RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: In Senegalese high-burden regions, the existing package of interventions is insufficient to reach the malaria elimination goal. Asymptomatic carriers of Plasmodium contribute significantly to malaria persistence and are not targeted by current interventions. The systematic treatment of all individuals in a community (mass drug administration, MDA) is a relevant intervention to tackle asymptomatic infections. The intervention can only be effective with a high participation of the population and, therefore, depends largely on its acceptability. This study aims to investigate the prospective acceptability of MDA in the Kedougou region to inform its potential use in a future strategy. METHODS: Following a 7-construct theoretical framework, prospective acceptability of MDA implemented in the rainy season was studied. In four villages, a sequential mixed design, from qualitative to quantitative, was used. In November 2021, interviews with healthcare professionals and focus groups with villagers were conducted. Findings from thematic analysis informed the development of a questionnaire administered to individuals aged ≥ 15 years in March 2022. Based on the questionnaire, an acceptability score was constructed and associations with socio-demographic factors were investigated using a linear mixed model. RESULTS: The 7 interviews, the 12 focus groups, and the questionnaire administered to 289 individuals demonstrated a good acceptability of MDA. Two potential barriers were identified: the contradiction of taking a medication without feeling sick and the occurrence of side effects; and four facilitators: the perception of malaria as a burden, a good understanding of MDA, a good perceived effectiveness, and the resulting economic benefits. The average acceptability score was 3.5 (range from -7 to + 7). Young adults aged 15 to 21 had a lower acceptability score compared to the other age groups, indicating an additional barrier to acceptability (ß = -0.78 [-1.67;0.1]). CONCLUSION: MDA is a priori acceptable to communities of Kedougou region in Senegal. Sensitization campaigns co-constructed with the communities, especially targeting young adults, are essential to ensure good acceptability.
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Antimaláricos , Malaria , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos , Senegal , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos/estadística & datos numéricos , Humanos , Adulto , Femenino , Masculino , Adolescente , Malaria/prevención & control , Malaria/tratamiento farmacológico , Adulto Joven , Antimaláricos/administración & dosificación , Antimaláricos/uso terapéutico , Estudios Prospectivos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Aceptación de la Atención de Salud/estadística & datos numéricos , Anciano , Infecciones AsintomáticasRESUMEN
Plasmodium vivax is the most geographically widespread malaria parasite. P. vivax has the ability to remain dormant (as a hypnozoite) in the human liver and subsequently reactivate, which makes control efforts more difficult. Given the majority of P. vivax infections are due to hypnozoite reactivation, targeting the hypnozoite reservoir with a radical cure is crucial for achieving P. vivax elimination. Stochastic effects can strongly influence dynamics when disease prevalence is low or when the population size is small. Hence, it is important to account for this when modelling malaria elimination. We use a stochastic multiscale model of P. vivax transmission to study the impacts of multiple rounds of mass drug administration (MDA) with a radical cure, accounting for superinfection and hypnozoite dynamics. Our results indicate multiple rounds of MDA with a high-efficacy drug are needed to achieve a substantial probability of elimination. This work has the potential to help guide P. vivax elimination strategies by quantifying elimination probabilities for an MDA approach.
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Antimaláricos , Erradicación de la Enfermedad , Malaria Vivax , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos , Plasmodium vivax , Humanos , Malaria Vivax/prevención & control , Malaria Vivax/tratamiento farmacológico , Malaria Vivax/epidemiología , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos/estadística & datos numéricos , Plasmodium vivax/efectos de los fármacos , Plasmodium vivax/fisiología , Erradicación de la Enfermedad/métodos , Erradicación de la Enfermedad/estadística & datos numéricos , Antimaláricos/uso terapéutico , Antimaláricos/administración & dosificación , Procesos Estocásticos , Simulación por ComputadorRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Twice-yearly mass distribution of azithromycin to children is a promising intervention to reduce childhood mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. The World Health Organization recommended restricting distribution to infants 1 to 11 months of age to mitigate antimicrobial resistance, although this more limited treatment had not yet been tested. METHODS: We randomly assigned rural communities in Niger to four twice-yearly distributions of azithromycin for children 1 to 59 months of age (child azithromycin group), four twice-yearly distributions of azithromycin for infants 1 to 11 months of age and placebo for children 12 to 59 months of age (infant azithromycin group), or placebo for children 1 to 59 months of age. Census workers who were not aware of the group assignments monitored mortality twice yearly over the course of 2 years. We assessed three primary community-level mortality outcomes (deaths per 1000 person-years), each examining a different age group and pairwise group comparison. RESULTS: A total of 1273 communities were randomly assigned to the child azithromycin group (1229 were included in the analysis), 773 to the infant azithromycin group (751 included in the analysis), and 954 to the placebo group (929 included in the analysis). Among 382,586 children, 419,440 person-years and 5503 deaths were recorded. Lower mortality among children 1 to 59 months of age was observed in the child azithromycin group (11.9 deaths per 1000 person-years; 95% confidence interval [CI], 11.3 to 12.6) than in the placebo group (13.9 deaths per 1000 person-years; 95% CI, 13.0 to 14.8) (representing 14% lower mortality with azithromycin; 95% CI, 7 to 22; P<0.001). Mortality among infants 1 to 11 months of age was not significantly lower in the infant azithromycin group (22.3 deaths per 1000 person-years; 95% CI, 20.0 to 24.7) than in the placebo group (23.9 deaths per 1000 person-years; 95% CI, 21.6 to 26.2) (representing 6% lower mortality with azithromycin; 95% CI, -8 to 19). Five serious adverse events were reported: three in the placebo group, one in the infant azithromycin group, and one in the child azithromycin group. CONCLUSIONS: Azithromycin distributions to children 1 to 59 months of age significantly reduced mortality and was more effective than treatment of infants 1 to 11 months of age. Antimicrobial resistance must be monitored. (Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; AVENIR ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04224987.).
