B1284
Title: Joint geostatistical modelling of lymphatic filariasis antigenaemia and microfilariae prevalence
Authors: Claudio Fronterre - Lancaster University (United Kingdom) [presenting]
Emanuele Giorgi - Lancaster University (United Kingdom)
Abstract: Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a mosquito-borne neglected tropical disease targeted for global elimination by 2020. In recent years, the mapping of LF has been greatly facilitated by the use of simple and rapid detection tests based on the immuno-chromatographic test (ICT), which avoids the need to collect blood at night and the time-consuming preparation and examination of blood slides. Even if the scientific output of interest is the prevalence of microfilaraemia, the number of mapping surveys that measure MF is low, and it is decreasing due to the diffusion and cost-effectiveness of ICT tests. We develop a geostatistical model that exploits the abundance of ICT prevalence surveys and the relationship between ICT and MF prevalence to predict microfilaraemia prevalence at unobserved locations. We use LF data from West-Africa to show how this modelling framework can be used to produce relevant output for control and elimination programmes.
