Publications

prevalence of endemic bancroftian filariasis in the high altitude region of south-eastern nigeria.	the study was aimed at determining the prevalence and intensity of wuchereria bancrofti microfilaraemia in a high altitude region of south-eastern nigeria, and ascertaining the prevalence of clinical signs and symptoms associated with the filarial infections.	2011	21715729
transforming growth factor-+¦1 variant leu10pro is associated with both lack of microfilariae and differential microfilarial loads in the blood of persons infected with lymphatic filariasis.	antigen testing and ultrasound detection have shown that many persons are infected with wuchereria bancrofti even though they do not have microfilariae (mf) in the blood. to ascertain the role of human host immunogenetics on the lack of circulating mf in the blood, 152 lymphatic filariasis (lf)-infected patients comprising 118 patients with microfilaremic (mf+, patent) infection and 34 patients with latent (mf-, antigen-positive) infection were recruited and genotyped for association of single n ...	2011	21843572
macrofilaricidal activity in wuchereria bancrofti after 2 weeks treatment with a combination of rifampicin plus doxycycline.	infection with the filarial nematode wuchereria bancrofti can lead to lymphedema, hydrocele, and elephantiasis. since adult worms cause pathology in lymphatic filariasis (lf), it is imperative to discover macrofilaricidal drugs for the treatment of the infection. endosymbiotic wolbachia in filariae have emerged as a new target for antibiotics which can lead to macrofilaricidal effects. in ghana, a pilot study was carried out with 39 lf-infected men; 12 were treated with 200ôçëmg doxycycline/day ...	2011	21687646
genital filariasis masquerading as testicular torsio.		2011	21715738
microfilaria in liver aspiration cytology: an extremely rare finding.	filariasis is a common public health problem in the indian subcontinent. the diagnosis can be made conventionally by demonstrating microfilaria in peripheral blood smears. despite its high incidence it is unusual to find microfilariae in fine-needle aspiration (fna) cytology smears. microfilariae have been reported in cytological specimens of various organs, but it is extremely rare to find microfilaria in fine fna cytology of liver. we report seventh case of microfilaria in liver aspirate in a ...	2011	21695804
filariasis in africa--treatment challenges and prospects.	lymphatic filariasis (lf) and onchocerciasis are parasitic nematode infections that are responsible for a major disease burden in the african continent. disease symptoms are induced by the immune reactions of the host, with lymphoedema and hydrocoele in lf, and dermatitis and ocular inflammation in onchocerciasis. wuchereria bancrofti and onchocerca volvulus, the species causing lf and onchocerciasis in africa, live in mutual symbiosis with wolbachia endobacteria, which cause a major part of the ...	2011	21722251
Management of bilateral uveitis secondary to intraocular filariasis.		2011	21987687
filariasis presenting as multiple subcutaneous nodules: a rare case report.	filariasis presenting as multiple subcutaneous nodules is very rare and only a very few cases are reported in the literature. microfilaria bancrofti is known to occur in different sites like breast, thyroid, lymph nodes, liver, lungs and body fluids, however, in contrast to the other filarial species, its occurrence in soft tissues is rarely reported. conventional method of diagnosis of filariasis is by demonstration of microfilaria in peripheral blood smear which may be diurnal or nocturnal. th ...	2011	22156357
Lymphatic filariasis in the Democratic Republic of Congo; micro-stratification overlap mapping (MOM) as a prerequisite for control and surveillance.	The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has a significant burden of lymphatic filariasis (LF) caused by the parasite Wuchereria bancrofti. A major impediment to the expansion of the LF elimination programme is the risk of serious adverse events (SAEs) associated with the use of ivermectin in areas co-endemic for onchocerciasis and loiasis. It is important to analyse these and other factors, such as soil transmitted helminths (STH) and malaria co-endemicity, which will impact on LF elimination.	2011	21923949