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Antibacterianos , Azitromicina , Infecciones Bacterianas , Mortalidad del Niño , Mortalidad Infantil , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos , Preescolar , Femenino , Humanos , Lactante , Masculino , Antibacterianos/administración & dosificación , Antibacterianos/efectos adversos , Azitromicina/administración & dosificación , Azitromicina/efectos adversos , Infecciones Bacterianas/mortalidad , Infecciones Bacterianas/prevención & control , Quimioprevención/efectos adversos , Quimioprevención/estadística & datos numéricos , Farmacorresistencia Bacteriana , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos/efectos adversos , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos/estadística & datos numéricos , Niger/epidemiología , Población Rural/estadística & datos numéricosAsunto(s)
Antibacterianos , Azitromicina , Infecciones Bacterianas , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos , Humanos , Antibacterianos/administración & dosificación , Antibacterianos/efectos adversos , Azitromicina/administración & dosificación , Azitromicina/efectos adversos , Ensayos Clínicos Controlados Aleatorios como Asunto , Lactante , Preescolar , Niger/epidemiología , Mortalidad Infantil , Mortalidad del Niño , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos/efectos adversos , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos/métodos , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos/estadística & datos numéricos , Quimioprevención/efectos adversos , Quimioprevención/métodos , Quimioprevención/estadística & datos numéricos , Farmacorresistencia Bacteriana , Infecciones Bacterianas/mortalidad , Infecciones Bacterianas/prevención & controlRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: A challenge in achieving the malaria-elimination target in the Greater Mekong Subregion, including Thailand, is the predominance of Plasmodium vivax malaria, which has shown extreme resilience to control measures. OBJECTIVE: This proof-of-concept study aimed to provide evidence for implementing primaquine mass drug administration (pMDA) as a strategy for P. vivax elimination in low-endemicity settings. METHODS: The study employed a mixed-methods trial to thoroughly evaluate the effectiveness, safety, acceptability, and community engagement of pMDA. The quantitative part was designed as a 2-period cluster-crossover randomized controlled trial. The intervention was pMDA augmented to the national prevention and control standards with directly observed treatment (DOT) by village health volunteers. The qualitative part employed in-depth interviews and brainstorming discussions. The study involved 7 clusters in 2 districts of 2 southern provinces in Thailand with persistently low P. vivax transmission. In the quantitative part, 5 cross-sectional blood surveys were conducted in both the pMDA and control groups before and 3 months after pMDA. The effectiveness of pMDA was determined by comparing the proportions of P. vivax infections per 1000 population between the 2 groups, with a multilevel zero-inflated negative binomial model adjusted for cluster and time as covariates and the interaction. The safety data comprised adverse events after drug administration. Thematic content analysis was used to assess the acceptability and engagement of stakeholders. RESULTS: In the pre-pMDA period, the proportions of P. vivax infections in the pMDA (n=1536) and control (n=1577) groups were 13.0 (95% CI 8.2-20.4) and 12.0 (95% CI 7.5-19.1), respectively. At month 3 post-pMDA, these proportions in the pMDA (n=1430) and control (n=1420) groups were 8.4 (95% CI 4.6-15.1) and 5.6 (95% CI 2.6-11.5), respectively. No statistically significant differences were found between the groups. The number of malaria cases reduced in all clusters in both groups, and thus, the impact of pMDA was inconclusive. There were no major safety concerns. Acceptance among the study participants and public health care providers at local and national levels was high, and they believed that pMDA had boosted awareness in the community. CONCLUSIONS: pMDA was associated with high adherence, safety, and tolerability, but it may not significantly impact P. vivax transmission. As this was a proof-of-concept study, we decided not to scale up the intervention with larger clusters and samples. An alternative approach involving a targeted primaquine treatment strategy with primaquine and DOT is currently being implemented. We experienced success regarding effective health care workforces at point-of-care centers, effective collaborations in the community, and commitment from authorities at local and national levels. Our efforts boosted the acceptability of the malaria-elimination initiative. Community engagement is recommended to achieve elimination targets. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Thai Clinical Trials Registry TCTR20190806004; https://www.thaiclinicaltrials.org/show/TCTR20190806004.
