bring hope to haiti- establishing a lymphatic filariasis clinic
TRANSCRIPT
This presentation details our
efforts to re-establish a
Lymphatic Filariasis clinic in
Leogane HaitiFOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT
WWW.BRINGHOPETOHAITI.COM
OR EMAIL US AT: [email protected]
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Lymphatic Filariasis
Clinic at Hospital St. Croix
Leogane, Haiti
HEATHER HETTRICK PT, PHD, CWS, CLT, CLWT
ROBYN BJORK MPT, CWS, WCC, CLT-LANA, CLWT
GLOBAL ALLIANCE/US VOLUNTEERISM
SYMPOSIUM ON ADVANCES IN WOUND CARE SPRING 2014
Stats about Haiti
The people
~10.5 million
Median age 21
Life expectancy 61 M/64 W
53% literacy rate
Health
Infant mort: 52/1000
1.9% HIV/AIDS
37% lack clean water
83% lack sanitation
Economy
Poorest nation in Americas;
54% < $1/day with 80% below
poverty line
~41% unemployment
Education
Half of children do not attend school
1 of 5 attend secondary school
Primary language- Creole and French
Source: povertyresolutions.org
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Lymphatic Filariasis
Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) is a parasitic infection spread
by mosquitoes that is endemic in 83 countries with
over 1.3 billion people at risk of contracting it
Worms reside in lymphatic system where they live 4-6
years producing millions of microfilariae
Circulate in blood and picked up by mosquitoes
Result:
swelling of the limbs and breasts (lymphedema),
and/or genitals (hydrocele),
or swollen limbs with dramatically thickened, hard,
rough and fissured skin (elephantiasis)
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Stages of LF (Stage I)
Swelling reverses at night
Skin folds-absent
Appearance of skin-
smooth, normal
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Stages of LF (Stage II)
Swelling not reversible at
night
Skin folds-absent
Appearance of skin-
smooth, normal
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Stages of LF (Stage III)
Swelling not
reversible at night
Skin folds-shallow
Appearance of
skin-smooth, normal
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Stages of LF (Stage IV)
Swelling not reversible at
night
Skin folds-shallow
Appearance of skin
- Irregular, knobs, nodules
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Stages of LF (Stage V)
Swelling not reversible at
night
Skin folds-deep
Appearance of skin –
smooth or irregular
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Stages of LF (Stage VI)
Swelling not reversible at
night
Skin folds-absent,
shallow, deep
Appearance of skin-
mossy lesions on foot or
top of the toes
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Stages of LF (Stage VII)
Swelling not reversible at night
Skin folds-deep
Appearance of skin-irregular
Needs help for daily activities - Walking, bathing, using bathrooms, dependent on family or health care systems
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LF Diagnosis Since lymphatic filariasis does not always result
in clinical symptoms (may take years), the most
accurate way to determine if someone is
infected is a blood test.
In most parts of the world, the parasites have a
"nocturnal periodicity" that restricts their
appearance in the blood to only the hours of
10pm - 2am.
Therefore, the diagnosis of lymphatic filariasis
traditionally has depended on the laboratory
examination of blood taken between 10pm
and 2am when microfilaria are most common
in peripheral blood.
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LF Prevention MDA- massive drug
administration
The strategy for interrupting transmission is an annual single co-administration of two drugs for at least five years.
Haiti has been given MDA since 2000 and over 8 million of the 10.5 million people have been dosed.
Fortified salt is also provided to maintain coverage through food consumption.
MDA kills the parasite but does not cure damage to the lymphatics caused by the parasites.
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LF and Haiti Leogane has ~ 200,000 people
with ~10% afflicted by LF
Original LF clinic at Hospital St.
Croix has been closed since
2009 and now only provides
‘social counseling’
Training of local clinicians began in December of 2013 through
efforts of Brazilian embassy
Follow up training and clinic
logistics established January
2014
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Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Hospital Bernard Mevs Wound Clinic
John Macdonald, Robyn Bjork, Edaine, Clerge, Heather Hettrick
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Trainees Receive Certificates from
teachers Heather Hettrick & Robyn Bjork (ILWTI)30
Clerge: Master Clinician at
LF Clinic Leogane
The Plan 2014
Ongoing training/support for local clinicians (4-6 trips/year)
Anticipated re-opening of clinic March/April 2014
Clinic space, training/dorm facilities, and supplies have been procured
Patients have been logged and identified (500-1200 in Leogane alone)
Logistics for clinic being developed including modified CDT and
wound care
Working on funding for sustainability
Opportunities for volunteers, research, international dual certification in
lymphedema and wound care
Goals: eradication of LF by 2020; patient independence with LF
management by 2020
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