A 22 year follow-up study on lymphatic filariasis in Tanzania: analysis of immunological responsiveness in relation to long-term infection pattern.	Seventy-one individuals who had been examined for Wuchereria bancrofti microfilaraemia in 1975, some of whom had been offered mass treatment with diethylcarbamazine (DEC) in subsequent years, were re-identified in 1996 and examined for microfilaraemia, circulating filarial antigenemia and cellular and humoral immunoresponsiveness to crude antigen homogenates prepared from Brugia pahangi parasite material. 85.9% of the study individuals had the same infection status in 1975 and 1996, suggesting s ...	2011	21964049
development of loop-mediated isothermal amplification method for detecting wuchereria bancrofti dna in human blood and vector mosquitoes.	we have developed loop-mediated isothermal amplification (lamp) method to detect wuchereria bancrofti dna. the sensitivity and specificity of lamp method were equivalent to those of pcr method which detects sspi repeat sequence in w. bancrofti genomic dna: both methods detected one thousandth of w. bancrofti dna from one microfilaria (mf), and did not cross-react with dnas of brugia malayi, b. pahangi, dirofilaria immitis, human and culex quinquefasciatus. we also examined the sensitivity of lam ...	2011	21930238
bacillus sphaericus in the adults of culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes emerged from treated larvae and its effect on development of the filarial parasite, wuchereria bancrofti.	bacillus sphaericus is a bio-control agent effective against culex quinquefasciatus, the vector of bancroftian filariasis. apart from its larvicidal effect, there are reports of reduced infection of filarial parasites in mosquitoes exposed to it. in the present study, adults of cx. quinquefasciatus emerged from b. sphaericus treated larvae were fed on blood samples positive for microfilariae of wuchereria bancrofti and examined at various time intervals to assess the infection level. the rate of ...	2011	22173452
tropical pulmonary eosinophilia misdiagnosed as miliary tuberculosis: a case report and literature review.	tropical pulmonary eosinophilia is prevalent in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. it is an occult form of human filariasis and results from an exaggerated immune response to filarial parasites wuchereria bancrofti and brugia malayi. tuberculosis is prevalent in our country and may mimic almost any pulmonary disease on chest skiagram. here we describe a patient with acute chest symptoms and micro-nodular opacity over chest roentogenogram, diagnosed as miliary tuberculosis and tre ...	2011	22172479
Microfilariae of Wuchereria bancrofti in urine: an uncommon finding.	Filariasis is a global health problem commonly seen in tropics and subtropics. Microfilariae has been reported in cytological specimens from various sites but is an unusual finding from sediments of centrifuged normally voided urine samples. This highlights the presence of adult worms in the lymphatics and thus helping in prompt decision to start antihelminthic treatment besides providing surgical treatment for chyluria.	2011	21994197
Nigeria anopheles vector database: an overview of 100 years' research.	Anopheles mosquitoes are important vectors of malaria and lymphatic filariasis (LF), which are major public health diseases in Nigeria. Malaria is caused by infection with a protozoan parasite of the genus Plasmodium and LF by the parasitic worm Wuchereria bancrofti. Updating our knowledge of the Anopheles species is vital in planning and implementing evidence based vector control programs. To present a comprehensive report on the spatial distribution and composition of these vectors, all publis ...	2011	22162764
epidemiological and entomological evaluations after six years or more of mass drug administration for lymphatic filariasis elimination in nigeria.	the current strategy for interrupting transmission of lymphatic filariasis (lf) is annual mass drug administration (mda), at good coverage, for 6 or more years. we describe our programmatic experience delivering the mda combination of ivermectin and albendazole in plateau and nasarawa states in central nigeria, where lf is caused by anopheline transmitted wuchereria bancrofti. baseline lf mapping using rapid blood antigen detection tests showed mean local government area (lga) prevalence of 23% ...	2011	22022627
impact of basic lymphedema management and antifilarial treatment on acute dermatolymphangioadenitis episodes and filarial antigenaemia.	a major factor in the progression of lymphedema is acute dermatolymphangioadenitis (adla).	2011	21887053
