Elimination of lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem in Niue under PacELF, 1999-2016.
Catherine N CarlingfordWayne MelroseGrizelda MokoiaPatricia M GravesKazuyo IchimoriCorinne CapuanoSung Hye KimPadmasiri AratchigeManila NosaPublished in: Tropical medicine and health (2019)
After five rounds of MDA, Niue had reduced the LF antigen population prevalence in all ages from 3.1% to below 1% and maintained this prevalence for a further five years. Due to Niue's small population, surveillance was done by whole population surveys. Niue's results support the WHO recommended strategy that five to six rounds of annual MDA with effective population coverage can successfully interrupt the transmission of LF. Niue received official acknowledgement of the validation of elimination of LF as a public health problem by the WHO Director-General and WHO Western Pacific Regional Office (WPRO) Regional Director at the 67th session of the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific held in Manila in October 2016.