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Antimaláricos , Malaria Vivax , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos , Primaquina , Humanos , Primaquina/uso terapéutico , Primaquina/administración & dosificación , Tailandia/epidemiología , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos/métodos , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos/estadística & datos numéricos , Masculino , Femenino , Adulto , Adolescente , Malaria Vivax/tratamiento farmacológico , Antimaláricos/uso terapéutico , Antimaláricos/administración & dosificación , Persona de Mediana Edad , Adulto Joven , Prueba de Estudio Conceptual , Niño , Estudios Cruzados , Estudios Transversales , Aceptación de la Atención de Salud/estadística & datos numéricos , Aceptación de la Atención de Salud/psicologíaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) initiated three cycles of dihydroartemisin-piperaquine (DHA-PQ) mass drug administration (MDA) for children aged three months to 15 years within Bossangoa sub-prefecture, Central African Republic. Coverage, clinical impact, and community members perspectives were evaluated to inform the use of MDAs in humanitarian emergencies. METHODS: A household survey was undertaken after the MDA focusing on participation, recent illness among eligible children, and household satisfaction. Using routine surveillance data, the reduction during the MDA period compared to the same period of preceding two years in consultations, malaria diagnoses, malaria rapid diagnostic test (RDT) positivity in three MSF community healthcare facilities (HFs), and the reduction in severe malaria admissions at the regional hospital were estimated. Twenty-seven focus groups discussions (FGDs) with community members were conducted. RESULTS: Overall coverage based on the MDA card or verbal report was 94.3% (95% confidence interval (CI): 86.3-97.8%). Among participants of the household survey, 2.6% (95% CI 1.6-40.3%) of round 3 MDA participants experienced illness in the preceding four weeks compared to 30.6% (95% CI 22.1-40.8%) of MDA non-participants. One community HF experienced a 54.5% (95% CI 50.8-57.9) reduction in consultations, a 73.7% (95% CI 70.5-76.5) reduction in malaria diagnoses, and 42.9% (95% CI 36.0-49.0) reduction in the proportion of positive RDTs among children under five. A second community HF experienced an increase in consultations (+ 15.1% (- 23.3 to 7.5)) and stable malaria diagnoses (4.2% (3.9-11.6)). A third community HF experienced an increase in consultations (+ 41.1% (95% CI 51.2-31.8) and malaria diagnoses (+ 37.3% (95% CI 47.4-27.9)). There were a 25.2% (95% CI 2.0-42.8) reduction in hospital admissions with severe malaria among children under five from the MDA area. FGDs revealed community members perceived less illness among children because of the MDA, as well as fewer hospitalizations. Other indirect benefits such as reduced household expenditure on healthcare were also described. CONCLUSION: The MDA achieved high coverage and community acceptance. While some positive health impact was observed, it was resource intensive, particularly in this rural context. The priority for malaria control in humanitarian contexts should remain diagnosis and treatment. MDA may be additional tool where the context supports its implementation.
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Antimaláricos , Artemisininas , COVID-19 , Malaria , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos , Humanos , Antimaláricos/uso terapéutico , Antimaláricos/administración & dosificación , Preescolar , Lactante , Niño , Adolescente , COVID-19/epidemiología , República Centroafricana/epidemiología , Artemisininas/uso terapéutico , Artemisininas/administración & dosificación , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos/estadística & datos numéricos , Femenino , Masculino , Malaria/tratamiento farmacológico , SARS-CoV-2 , Quinolinas/administración & dosificación , Quinolinas/uso terapéuticoRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Mass distribution of azithromycin to children 1 to 59 months of age has been shown to reduce childhood all-cause mortality in some sub-Saharan African regions, with the largest reduction seen among infants younger than 12 months of age. Whether the administration of azithromycin at routine health care visits for infants would be effective in preventing death is unclear. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of a single dose of azithromycin (20 mg per kilogram of body weight) as compared with placebo, administered during infancy (5 to 12 weeks of age). The primary end point was death before 6 months of age. Infants were recruited at routine vaccination or other well-child visits in clinics and through community outreach in three regions of Burkina Faso. Vital status was assessed at 6 months of age. RESULTS: Of the 32,877 infants enrolled from September 2019 through October 2022, a total of 16,416 infants were randomly assigned to azithromycin and 16,461 to placebo. Eighty-two infants in the azithromycin group and 75 infants in the placebo group died before 6 months of age (hazard ratio, 1.09; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.80 to 1.49; P = 0.58); the absolute difference in mortality was 0.04 percentage points (95% CI, -0.10 to 0.21). There was no evidence of an effect of azithromycin on mortality in any of the prespecified subgroups, including subgroups defined according to age, sex, and baseline weight, and no evidence of a difference between the two trial groups in the incidence of adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: In this trial conducted in Burkina Faso, we found that administration of azithromycin to infants through the existing health care system did not prevent death. (Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; CHAT ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03676764.).
