The long-term goals of this multi-project ICIDR application are to advance knowledge of human, parasite and mosquito variables and related implementation and policy issues that will inform and enhance success of controlling disease morbidity and permanently stopping transmission of the filarial parasite Wuchereria bancrofti in Papua New Guinea, and by extension, other areas where lymphatic filariasis is endemic. We will approach this complex problem by integrating studies that utilize the disciplines of epidemiology and public health, clinical medicine, parasite biology, ecology, molecular genetics and mathematical modeling in field studies to be conducted in LF endemic areas where a) previous field-based work has evaluated the efficacy of four annual cycles of annual mass drug administration (MDA), which will enable analysis of the long-term effects of the currently recommended LF control strategy, and b) no previous LF intervention has been applied, in order to determine whether the combination of vector control (insecticide impregnated mosquito) with MDA in augments the efficacy of controlling LF morbidity and transmission elimination. The inter-related projects are: 1. Impact of mass drug administration with or without insecticide impregnated mosquito nets on LF elimination;2. Ecology and control of vectors of bancroftian filariasis. In addition to these research objectives that build on long-standing collaborations between the participating institutions and scientists, the ICIDR will integrate educational and capacity building into our program by interactions with the University of Papua New Guinea and Ministry of Health. The proposed work is highly relevant to the strategy of the Global Program to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF), an international effort that has targeted 1.1 billion persons for MDA by the year 2020.
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