DoH begins survey to determine impact of last year’s drive to eliminate filariasis

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Health Department has started the “impact assessment survey” targeting eight villages on Tutuila following the third round of Mass Drug Administration (MDA) to eliminate lymphatic filariasis in American Samoa that was carried out between October and November last year.

The MDA was a joint effort by DoH, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Pacific Island Health Officers Association (PIHOA) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — which say that American Samoa is the only US jurisdiction where lymphatic filariasis “continues to pose a health risk.”

One of the issues covered during a DoH news conference on Wednesday this week was a summary presentation by Lynette Suiaunoa-Scanlan with the DoH’s Lymphatic Filariasis Program, which is working towards the goal of eliminating this disease — which is spread by mosquitoes — in the territory.

Suiaunoa-Scanlan explained that DoH started this month the “impact assessment survey” for the purpose of determining if there is still transmission of filariasis in American Samoa and if the last round of MDA is reducing this transmission.

And the survey has been “modified” to cover only eight villages: Fagamalo, Fagali’i, Poloa, Amanave and Se’etaga — on the far west side of Tutuila — and three populous villages of Pavaiai, Nu’uuli and Aua.

The survey is already completed on the far west side of the island and on Tuesday evening it started at Pavaivai, and thereafter will move towards Nu’uuli and Aua.

“This is an assessment survey, to see if there is still transmission in American Samoa,” said Suiaunoa-Scanlan, who also explained that the reason for focusing on these 8 villages is because they are the considered “hot spots” from previous surveys, with high level of disease.

She said the DoH program wants to assess these particular 8 villages and to find out if the MDA has reduced the transmission of lymphatic filariasis.

Asked by the media as to how the survey is conducted, Suiaunoa-Scanlan responded that for Fagamalo, Fagali’i and Amanave the DoH program “did a census sampling — meaning we went to every household, collected about half a teaspoon of blood, from every individual who is eligible — 5 years and older.”

For the villages of Poloa and Se’etaga  DoH went to every household collecting blood from eligible residents 20 years and older.

As for Pavaiai, Nu’uuli and Aua, DoH will be conducting “random sampling” as these villages have high population counts. “We randomly select the number of households that we go to for assessment,” she said, adding that the assessment is also for 20 years and older for Pavaiai, Nu’uuli and Aua villages.

“Our goal is to complete this survey by the end of this month or the beginning of October. Results from this survey will determine if we are going to conduct another MDA or continue with another island-wide impact assessment,” she said.

For information on the ongoing survey contact DoH’s command post at 219.

As previously reported by Samoa News, the second round of mass drug administration for lymphatic filariasis — or mūmū tutupa in Samoan — was held in September of 2019.

According to the CDC, lymphatic filariasis is spread from person to person by mosquitoes. People with lymphatic filariasis can suffer severe, permanent disability. Some are unable to work because of their disability, harming their families and communities.

In the 50 U.S. states, Charleston, South Carolina, was the last known place with lymphatic filariasis. The infection disappeared early in the 20th century. However, the “U.S. territory of American Samoa remains the only location in the United Sates where one could become infected with lymphatic filariasis,” said CDC in the latest public information.

And the CDC published a report two-years ago — “Notes from the Field: Impact of a Mass Drug Administration Campaign Using a Novel Three-Drug Regimen on Lymphatic Filariasis Antigenemia — American Samoa, 2019” - which discussed lymphatic filariasis in American Samoa.

And it’s online at [https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6921a3.htm].