[differential diagnosis of imported filariasis by molecular techniques (2006-2009)].	the last few years has seen an increase in the number of immigrants and travellers from endemic areas where filariasis are mainly caused by loa loa (l. loa), mansonella perstans (m. perstans) and wuchereria bancrofti (w. bancrofti) species. these demographic changes has led to the need for better filariae species-specific molecular diagnostic tests to solve problems, as alternatives to the more time consuming classic parasitology methods. thus, the objective of the present work was the implement ...	2011	21906850
lymphatic filariasis in western ethiopia with special emphasis on prevalence of wuchereria bancrofti antigenaemia in and around onchocerciasis endemic areas.	lymphatic filariasis is known to be endemic in gambella region, western ethiopia, but the full extent of its endemicity in other regions is unknown. a national mapping program for ethiopia was initiated in 2008. this report summarizes initial data on the prevalence of wuchereria bancrofti antigenaemia based on surveys carried out in a sampled population of 11685 individuals living in 125 villages (112 districts) of western ethiopia. the overall prevalence rate was 3.7%, but high geographical clu ...	2011	22154976
bayesian geostatistical modelling of malaria and lymphatic filariasis infections in uganda: predictors of risk and geographical patterns of co-endemicity.	in uganda, malaria and lymphatic filariasis (causative agent wuchereria bancrofti) are transmitted by the same vector species of anopheles mosquitoes, and thus are likely to share common environmental risk factors and overlap in geographical space. in a comprehensive nationwide survey in 2000-2003 the geographical distribution of w. bancrofti was assessed by screening school-aged children for circulating filarial antigens (cfa). concurrently, blood smears were examined for malaria parasites. in ...	2011	21989409
wolbachia effects on host fitness and the influence of male aging on cytoplasmic incompatibility in aedes polynesiensis (diptera: culicidae).	the endosymbiotic bacteria wolbachia manipulate host reproduction by inducing a form of sterility known as cytoplasmic incompatibility (ci), promoting the invasion of infection into natural host populations. ci has received attention for use in applied strategies to control insect vectors of disease. thus, to understand both naturally occurring wolbachia invasions and evaluate potential applied strategies, it is important to understand wolbachia interactions with its host, including impacts on f ...	2011	21936319
future prospects and challenges of vaccines against filariasis.	filarial infections remain a major public health and socio-economic problem across the tropics, despite considerable effort to reduce disease burden or regionally eliminate the infection with mass drug administration programs. the sustainability of these programs is now open to question due to a range of issues, not least of which is emerging evidence for drug resistance. vaccination, if developed appropriately, remains the most cost-effective means of long term disease control. the rationale fo ...	2011	22150082
the global programme to eliminate lymphatic filariasis: history and achievements with special reference to annual single-dose treatment with diethylcarbamazine in samoa and fiji.	diethylcarbamazine (dec), first introduced in 1947, was shown to have strong efficacy and safety for treatment of human lymphatic filariasis, which is caused mostly by a species wuchereria bancrofti. many studies to optimize the dosage and treatment schedule of dec followed, and, based on the results, control programs with various regimens were implemented in different endemic areas/countries. by the mid 1970s, with endorsement by the who expert committee on filariasis (3rd report, 1974), the st ...	2011	22028608
[process for lymphatic filariasis elimination in jiangsu province, china].	to review the process of lymphatic filariasis elimination in jiangsu province, and summarize the control experience.	2011	22164632
Cross-reaction of antigen preparations from adult and larval stages of the parasite Setaria equina with sera from infected humans with Wuchereria bancrofti.	Crude antigenic preparations from Setaria equina were used in ELISA and Western blotting to examine cross-reaction with human sera from areas endemic for bancroftian filariasis. Sera from normal subjects from non-endemic areas were included as negative controls. Cross-reaction was found between S. equina antigens and antibodies in the sera of Wuchereria bancrofti-infected patients, with the highest levels observed between sera of chronic infected patients and Setaria spp. crude female worm surfa ...	2011	21977571
