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CONTRASTING WUCHERERIA BANCROFTI MICROFILARIA RATES IN TWO MANGYAN-POPULATED PHILIPPINE VILLAGES

Lymphatic filariasis caused by infection with Wuchereria bancrofti and Brugia malayi is endemic in 45 of 77 provinces in The Philippines. To prepare the island of Mindoro for mass treatment using diethylcarbamazine and albendazole, complete census data were collected in rural villages. A sample of individuals selected from each of two adjacent villages was examined for microfilaremia. Microfilariae were detected from thin smears in 34 (13%) of 272 patients examined from the village of Bayanan and 10 (3.4%) of 292 in the village of Mangangan (P < 0.01, by chi-square test). In these villages, the majority of those infected were members of the ethnic group known as Mangyans: 33 (97%) of 24 in Bayanan and 7 (70%) of 10 in Mangangan (risk ratio = 89, 95% confidence interval = 33–240, P < 0.001.) In children examined who were less than 10 years of age (n = 165), girls were more commonly infected than boys, even though the proportion of males in the general population was greater. Understanding sociocultural characteristics and related behaviors in future observations among the Mangyan may help to explain local differences in the distribution of filariasis. This information should also be helpful in designing more culturally appropriate strategies for the control of lymphatic filariasis among ethnic minorities in The Philippines.

Received April 30, 2003. Accepted for publication January 28, 2004.

Acknowledgments: We thank The Philippines National Filariasis Control Program, the governor, the local government and the people of Calapan and Baco, Oriental Mindoro for their assistance and cooperation with this survey.

Financial support: This work was supported in part by the College of Medicine, University of The Philippines School of Medicine, Manila, and grants from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) (R29 AI-37668), the NIH Fogarty International Center (R03 TWO1092-03) and an NIH Minority International Research Training Grant (T37 TW00052.)

Authors’ addresses: Bernadette L. Ramirez, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of The Philippines, Manila, The Philippines. Leda Hernandez and Faith F. Alberto, Department of Health, Manila, The Philippines. Michael Collins, Department of Epidemiology, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824. Valentine Nfonsam, University of Illinois School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60607. Tricia Punsalan, University of Texas School of Medicine, San Antonio, TX 78229-3900. Michael A. Kron, Division of Infectious Diseases, B323, Life Science Building, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, Telephone: 517-353-3747, Fax: 517-353-1922, E-mail: kron{at}msu.edu.