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Antibacterianos , Azitromicina , Mortalidad Infantil , Niño , Humanos , Lactante , Antibacterianos/administración & dosificación , Antibacterianos/uso terapéutico , Azitromicina/administración & dosificación , Azitromicina/uso terapéutico , Mortalidad Infantil/tendencias , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos/métodos , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos/mortalidad , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos/estadística & datos numéricos , Burkina Faso/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: The Geshiyaro project aims to break transmission of soil-transmitted helminths and schistosomiasis in the Wolaita Zone of Ethiopia through a combination of two interventions: behavior change communication (BCC) for increased water, sanitation and hygiene (WaSH) infrastructure use alongside preventive chemotherapy (PC) using albendazole (ALB) and praziquantel (PZQ), targeted to reach 90% treatment coverage. Coverage evaluation surveys (CES) were conducted post-treatment, and the resultant survey coverage was compared to reported administrative coverage. This provided a secondary confirmation of the Geshiyaro project coverages, and is used to monitor the success of each Mass Drug Administration (MDA) round. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 13 woredas (districts) of the Wolaita Zone. All eligible individuals from the selected households were invited for an interview. The study design, sample size, analysis and report writing were conducted according to the World Health Organization (WHO) CES guidelines for PC. RESULTS: The study interviewed a total of 3,568 households and 18,875 individuals across 13 woredas in the Wolaita Zone. Overall, the survey coverage across all studied woredas was 81.5% (95% CI; 80.9-82.0%) for both ALB and PZQ. Reported administrative coverage across all studied woredas was higher than survey coverage, 92.7% and 91.2% for ALB and PZQ, respectively. A significant portion of individuals (17.6%) were not offered PC. The predominant reason for not achieving the target coverage of 90% was beneficiary absenteeism during MDA (6.6% ALB, 6.8% PZQ), followed by drug distributors failing to reach all households (4.7% ALB, 4.8% PZQ), and beneficiaries not informed of the program (1.3% ALB, 1.7% PZQ). CONCLUSION: Programmatic actions will need to be taken during the next MDA campaign to achieve the targeted Geshiyaro project coverage threshold across data collection and program engagement. Adequate training and supervision on recording and reporting administrative coverage should be provided, alongside improved social mobilization of treated communities to increase participation, and strengthened institutional partnerships and communication.
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Albendazol/administración & dosificación , Antihelmínticos/administración & dosificación , Quimioprevención/métodos , Helmintiasis/prevención & control , Praziquantel/administración & dosificación , Esquistosomiasis/prevención & control , Adolescente , Adulto , Animales , Niño , Preescolar , Estudios Transversales , Etiopía/epidemiología , Composición Familiar , Femenino , Helmintiasis/epidemiología , Helmintiasis/parasitología , Helmintiasis/transmisión , Humanos , Higiene/educación , Lactante , Masculino , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos/estadística & datos numéricos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Prevalencia , Saneamiento/métodos , Esquistosomiasis/epidemiología , Esquistosomiasis/parasitología , Esquistosomiasis/transmisión , Suelo/parasitología , Encuestas y CuestionariosRESUMEN
Schistosomiasis causes severe morbidity in many countries with endemic infection with the schistosome digenean parasites in Africa and Asia. To control and eliminate the disease resulting from infection, regular mass drug administration (MDA) is used, with a focus on school-aged children (SAC; 5-14 years of age). In some high transmission settings, the World Health Organization (WHO) also recommends the inclusion of at-risk adults in MDA treatment programmes. The question of whether ecology (age-dependant exposure) or immunity (resistance to reinfection), or some combination of both, determines the form of observed convex age-intensity profile is still unresolved, but there is a growing body of evidence that the human hosts acquire some partial level of immunity after a long period of repeated exposure to infection. In the majority of past research modelling schistosome transmission and the impact of MDA programmes, the effect of acquired immunity has not been taken into account. Past work has been based on the assumption that age-related contact rates generate convex horizontal age-intensity profiles. In this paper, we use an individual based stochastic model of transmission and MDA impact to explore the effect of acquired immunity in defined MDA programmes. Compared with scenarios with no immunity, we find that acquired immunity makes the MDA programme less effective with a slower decrease in the prevalence of infection. Therefore, the time to achieve morbidity control and elimination as a public health problem is longer than predicted by models with just age-related exposure and no build-up of immunity. The level of impact depends on the baseline prevalence prior to treatment (the magnitude of the basic reproductive number R0) and the treatment frequency, among other factors. We find that immunity has a larger impact within moderate to high transmission settings such that it is very unlikely to achieve morbidity and transmission control employing current MDA programmes.
