French Polynesia - PacELF - Elimination Of Lymphatic Filariasis in the South Pacific

Fe'fee

General Information
Capital city Number of islands Land area Language Ethnicity GNP per capita Economy	Papeete 118 3,521 sq km French, Tahitian, Polynesian dialects Polynesian, French French Territory Tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts
Total population by census (1996) Population estimated (2000) Male/Female Population growth rate Population density Life expectancy at birth	219,521 233,000 107/100 1.6% 66 sq km 71.6
Mortality: Tumours, diseases of the circulatory system, symptoms, signs and ill-defined conditions.

POPULATION	WEATHER

History of Filariasis Prevalence

Year	Area of study	Symptoms	Prevalence
1949	Tahiti	Elephantiasis	9%
		Lymphangitis	18.8%
1974	Leward Islands	Elephantiasis	1.3%
French Polynesia has had a long history of MDAs using DEC since the 1950s. The last campaign was run from 1993 to 1998 using 3 mg/kg of DEC administered every six months.

PacELF Activities carried out to date:
•	Blood Survey
•	MDA (DEC 6mg/kg + Albendazole 400mg)
•	Mass media campaign
•	Training
•	Surveillance

Filaria Type	Wuchereria bancrofti, Diurnally sub-periodic
Mosquito vectors	Aedes polynesiensis
Filariasis latest status	Endemic
Operational Staff	Malarde Institute
Partnership	GSK (Albendazole), Malarde Institute, (Technical Assistance)

Results of blood surveys carried out under PacELF Programme

Date

Test
Method

Target

Sampling Method

No. of examined

No. of positives

Positive rate(%)

2000

ICT

Sentinel Site (Tevaitoa-Tahuata)

convenience

1859

256

13.77

Nov
2002

ICT

Sentinel Site (Maupiti)

convenience

1069

42

3.93

Nov
2002 MF Sentinel Site (Maupiti) convenience 1069 0.60

Feb
2003

ICT

Sentinel Site (Tevaitoa)

convenience

1220

169

13.85

Feb
2003 MF Sentinel Site (Tevaitoa) convenience 1220 6.40

Mar
2003

ICT

Sentinel Site (Tahuata)

convenience

635

107

16.85

Mar
2003 MF Sentinel Site (Tahuata) convenience 635 5.80

Results of MDAs carried out under PacELF Programme

Year MDA Reported population
Registered
population

% Registered

Treated population

%Treated/
Reported

%Treated/
Registered

2000
1st
220000

205000 93.18

2001 2nd
225300 214149 95.05

2002 3rd 226172 211052 93.31

2003 4th 245516 221300 90.14

2004 5th 248776 230737 92.7

2005 6th 252900 104

Contact:

Ms Maeva Veccella
Bureau of Infectious Diseases
B.P 2551, Papeete, 98713
French Polynesia
Tel/ (689)460097 Fax/ (689) 488 225
E-mail: maeva.veccella@sante.gov.pf

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