WP7: Comparing cost benefit ratios of test and treat approaches with the macrofilaricide doxycycline vs MDA with IVM/ALB for regional elimination of LF
This task is designed to assess if doxycycline can be used to eliminate LF in ‘hotspot’ areas. In LF, treatment with doxycycline has resulted in a high macrofilaricidal (adult worm killing) effect with a much better efficacy than the MDA combination used in Africa (ivermectin plus albendazole), which does not show macrofilaricidal effects. Doxycycline, given at 100 mg/day for 4-6 weeks, is being used for a selective treatment of LF and onchocerciasis on a very limited scale. Consequently, it is proposed in this task that doxycycline be used in 2 ‘hotspot’ districts for treating patients who harbor LF infection even after many rounds of MDA in order to determine if doxycycline can be used to eliminate LF in ‘hotspot’ areas. The task leader will be Dr. Alexander Yaw Debrah.