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Inmunidad Adaptativa , Antihelmínticos/uso terapéutico , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos/normas , Esquistosomiasis/inmunología , Esquistosomiasis/transmisión , Adolescente , Factores de Edad , Niño , Preescolar , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos/estadística & datos numéricos , Modelos Teóricos , Morbilidad , Prevalencia , Esquistosomiasis/tratamiento farmacológico , Esquistosomiasis/epidemiología , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
Between October 2012 and October 2015, we conducted a community trial to assess the impact of semi-annual (twice yearly) community treatment with albendazole on lymphatic filariasis in Seke Pembe, a village in the Republic of the Congo. Semi-annual community treatment with albendazole has been continued in the community since October 2015. We conducted an additional parasitological assessment survey in October 2019, 6 months after the 14th round of semi-annual treatment. Between October 2012 and October 2015, Wuchereria bancrofti antigenemia and microfilaremia rates in the community had decreased from 17.3% to 4.7% and from 5.3% to 0.3%, respectively. In October 2019, the antigenemia rate had decreased further to 2.8% (19 of 687). No microfilariae were found in night blood smears from persons with circulating filarial antigenemia (0 of 16), suggesting that W. bancrofti transmission has been interrupted in Seke Pembe. Semi-annual albendazole treatments also reduced significantly infection rates with soil-transmitted helminths.
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Albendazol/uso terapéutico , Filariasis Linfática/tratamiento farmacológico , Filariasis Linfática/transmisión , Filaricidas/uso terapéutico , Helmintiasis/tratamiento farmacológico , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos/normas , Salud Pública/métodos , Suelo/parasitología , Adolescente , Adulto , Antígenos Helmínticos/sangre , Niño , Congo/epidemiología , Femenino , Helmintiasis/clasificación , Helmintiasis/epidemiología , Helmintiasis/parasitología , Humanos , Masculino , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos/estadística & datos numéricos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Salud Pública/normas , Salud Pública/estadística & datos numéricos , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
We compared the impact of three rounds of annual and five rounds of semiannual mass drug administration (MDA) with albendazole plus ivermectin on helminthic infections in Liberia. Repeated annual cross-sectional community surveys were conducted between 2013 and 2019 in individuals of 5 years and older. Primary outcome was the change of infection prevalence estimates from baseline to month 36 (12 months after the last treatment). After three rounds of annual MDA, Wuchereria bancrofti circulating filarial antigen (CFA) and microfilaria (Mf) prevalence estimates decreased from 19.7% to 4.3% and from 8.6% to 0%, respectively; after semiannual MDA, CFA and Mf prevalences decreased from 37.8% to 16.8% and 17.9% to 1%, respectively. Mixed effects logistic regression models indicated that the odds of having Mf decreased by 97% (P < 0.001) at month 36 (similar odds for annual and semiannual MDA zones). A parallel analysis showed that the odds of CFA were reduced by 83% and 69% at 36 months in the annual and semiannual treatment zones, respectively (P < 0.001). Onchocerca volvulus Mf prevalence decreased slightly after multiple MDA rounds in both treatment zones. Reductions in hookworm and Trichuris trichiura prevalences and intensities were slightly greater in the annual treatment zone. Ascaris lumbricoides prevalence rates were relatively unchanged, although infection intensities decreased sharply throughout. Results show that annual and semiannual MDA were equally effective for reducing LF and soil-transmitted helminth infection parameters over a 3-year period, and reductions recorded at month 36 were sustained by routine annual MDA through month 72.
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Albendazol/uso terapéutico , Helmintiasis/tratamiento farmacológico , Ivermectina/uso terapéutico , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos/estadística & datos numéricos , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos/normas , Adolescente , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Antígenos Helmínticos/inmunología , Niño , Preescolar , Estudios Transversales , Filariasis Linfática/tratamiento farmacológico , Filariasis Linfática/epidemiología , Femenino , Helmintiasis/clasificación , Helmintiasis/epidemiología , Infecciones por Uncinaria/tratamiento farmacológico , Infecciones por Uncinaria/epidemiología , Humanos , Liberia/epidemiología , Masculino , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos/métodos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Prevalencia , Tricuriasis/tratamiento farmacológico , Tricuriasis/epidemiología , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
Coverage surveys for mass drug administration (MDA) rely on respondent recall and often permit proxy responses, whereby another household member is allowed to respond on behalf of an absent individual. In this secondary analysis of coverage surveys in Malawi, Burkina Faso, and Uganda, we explore the characteristics of individuals who require proxy responses and quantify the association between proxy responses and reported drug coverage. The adjusted logistic regression model found that men 11-39 years and women 11-18 years who were eligible for MDA had greater odds of requiring a proxy response compared with ineligible men and women in the same age groups. A hierarchical multivariable analysis found that proxy responses had 1.70 times the odds of reporting ingestion of MDA drugs compared with first-person responses, controlling for age and sex (95% CI: 1.17, 2.46). This finding is surprising, given that individuals absent during a coverage survey may also have been absent during the MDA, and suggests that proxy responses may be leading to an inflation of survey estimates of drug coverage. This study highlights the possibility for recall bias in proxy responses to MDA coverage; however, excluding absent individuals from coverage surveys would introduce a new bias. Further research is necessary to determine the best method for obtaining information on drug coverage when individuals are absent.
