Socio-environmental factors associated with knowledge, attitude and practice and determinants of co-endemicity of filariasis in Chicala, Kuito province of Bié Angola (Atena Editora)

Abstract

Filariasis is an acute and chronic parasitic disease, caused by filaria of the species: Oncocerca Volvulos, Wuchereia bancrofty and Loíase, whose injuries have serious consequences for human health and as it is endemic in Angola, its study and control become imperative. Objective: To carry out an integrated study to identify filarial co-infection associated with social determinants and knowledge, attitude and practice of the population of Chicala, commune of Kuíto, province of Bié. Material and Method: After prior contact with administrators, a cross-sectional lecture study was carried out and a probabilistic cluster sample of 320 individuals from a universe of 6015 individuals was selected. After free and informed consent, a questionnaire was administered to collect clinical-socio-demographic data: Leopard skin sign or depigmentation, Blindness, elephant's foot, hydrocele and presence of eye worm. A biopsy of subcutaneous cellular tissue taken from the iliac crest or calf muscles was performed and a calibrated thick drop (GEC) was performed after digital puncture and a drop of dried blood was preserved on filter paper strips for the genetic detection of the species. Included photos with vector image Simulium, Crysops and Anopheles, Aedes and Culex to help interviewees inform about the diseases under study. Positive tests referred to the provincial NTD program to take Ivermetin 6mg/dose, each participant received one albendazole 400 mg tablet. For data processing, the Chi-square test was applied with a significance level of 0.05. Results: The average age of the participants was 32.5 years and the female sex was more represented 200 (62.5%) the male 120 (37.5%), the significance level was higher than 0.05, therefore the variables are not associated, so it is not pertinent to apply logarithmic analysis to associate knowledge, attitude and practice with the inequities observed in social determinants, through a logarithmic linear model that allows detecting more significant effects and interpreting the relationships between the variables. The macroscopic lesions found were: (5.9%) hydrocele, 13(68.4%) Elephantiasis 3(15.7%) calibrated thick drop, 1(0.3%) positive for Wuchereia bancrofty and (0) for Loiase; Leopard skin (depigmentation),8(2.5%) Blindness 3(15,7%), biopsy 174(%54.3) positive for Oncocerca Volvulos; The Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of the population the result was: Knowledge: (100%) inadequate; Attitude: (17%) marginalizes hydrocele, (29%) marginalizes blindness, (34%) marginalizes hydrocele, blindness and elephantiasis; Practice: (99.4%) uses repellent or sleeved shirt to protect against vector bites and 100% have never attended a lecture on filariae (99.7%) do not sleep under a mosquito net and (99.7%) do not take albendazole. Conclusions: The clinical-laboratory findings prove the existence of co-infection: Oncocerca Volvulos and Wuchereria bancrofty in the adult population and stimulates the distribution of ivermectin for prevention and treatment in Chicala under Community Directive without risk of side effects, after the molecular biology results confirm the GEC findings, we recommend informing the population about filariasis associated with the distribution of ivermectin and the improvement of social determinants in chicala.