Patients and methods
Study area
The study area, in Bwamba county of Bundibugyo
district in western Uganda, is located between the
Ruwenzori mountains in the south and the Semliki
Forest Reserve in the north. Crude prevalences of
M. streptocerca mf carriers of the age of 15 years
and older ranged from 5 to 89% in 12 villages. The
region is not endemic for onchocerciasis since only
three O. volvulus mf carriers had been found among
954 examined persons and these had visited endemic
areas in Zaire. However, M. perstans is highly
endemic in the surveyed villages with prevalences of
90% and above in the adult population. No other
filaria species were found (Fischer et al. 1997).