Description:
<jats:p>The main objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of filarial infection among migrant workers in Kuwait. The study was conducted from April 2000 to November 2003. A total of 1050 migrant workers (>90 % from the Indian subcontinent) from filarial endemic countries and 260 individuals residing in Kuwait as controls (50 healthy Kuwaiti blood donors, 50 microfilaria-negative individuals from endemic areas and 160 patients with other parasitic infections) were screened for filarial infection. All specimens were tested for microfilaraemia by microscopy of nucleopore-filtered blood (NFB) and detection of circulating filarial antigen (CFA) by an immunochromatographic test (ICT) and the TropBio assay. The overall prevalence of filarial antigenaemia was 18·3 % (192 individuals) using the ICT and 20·3 % (213 individuals) using the TropBio assay. Thirty-two cases (3 %) of <jats:italic>Wuchereria bancrofti</jats:italic> were detected by microscopy and the mean microfilaria count in these cases was 816 microfilariae ml<jats:sup>−1</jats:sup>. CFA was detected only in two of the 260 control subjects. Statistical analysis to calculate the sensitivity, specificity and prevalence of infection was carried out using maximum-likelihood statistical methods. The overall sensitivity and specificity of the ICT and TropBio assay to detect CFA were comparable. Compared with NFB microscopy, the sensitivity of the ICT was 93·8 % and specificity ranged from 84 to 100 %. The sensitivity and specificity of the TropBio assay were 90·1 and 100 %, respectively. However, the ICT failed to detect CFA in two cases with a microfilarial load of <20 microfilariae ml<jats:sup>−1</jats:sup>. In conclusion, the prevalence of filarial infection among the migrant workers in Kuwait was 18·3 % as determined by the ICT.</jats:p>