Impact of polystyrene beads as a mosquito control measure to supplement lymphatic filariasis elimination activities in Socotra Island, Yemen.	Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is targeted for worldwide elimination. In Yemen, all mainland implementation units met the WHO criteria for stopping mass drug administration (MDA) after 5 rounds. However, in Socotra Island these criteria were not met. Our study evaluated the efficacy of applying expanded polystyrene beads (EPBs) on the Culex population and the effect on LF transmission. Human and mosquito surveys were conducted in 40 randomly selected households in Hadibo (capital of Socotra) before a ...	2011	21972477
molecular differentiation of nocturnally periodic and diurnally sub-periodic wuchereria bancrofti by randomly amplified polymorphic dna (rapd).	wuchereria bancrofti, a nematode parasite, is responsible for causing 90% of lymphatic filariasis infection in the world. in india, w. bancrofti exists in two physiological forms, nocturnally periodic in the main land and diurnally sub-periodic in car nicobar group of islands. differentiation of these two parasitic forms by conventional microscopic methods difficult requiring good skill and hence tedious. therefore, we developed a simple and rapid random amplified polymorphic dna (rapd) assay to ...	2011	25187153
development and characterization of monoclonal antibodies against wbsxp-1 for the detection of circulating filarial antigens.	the importance of developing effective assays to diagnose, monitor and evaluate human lymphatic filariasis has been emphasized by the world health organization. presently, few immunodiagnostics are available for filarial monitoring programmes. the wuchereria bancrofti (wb) sxp-1 parasite protein, with 84% homology to brugia malayi (bm) sxp-1, was found to be highly immunogenic. wbsxp-1 is one among the diagnostic candidate molecules that were used for developing a rapid-antibody-flow-through dia ...	2011	20338077
role of fine needle aspiration cytology in diagnosis of filarial infestation.	filariasis is a tropical disease transmitted by the culex mosquitoes. the diagnosis of it is conventionally made by demonstrating microfilariae in the peripheral blood smear. however; microfilariae and adult filarial worm have been incidentally detected in fine needle aspirates of various lesions in clinically unsuspected cases. the cases of filariasis diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology (fnac) were retrieved from the archives of the cytopathology laboratory between the periods of janua ...	2011	20091903
detection and discrimination of loa loa, mansonella perstans and wuchereria bancrofti by pcr-rflp and nested-pcr of ribosomal dna its1 region.	the ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (dna) internal transcribed spacer region (its1) of two filarial nematodes, loa loa and mansonella perstans, was amplified and further sequenced to develop an species-specific polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (pcr-rflp) protocol for the differentiation of both species from wuchereria bancrofti, three filarial nematodes with blood circulating microfilariae. the its1-pcr product digested with the restriction endonuclease ase i ge ...	2011	20599994
the impact of a national program to eliminate lymphatic filariasis in selected myanmar immigrant communities in bangkok and ranong province, thailand.	some immigrants from myanmar to thailand have brought wuchereria bancrofti infections with them, causing a community health problem for thai citizens. the seroprevalence of bancroftian filariasis was detected in 438 and 512 myanmar immigrants residing in bangkok and ranong provinces, respectively, along with 81 thai citizens living in bangkok. the immunochromatograpy card test was positive in 5 myanmar immigrants living in bangkok and 1 living in ranong for a prevalence of 0.63%. antifilarial ig ...	2011	22299429
diethylcarbamazine and non-diethylcarbamazine related bancroftian granuloma: an immunohistochemical study of eosinophil toxic proteins.	it has been suggested, mostly using in vitro experiments, that defenses against parasites involve mainly activated eosinophils and their toxic proteins, such as major basic protein (mbp), eosinophil cationic protein (ecp) and eosinophil peroxidase (epo). eosinophil degranulation has been described around degenerating onchocercal microfilariae in patients treated with diethylcarbamazine (dec). in bancroftian filariasis, traditional histopathologic studies have shown remarkable numbers of eosinoph ...	2010	23675184
