Ivermectin Non-Compliance In Some Onchocerciasis Endemic Areas In Northern Nigeria

Abstract

Although ivermectin is still active in the reduction of microfilaria. A better understanding of drug compliance is essential to support elimination objectives. This study assesses the compliance of the Ivermectin Mass Drug Administration (MDA), six communities that received annual treatment for 10 to 16 years were selected. A total of 339 participants, were recruited according to ivermectin history by Convenience sampling method for population-based compliance surveys using questionnaires from males and females ≥ 5 years of age who have resided at the sample sites for ≥ 10 years or since birth. Skin snipping was performed on a total of 210 consenting participants to obtain microfilaria, positive samples and the corresponding identification numbers of the participants were recorded. The odds ratios for the association of different variables with ivermectin compliance were analyzed using Epi-Info™. The study showed a total compliance of 64.6 % (95% CI: 0.773 – 1.284) of participants in the last Ivermectin distribution. Out of 120/339 (35.4%) who did not take (swallow) the drug during the last distribution, there were reasons for not taking ivermectin during the last MDA. The microfilaria prevalence was 6.2%. The microfilaria prevalence among the participants was 6.2%, however, no significant association between the microfilaria prevalence among the MDA compliant and non-compliant participants was observed (OR =0.600; 95% CI: 0.054 – 13.479%). The majority of respondents (51.7%) indicated that the drug distributor did not come. A nationwide survey of people's responses to MDA is conducted to adopt alternative or complementary strategies for the distribution of ivermectin.