Filariasis

first World Conference Held In Papeete

rS associated diseases of filariasis and elephantiasis are common in the Pacific, but heir incidence and malignancy are ighest in the eastern Territories f French Oceania, Samoa and Fiji, 'hey are rarely fatal, but they are ariously debilitating and, in ex ■eme forms, disabling and disfig ring.

Systematic scientific research into lese mosquito-borne diseases really ammenced after World War n, hen they were frequently found tnong European troops in the outh Pacific.

The French Government founded scientific organisation to combat lariasis in 1947-48, when the In itute of Medical Research of rench Oceania was opened in apeete, and a crusade launched, his was strongly supported by a ;partment of Southern California niversity. Several hundred Tahiti sidents provided finance through le Anti-Filariasis Association of ahiti.

The campaign now has been oadened and strengthened be ,use it has been taken over by the mth Pacific Commission; and tat body organised the first inter

national conference on filariasis. held in Papeete between August 21 and September 1, and attended by 19 medical men and scientists, re presenting six nations, and all the Territories of the South Pacific.

The three objectives of the con ference were: To define the various problems raised by filariasis and elephantiasis, especially in the South Pacific; to determine the research work to be continued or undertaken in order to solve these problems; and to recommend appropriate measures to be taken for the control of these diseases, taking into account the social and economic conditions existing in the area.

Dr. Emil Massal, Executive Officer for Health of the South Pacific Commission, was chairman.

THE conference strongly recom mended that the South Pacific Commission should act as a focal point for the area in the collection, collation and dissemina tion of technical information relat ing to filariasis.

It considered that techniques for controlling filariae-carrying mos quitoes now in use in South Pacific territories should be reviewed and their wider application considered, using specially-trained native per sonnel. The measures being applied, including sanitation, the use of in secticides, biological controls, and rat control by methods which

should include banding of coconut trees in areas where rat-eaten co conuts provide a source of mosquito breeding, were all considered use ful. However, these should be selected to suit the conditions pre vailing in different areas.

Control of both diseases by drugs was also considered by the confer ence, and it was recommended that

research now being carried out on iiis aspect in Tahiti, Eastern Samoa and Fiji be continued or in ensified.

The Commission was further re luested to establish a filariae col ection comprising specimens of idult worms, development stages of ilariae in the mosquito, and of nicrofilariae in human blood amples, and to arrange for the tudy of this material by parasit

ologists, whose findings should be circulated throughout the area.

The importance in any control programme of educating Islands peoples in prevention methods was stressed, and it was recommended that the Commission should act as a clearing house for posters, pam phlets and other educational material designed for use in the intensified campaign against filariasis.