Times of India
28 April 2010
Pune, India
By Umesh Isalkar

State has fewer filaria carriers now
The rate of microfilaria carriers that was 3 per cent in the state in 2004 has come down to 0.64 per cent over the last six years. The analysis of over 68,000 blood samples in a a survey carried out recently in 17 endemic districts of the state has revealed that the prevalence of people carrying filaria parasites in their blood has reduced drastically over the years.

“The persons having circulating microfilariae in their blood are outwardly healthy, but transmit the infection to others through mosquitoes,” said state entomologist A S Bhosale. The rate of microfilaria carrier or persons with lymphatic filariasis was 3.30 in 2004. The aggressive implementation of mass drug administration drive cut off this percentage drastically the very next year and brought it down to 1.95 per cent in 2005, said Bhosale.

Between 2006 and 2007, the prevalence rate hovered at one per cent but the real success was palpable when the carrier rate fell below one per cent in 2008. “In 2008, those with filaria parasites in their blood was out at 0.62 per cent. The recent survey testing over 68,000 samples in 17 endemic districts in the state has revealed that the microfilaria carrier rate continues to be below one per cent for the last two years,” said Bhosale.

They took 4,000 samples each from the 17 districts for the annual blood testing survey to ascertain the distribution and rate of microfilaria carriers