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Antihelmínticos/administración & dosificación , Antibacterianos/administración & dosificación , Antiparasitarios/administración & dosificación , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos/estadística & datos numéricos , Apoderado , Adolescente , Adulto , Albendazol/administración & dosificación , Azitromicina/administración & dosificación , Burkina Faso , Niño , Demografía , Femenino , Humanos , Ivermectina/administración & dosificación , Modelos Logísticos , Malaui , Masculino , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos/tendencias , Recuerdo Mental , Praziquantel/administración & dosificación , Uganda , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a mosquito-transmitted parasitic disease that is a leading cause of disability globally. The island of Hispaniola, which the Dominican Republic shares with Haiti, accounts for approximately 90% of LF cases in the Americas region. In 1998, the Dominican Ministry of Public Health created the Program to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (PELF) with the goal of eliminating LF transmission by 2020. Baseline mapping revealed 19 (12% of total) endemic municipalities clustered into three geographic foci (Southwest, La Ciénaga and East), with a total at-risk population of 262,395 people. Beginning in 2002, PELF sequentially implemented mass drug administration (MDA) in these foci using albendazole and diethylcarbamazine (DEC). In total, 1,174,050 treatments were given over three to five annual rounds of house-to-house MDA per focus with a median coverage of 81.7% (range 67.4%-92.2%). By 2018, LF antigen prevalence was less than 2% in all foci, thus meeting criteria to stop MDA and begin post-treatment surveillance (PTS). This success has been achieved against a shifting landscape of limited domestic funding, competing domestic public health priorities, and sporadic external donor support. Remaining steps include the need to scale-up morbidity management and disability prevention services for LF and to continue PTS until LF transmission is interrupted across Hispaniola.
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Erradicación de la Enfermedad/historia , Filariasis Linfática/epidemiología , Filariasis Linfática/prevención & control , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos/estadística & datos numéricos , Albendazol/administración & dosificación , Dietilcarbamazina/administración & dosificación , Erradicación de la Enfermedad/métodos , República Dominicana/epidemiología , Historia del Siglo XX , Historia del Siglo XXI , Humanos , Prevalencia , Salud PúblicaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends consideration of mass drug administration (MDA) for malaria control in low-endemic settings approaching elimination. However, MDA remains a controversial strategy, as multiple individual, social, and operational factors have shown to affect its acceptability at local levels. This is further complicated by inconsistent definitions of key indicators derived from individual and community involvement-coverage, adherence, and compliance-that cast doubts about the actual and potential epidemiological impact of MDA on disease control and elimination. This study aimed to identify limitations and enabling factors impacting involvement at different stages of a large cluster-randomized trial assessing the effect of combining dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DP) and ivermectin (IVM) in malaria transmission in The Gambia. METHODS: This social science study used a mixed-methods approach. Qualitative data were collected in intervention and control villages through ethnographic methods, including in-depth interviews (IDIs), focus group discussions (FGDs), and participant observation conducted with trial participants and decliners, community leaders, and field staff. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the intervention villages after the first year of MDA. Both strands of the study explored malaria knowledge and opinions, social dynamics influencing decision-making, as well as perceived risks, burdens, and benefits associated with this MDA. RESULTS: 157 IDIs and 11 FGDs were conducted, and 864 respondents were included in the survey. Barriers and enabling factors to involvement were differentially influential at the various stages of the MDA. Issues of social influence, concerns regarding secondary effects of the medication, costs associated with malaria, and acceptability of the implementing organization, among other factors, differently affected the decision-making processes throughout the trial. Rather than a linear trajectory, involvement in this MDA trial was subjected to multiple revaluations from enrolment and consent to medicine intake and adherence to treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This study went beyond the individual factors often associated with coverage and adherence, and found that nuanced social dynamics greatly influence the decision-making process at all phases of the trial. These issues need to be consider for MDA implementation strategies and inform discussions about more accurate ways of reporting on critical effectiveness indicators.
