Has the focus of human African trypanosomiasis in Luba, Equatorial Guinea been eradicated?
Simarro, P.P.; Franco, J.R.; Asumu, P.N.
Medecine Tropicale Revue du Corps de Sante Colonial 61(4-5): 441-444
2001
ISSN/ISBN: 0025-682X PMID: 11803839 Document Number: 539285
Human African trypanosomiasis was considered a major public health problem in Luba, Equatorial Guinea in 1985. Because of the lack of qualified personnel, the emergency response consisted of a simple control strategy based on serological screening without parasitological confirmation and staging by lumbar puncture. This strategy was highly effective since the outbreak seems to have stopped. The authors discuss implications of this strategy which raises the risk of misdiagnosis and unwarranted treatment of trypanosomiasis. Other points of discussion in this article include the concept of sterilization of the disease area and need for continued low-grade surveillance.