{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,24]],"date-time":"2026-08-24T13:49:58Z","timestamp":1787579398317,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":36,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,16]],"date-time":"2025-01-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1736985600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Global Institute for Disease Elimination","award":["FADE2024\/03"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["FADE2024\/03"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS ONE"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec001\">\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Lymphatic filariasis (LF), a mosquito-borne parasitic disease caused by three species of filarial worms, was first detected in Niue, a small Pacific Island nation of approximately 1,600 people, in 1954. After extensive efforts involving multiple rounds of Mass Drug Administration, Niue was validated by the World Health Organization (WHO) as having e4liminated LF as a public health problem in 2016. However, no surveillance has been conducted since validation to confirm infection rates have remained below WHO\u2019s elimination threshold. WHO has encouraged an integrated approach to disease surveillance and integrating LF post-validation surveillance (PVS) with existing surveys is an anticipated recommendation of the upcoming WHO LF-PVS guidelines. This paper describes a protocol for the implementation of an integrated approach to LF-PVS in Niue as cost-efficient and operationally feasible means of monitoring the disease in the population.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec002\">\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The LF-PVS will be implemented as part of a planned national population-based WHO STEPwise approach to non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factor surveillance (STEPS) in Niue. Integration between the LF-PVS and STEPS will occur at multiple points, including during pre-survey community awareness raising and engagement, when obtaining informed consent, during the collection of demographics, risk factor, and location data, and when collecting finger-prick blood samples (for glucose as part of the STEPS survey and LF as part of the LF-PVS). The primary outcome measure for LF transmission will be antigen positivity. Microfilaria slides will be prepared for any antigen-positive cases. Dried blood spots will be prepared for all participants for Multiplex Bead Assays-based analysis to detect anti-filarial antibodies. We estimate a total sample size of 1,062 participants aged 15\u201369, representing approximately 66% of the population.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec003\">\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The results of this study will provide insight into the status of LF in Niue and evaluate the advantages, challenges, and opportunities offered by integrated approaches to disease surveillance.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0315625","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,16]],"date-time":"2025-01-16T13:29:58Z","timestamp":1737034198000},"page":"e0315625","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":11,"title":["Integrating post-validation surveillance of lymphatic filariasis with the WHO STEPwise approach to non-communicable disease risk factor surveillance in Niue, a study protocol"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"20","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9287-8755","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Adam T.","family":"Craig","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9699-8201","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Harriet","family":"Lawford","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Grizelda","family":"Mokoia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Minerva","family":"Ikimau","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Peter","family":"Fetaui","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tonia","family":"Marqardt","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Colleen L.","family":"Lau","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,16]]},"reference":[{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0315625.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e0008289","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0008289","article-title":"A systematic review of alternative surveillance approaches for lymphatic filariasis in low prevalence settings: Implications for post-validation settings","volume":"14","author":"N Riches","year":"2020","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"key":"pone.0315625.ref002","volume-title":"Human filariasis. A global survey of epidemiology and control","author":"M. Sasa","year":"1976"},{"key":"pone.0315625.ref003","first-page":"1999","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2006","journal-title":"The PacELF way: towards the elimination of lymphatic filariasis from the Pacific"},{"key":"pone.0315625.ref004","volume-title":"A guide to mosquitoes in the Pacific","author":"TL Russell","year":"2023"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0315625.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"131","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1749-6632.2002.tb04874.x","article-title":"The pathogenesis of filarial lymphedema: is it the worm or is it the host","volume":"979","author":"PJ Lammie","year":"2002","journal-title":"Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences"},{"issue":"9","key":"pone.0315625.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e1108","DOI":"10.1016\/S2214-109X(20)30323-5","article-title":"Progress towards global elimination of lymphatic filariasis","volume":"8","author":"J Kamgno","year":"2020","journal-title":"Lancet Glob Health"},{"issue":"12","key":"pone.0315625.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e1366","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0001366","article-title":"The emerging story of disability associated with lymphatic filariasis: a critical review.","volume":"5","author":"LM Zeldenryk","year":"2011","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0315625.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"20","DOI":"10.1186\/s41182-019-0141-1","article-title":"Elimination of lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem in Niue under PacELF, 1999\u20132016","volume":"47","author":"CN Carlingford","year":"2019","journal-title":"Trop Med Health"},{"key":"pone.0315625.ref009","first-page":"1","article-title":"A revision of the Aedes scutellaris Group of Tonga: (Diptera: Culcidae).","author":"Y-M Huang","year":"1980","journal-title":"American Entomological Institute"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0315625.ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e0005476","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0005476","article-title":"Reaching endpoints for lymphatic filariasis elimination- results from mass drug administration and nocturnal blood surveys, South Gujarat, India.","volume":"11","author":"A Modi","year":"2017","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"issue":"8","key":"pone.0315625.ref011","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e0307331","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0307331","article-title":"Operational research to inform post-validation surveillance of lymphatic filariasis in Tonga study protocol: History of lymphatic filariasis elimination, rational, objectives, and design","volume":"19","author":"H Lawford","year":"2024","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"pone.0315625.ref012","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2020","journal-title":"Ending the neglect to attain the Sustainable Development Goals: a road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021\u20132030"},{"key":"pone.0315625.ref013","first-page":"365","article-title":"Global programme to eliminate lymphatic filariasis","volume":"85","author":"WHO","year":"2010","journal-title":"Wkly Epidemiol Rec"},{"key":"pone.0315625.ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1538","DOI":"10.12688\/gatesopenres.13065.1","article-title":"The roadmap towards elimination of lymphatic filariasis by 2030: insights from quantitative and mathematical modelling.","volume":"3","author":"Group NTDMCLF","year":"2019","journal-title":"Gates Open Res"},{"key":"pone.0315625.ref015","first-page":"1","volume-title":"Overview of PacELF\u2014the Pacific Programme for the Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis","author":"K Ichimori","year":"2017"},{"issue":"Supplement_1","key":"pone.0315625.ref016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"S10","DOI":"10.1093\/inthealth\/ihaa087","article-title":"Progress in the elimination of lymphatic filariasis in the Western Pacific Region: successes and challenges.","volume":"13","author":"A Yajima","year":"2021","journal-title":"International Health"},{"key":"pone.0315625.ref017","volume-title":"Niue Census of Population and Household Report","author":"Office NS","year":"2022"},{"issue":"312","key":"pone.0315625.ref018","first-page":"136","article-title":"Mass therapy in filariasis: a note on control in Niue Island.","volume":"56","author":"EJ Simpson","year":"1957","journal-title":"N Z Med J"},{"key":"pone.0315625.ref019","article-title":"An Investigation on filariasis in Niue","author":"MOT Iyengar","year":"1958","journal-title":"South Pacific Commission"},{"key":"pone.0315625.ref020","author":"James Cook University","year":"2024","journal-title":"The PacELF Endgame Project and Digital Library"},{"key":"pone.0315625.ref021","author":"World Health Organization, Pacific Community, editors","year":"1974"},{"key":"pone.0315625.ref022","author":"K. Ichimori","year":"1999","journal-title":"Proposal for national plan of work for filariasis elimination program in Niue 1999\u20132003: Towards Healthy Island"},{"key":"pone.0315625.ref023","volume-title":"Application for the verification of the elimination of lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem in Niue","author":"Niue Department of Health","year":"2012"},{"key":"pone.0315625.ref024","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"92","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-2334-9-92","article-title":"Lessons from the Pacific programme to eliminate lymphatic filariasis: a case study of 5 countries.","volume":"9","author":"C Huppatz","year":"2009","journal-title":"BMC Infect Dis"},{"key":"pone.0315625.ref025","volume-title":"WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific sixty-seventh session","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2016"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0315625.ref026","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"134","DOI":"10.1186\/s13071-021-04644-2","article-title":"Monitoring migrant groups as a post-validation surveillance approach to contain the potential reemergence of lymphatic filariasis in Togo.","volume":"14","author":"MA Dorkenoo","year":"2021","journal-title":"Parasites & Vectors."},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0315625.ref027","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e2079","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0002079","article-title":"Population migration: implications for lymphatic filariasis elimination programmes.","volume":"7","author":"KD Ramaiah","year":"2013","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"issue":"9","key":"pone.0315625.ref028","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e0005914","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0005914","article-title":"Detecting and confirming residual hotspots of lymphatic filariasis transmission in American Samoa 8 years after stopping mass drug administration","volume":"11","author":"CL Lau","year":"2017","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0315625.ref029","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e0006347","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0006347","article-title":"Comparison of antigen and antibody responses in repeat lymphatic filariasis transmission assessment surveys in American Samoa.","volume":"12","author":"KY Won","year":"2018","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"key":"pone.0315625.ref030","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"107194","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijid.2024.107194","article-title":"Anti-filarial antibodies are sensitive indicators of lymphatic filariasis transmission and enable identification of high-risk populations and hotspots","volume":"147","author":"H Lawford","year":"2024","journal-title":"Int J Infect Dis"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0315625.ref031","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2064","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-023-16894-z","article-title":"Analysis of the burden and trends of communicable diseases in Pacific Island countries from 1990 to 2019","volume":"23","author":"Y Li","year":"2023","journal-title":"BMC Public Health."},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0315625.ref032","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"74","DOI":"10.2105\/AJPH.2015.302962","article-title":"The World Health Organization STEPwise Approach to Noncommunicable Disease Risk-Factor Surveillance: Methods, Challenges, and Opportunities.","volume":"106","author":"L Riley","year":"2016","journal-title":"Am J Public Health"},{"issue":"8","key":"pone.0315625.ref033","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"906","DOI":"10.1111\/tmi.13448","article-title":"Surveillance strategies for the detection of disease outbreaks in the Pacific islands: meta-analysis of published literature, 2010\u20132019","volume":"25","author":"AT Craig","year":"2020","journal-title":"Trop Med Int Health"},{"key":"pone.0315625.ref034","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"378","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijid.2022.02.006","article-title":"Potential use of antibodies to provide an earlier indication of lymphatic filariasis resurgence in post-mass drug ad ministration surveillance in American Samoa.","volume":"117","author":"AM Cadavid Restrepo","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int J Infect Dis"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0315625.ref035","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.4269\/ajtmh.17-0371","article-title":"Use of Antibody Tools to Provide Serologic Evidence of Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis in The Gambia","volume":"98","author":"KY Won","year":"2018","journal-title":"Am J Trop Med Hyg"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0315625.ref036","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"164","DOI":"10.4269\/ajtmh.19-0365","article-title":"Integrated Cross-Sectional Multiplex Serosurveillance of IgG Antibody Responses to Parasitic Diseases and Vaccines in Coastal Kenya","volume":"102","author":"SM Njenga","year":"2020","journal-title":"Am J Trop Med Hyg"}],"container-title":["PLOS ONE"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0315625","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,16]],"date-time":"2025-01-16T13:30:14Z","timestamp":1737034214000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0315625"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Swaminathan","family":"Subramanian","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"editor"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,16]]},"references-count":36,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,16]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0315625","relation":{"has-preprint":[{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.1101\/2024.10.30.24316465","asserted-by":"object"}]},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-6203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,16]]}}}