Asunto(s)
Antimaláricos/administración & dosificación , Erradicación de la Enfermedad/estadística & datos numéricos , Consentimiento Informado/estadística & datos numéricos , Ivermectina/administración & dosificación , Malaria/prevención & control , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos/estadística & datos numéricos , Cumplimiento de la Medicación/estadística & datos numéricos , Adolescente , Adulto , Estudios Transversales , Femenino , Gambia , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Many public health interventions lead to disruption or decrease of transmission, providing a beneficial effect for people in the population regardless of whether or not they individually participate in the intervention. This protective benefit has been referred to as a herd or community effect and is dependent on sufficient population participation. In practice, public health interventions are implemented at different spatial scales (i.e., at the village, district, or provincial level). Populations, however defined (i.e., neighbourhoods, villages, districts) are frequently connected to other populations through human movement or travel, and this connectedness can influence potential herd effects. METHODS: The impact of a public health intervention (mass drug administration for malaria) was modelled, for different levels of connectedness between populations that have similar disease epidemiology (e.g., two nearby villages which have similar baseline malaria incidences and similar malaria intervention measures), or between populations of varying disease epidemiology (e.g., two nearby villages which have different baseline malaria incidences and/or malaria intervention measures). RESULTS: The overall impact of the interventions deployed could be influenced either positively (adding value to the intervention) or negatively (reducing the impact of the intervention) by how much the intervention units are connected with each other (e.g., how frequent people go to the other village or town) and how different the disease intensity between them are. This phenomenon is termed the "assembly effect", and it is a meta-population version of the more commonly understood "herd effect". CONCLUSIONS: The connectedness of intervention units or populations is an important factor to be considered to achieve success in public health interventions that could provide herd effects. Appreciating the assembly effect can improve the cost-effective strategies for global disease elimination projects.
Asunto(s)
Erradicación de la Enfermedad/estadística & datos numéricos , Malaria/prevención & control , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos/estadística & datos numéricos , Población Rural/estadística & datos numéricos , Viaje/estadística & datos numéricos , HumanosRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Multi-pronged malaria elimination strategies are increasingly being considered for accelerating efforts against malaria transmission in Southeast Asia. Two malaria prevention interventions used in in the region are insecticide-treated bed-nets (ITNs) and mass drug administration (MDA). Universal access to ITNs is recommended and high population coverage (e.g. above 80%) is needed during MDA initiatives to maximize the impact of these interventions. However, variability in ITN use and individual MDA participation exists. This systematic review aims to provide a summary and overview of literature discussing factors influencing uptake of these two malaria control strategies in Southeast Asian countries. METHODS: A search of OVID Embase, OVID MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, OpenGrey, ProQuest, and Google Scholar was undertaken in February 2020. English-language publications with any study design using data from any of the ten member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations were eligible for inclusion. In addition, reference lists of identified articles were manually searched. Websites for relevant international agencies were also searched to identify related grey literature. RESULTS: The review identified thirty publications that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Most discussed ITN use (n = 18) and were relevant to populations in Myanmar (n = 14). All MDA studies were published after 2016, whereas included ITN studies spanned from 1998 to 2020. Seven main themes emerged across the studies. Knowledge of malaria and attitudes towards ITNs were emphasized as key factors associated with ITN use. For MDA participation, key factors included the importance of positive attitudes towards the program, the influence of indirect costs and incentives, and the tendency for group decision-making. CONCLUSIONS: As countries in Southeast Asia continue to work towards becoming malaria-free by 2030, the knowledge and attitudes of local population sub-groups should be assessed and incorporated into the planning and implementation of malaria prevention activities. The role of incentives and group decision making should also be considered particularly as they relate to MDA. There is need for ongoing involvement of health educators, the continuation of implementation research and the prioritization of community engagement efforts alongside malaria interventions in the region.
Asunto(s)
Control de Enfermedades Transmisibles/estadística & datos numéricos , Mosquiteros Tratados con Insecticida/estadística & datos numéricos , Malaria/prevención & control , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos/estadística & datos numéricos , Antimaláricos/administración & dosificación , Asia Sudoriental , Control de Enfermedades Transmisibles/métodos , HumanosRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: In the Dominican Republic, a recent outbreak of malaria in the capital, Santo Domingo, threatens efforts to eliminate the disease. Mass drug administration (MDA) has been proposed as one strategy to reduce transmission. The success of MDA is contingent upon high levels of acceptance among the target population. To inform the design of future MDA campaigns, this rapid ethnographic assessment examined malaria-related knowledge and attitudes toward malaria MDA among residents of a transmission focus in Santo Domingo. METHODS: In October 2019, a rapid ethnographic assessment was conducted in the Los Tres Brazos transmission focus, which had not previously received MDA. National malaria programme staff conducted 61 structured interviews with key informants, recorded observations, and held 72 informal conversations. Using a grounded theory approach, data were analysed during three workshop sessions with research team members. RESULTS: Among those who had heard of malaria in the structured interviews (n = 39/61; 64%), understanding of the disease was largely based on personal experience from past outbreaks or through word-of-mouth. Community health workers (promotores) were trusted for health information and malaria diagnosis more so than professional clinicians. No participant (0%) was familiar with malaria MDA. After learning about MDA, almost all study participants (92%) said that they would participate, seeing it as a way to care for their community. Reasons for not participating in future MDA included not trusting drug administrators, feeling reluctant to take unprescribed medicine, and fear of missing work. Additional identified challenges to MDA included reaching specific demographic groups, disseminating effective MDA campaign messages, and managing misinformation and political influence. CONCLUSION: Residents appear accepting of MDA despite a lack of prior familiarity. Successful MDA will depend on several factors: fostering relationships among community-based health workers, clinicians, community leaders, and others; developing clear health messages that use local terms and spreading them through a variety of media and social networks; and contextualizing MDA as part of a broader effort to promote community health.
