PREVENTION OF LYMPHATIC FILARIASIS : ESPECIALLY FOR AFRICA:
ABSTRACT From The Antiseptic, Madurai,TN,India, issue Vol 103-No 4, of April 2006, page 236.
by Dr. George B. Pradhan, MBBS, 9-41-29/2, VisakhaPatnam, 530003, AP, India.
Subject : Prevention of Filariasis ; thru oral supplement fluoride. on mass or family scale thru fluorinated drinking water, to the general population of the area, by concerted action of all general and health practitioners practising in the affected areas.
History: in 1940 Prof Dr R .Subra Maniam, MD, MRCP London, found that in places in south India with fluorosis there was no lynphatic filariasis. So he devised Injectible Sodium Fluoride which was popular with the G.P.s for years.
Therefore now my suggestion is to add one tablet /dispensary grade/ very inexpensive/ 0.2mg SodFluoride in 60 liters of drinking water = 3 ppm in 4 pots= per 2 or 3 days for one family of six. in all endemic areas. . and even to those immune to filaria worm.
This has to continue for 18 years = 3 reproductive life cycles of the worm,and statistical watch kept over the morbidity and prevalence etc etc.
This oral fluoride program need not at all interfere with the Global Anti Filarial Programs eg. DEC, Albendazole, Ivermectin, impregnated mosq nets, etc etc.
I strongly recommend to the Health Authorities to try this out in selected localities as pilot projects.
Dr George B. Pradhan, MBBS. India.