Environmental Determinants in Sustaining the Transmission of Lymphatic Filariasis: A Systematic Review

Ahmad Farid Nazmi Abdul Halim; Shahrul Azhar Md Hanif; Noor Adilla Md Anuar Hussain; Aliff Faisal Ahmad Kamar; Alabed Ali A. Alabed; Rahmat Dapari; Mohd Rohaizat Hassan

Authors

Ahmad Farid Nazmi Abdul Halim Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Shahrul Azhar Md Hanif University of Cyberjaya
Noor Adilla Md Anuar Hussain Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Aliff Faisal Ahmad Kamar Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Alabed Ali A. Alabed University of Cyberjaya
Rahmat Dapari Universiti Putra Malaysia
Mohd Rohaizat Hassan Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

Keywords:

environmental determinants, meteorological, transmission risk, Diethyl Carbamazine - MDA - Lymphatic Filariasis., elephantiasis

Abstract

Introduction:

Since mass drug administration continues in many of the endemic countries, it is vital to synthesise evidence to adapt the challenges contributed by the environments. As such, the aim of this review was to explore relationship between lymphatic filariasis prevalence and potential environmental determinants .

Methodology:

We searched the electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Scopus between Jan 1, 2013, and Dec 31, 2022, for studies fulfilling the following criteria: it was an original article investigating the environmental determinants associated with transmission of lymphatic filariasis; and the study was published in English. The quality assessment tools for observational studies from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute was used to assess the study quality. This systematic review was registered with the PROSPERO database (CRD42023393018).

Results:

We identified 409 potentially eligible published articles, of which 11 met our inclusion criteria. The main environmental determinants associated with lymphatic filariasis transmission were Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), land cover, distance to waterbody, rainfall/precipitation, elevation, slope, day land surface temperature, average annual temperature, house type and distance to stable light.

Conclusion:

This review is one of the steps towards understanding the associations between environmental determinants and transmission of lymphatic filariasis. These results can be used in future evidence-based strategies to strengthen surveillance and control strategies.

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