Asunto(s)
Antimaláricos/administración & dosificación , Conocimientos, Actitudes y Práctica en Salud , Malaria/psicología , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos/estadística & datos numéricos , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Antropología Cultural , República Dominicana/etnología , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The DeWorm3 project is an ongoing cluster-randomised trial assessing the feasibility of interrupting the transmission of soil-transmitted helminths (STH) through mass drug administration (MDA) using study sites in India, Malawi and Benin. In this article, we describe an approach which uses a combination of statistical and mathematical methods to forecast the outcome of the trial with respect to its stated goal of reducing the prevalence of infection to below 2%. METHODS: Our approach is first to define the local patterns of transmission within each study site, which is achieved by statistical inference of key epidemiological parameters using the baseline epidemiological measures of age-related prevalence and intensity of STH infection which have been collected by the DeWorm3 trials team. We use these inferred parameters to calibrate an individual-based stochastic simulation of the trial at the cluster and study site level, which is subsequently run to forecast the future prevalence of STH infections. The simulator takes into account both the uncertainties in parameter estimation and the variability inherent in epidemiological and demographic processes in the simulator. We interpret the forecast results from our simulation with reference to the stated goal of the DeWorm3 trial, to achieve a target of [Formula: see text] prevalence at a point 24 months post-cessation of MDA. RESULTS: Simulated output predicts that the two arms will be distinguishable from each other in all three country sites at the study end point. In India and Malawi, measured prevalence in the intervention arm is below the threshold with a high probability (90% and 95%, respectively), but in Benin the heterogeneity between clusters prevents the arm prevalence from being reduced below the threshold value. At the level of individual study arms within each site, heterogeneity among clusters leads to a very low probability of achieving complete elimination in an intervention arm, yielding a post-study scenario with widespread elimination but a few 'hot spot' areas of persisting STH transmission. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that geographical heterogeneities in transmission intensity and worm aggregation have a large impact on the effect of MDA. It is important to accurately assess cluster-level, or even smaller scale, heterogeneities in factors which influence transmission and aggregation for a clearer perspective on projecting the outcomes of MDA control of STH and other neglected tropical diseases.
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Antihelmínticos/uso terapéutico , Helmintiasis/prevención & control , Helmintos/efectos de los fármacos , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos/normas , Ensayos Clínicos Controlados Aleatorios como Asunto , Suelo/parasitología , Animales , Benin/epidemiología , Simulación por Computador , Femenino , Predicción , Helmintiasis/epidemiología , Helmintiasis/transmisión , Helmintos/clasificación , Helmintos/aislamiento & purificación , Humanos , India/epidemiología , Malaui/epidemiología , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos/métodos , Administración Masiva de Medicamentos/estadística & datos numéricos , Modelos Estadísticos , Modelos Teóricos , PrevalenciaRESUMEN
The Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis has made considerable progress but is experiencing challenges in meeting targets in some countries. Recent World Health Organization guidelines have recommended two rounds of triple-drug therapy with ivermectin, diethylcarbamazine (DEC), and albendazole (IDA), in areas where mass drug administration (MDA) results with two drugs (DEC and albendazole) have been suboptimal, as is the case in Samoa. In August 2018, Samoa was the first country in the world to implement countrywide triple-drug MDA. This paper aims to describe Samoa's experience with program coverage and adverse events (AEs) in the first round of triple-drug MDA. We conducted a large cross-sectional community survey to assess MDA awareness, reach, compliance, coverage and AEs in September/October 2018, 7-11 weeks after the first round of triple-drug MDA. In our sample of 4420 people aged ≥2 years (2.2% of the population), age-adjusted estimates indicated that 89.0% of the eligible population were offered MDA, 83.9% of the eligible population took MDA (program coverage), and 80.2% of the total population took MDA (epidemiological coverage). Overall, 83.8% (2986/3563) reported that they did not feel unwell at all after taking MDA. Mild AEs (feeling unwell but able to do normal everyday things) were reported by 13.3% (476/3563) and moderate or severe AEs (feeling unwell and being unable to do normal everyday activities such as going to work or school) by 2.9% (103/3563) of participants. This study following the 2018 triple-drug MDA in Samoa demonstrated a high reported program awareness and reach of 90.8% and 89.0%, respectively. Age-adjusted program coverage of 83.9% of the total population showed that MDA was well accepted and well tolerated by the community.