with the highest infection recorded among 40-50 years. Lymphoedema was very common among men (5.6%) than in females (2.7%). Result from qualitative data indicates good knowledge of lymphatic filariasis with the psychosocial burden that is associated with the disease. The implications of this finding are discussed and the need to institute an elimination programme in the study-area is recommended.Keywords: Lymphatic filariasis; microfilarial density; lymphoedem