lymphatic filariasis in east district, sikkim.	east district of sikkim has been considered as non-endemic for lymphatic filariasis (lf). however, a lf survey conducted during 2008 revealed microfilaria rate (mf rate) of 1.2%. the lf survey was carried out in 15 randomly selected villages and urban localities of east sikkim. out of 3,428 night blood smears collected and examined, 42 were found positive for wuchereria bancrofti. microfilaria (mf) carriers were detected from 5 surveyed villages and 5 urban localities of singtam and rangpoo with ...	2010	22468549
elimination of lymphatic filariasis in southeast asia.	approximately 15 million people with lymphatic filariasis (lf) live in southeast asia. wuchereria bancrofti (transmitted by the mansonia and anopheles vectors), brugia malayi and brugia timori (both transmitted by culex quinquefasciatus) are the filarial species in this region. the endemic countries are: cambodia, lao people's democratic republic, the philippines, indonesia, thailand and timor-leste, which have all agreed to eliminate transmission of the disease by 2020. the public health interv ...	2010	20624533
vector transmission heterogeneity and the population dynamics and control of lymphatic filariasis.	a long-standing gap in lymphatic filariasis epidemiology is quantifying the potential effect that heterogeneous infection processes occurring in the major mosquito vector genera may have on parasite transmission and control. although previous studies have focussed on examining the forms of the density dependent mechanisms regulating larval infection in various mosquito genera, there has been little work done thus far in investigating how such differential processes might interact with density-de ...	2010	20632527
the role of ultrasonography in the differentiation of the various types of filaricele due to bancroftian filariasis.	objective: (i) to determine the frequencies of urogenital pathologies in men infected with bancroftian filariasis, and (ii) to evaluate the role of ultrasonography (usg) as a diagnostic tool to differentiate between diverse pathologies with different clinical implications. to date, all types of scrotal enlargement resulting from lymphatic filariasis (lf) have been summarized under one term: "filaricele". patients and methods: data were compiled from recruitment phases for field trials in an ende ...	2010	20673752
review on global co-transmission of human plasmodium species and wuchereria bancrofti by anopheles mosquitoes.	malaria and lymphatic filariasis are two of the most common mosquito-borne parasitic diseases worldwide which can occur as concomitant human infections while also sharing common mosquito vectors. this review presents the most recent available information on the co-transmission of human plasmodium species and wuchereria bancrofti by anopheles mosquitoes. important biological and epidemiological aspects are also described including the lifecycle of each parasite species and their specificities, th ...	2010	19941975
association between mannose-binding lectin polymorphisms and wuchereria bancrofti infection in two communities in north-eastern tanzania.	the association between selected mannose-binding lectin (mbl) genotype polymorphisms and wuchereria bancrofti infection status was assessed among individuals whose infection status had been monitored for three decades. blood samples were collected in 2006 and examined for polymorphisms in the mbl-2 gene and for w. bancrofti-specific circulating filarial antigen (cfa) status. logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between mbl genotype and cfa status, with low-expression mbl ...	2010	20065005
doxycycline for mansonella perstans infection.		2010	20089982
wuchereria bancrofti: diminished platelet activation in filarial patients.	blood platelets are the innate immune elements that have not been investigated in human filarial infections. platelet activation status in the endemic normals (en), microfilaria positive individuals (mf) and patients with chronic pathology (cp) was evaluated in whole blood, under unstimulated as well as antigen exposed (bma, e. coli) conditions for pac-1 expression by flow cytometry. a diminished pac-1 expression was observed in mf compared to cp and en spontaneously as well as upon antigen expo ...	2010	20093116
lymphatic filarial species differentiation using evolutionarily modified tandem repeats: generation of new genetic markers.	polymerase chain reaction based methods are promising tools for the monitoring and evaluation of the global program for the elimination of lymphatic filariasis. the currently available pcr methods do not differentiate the dna of wuchereria bancrofti or brugia malayi by a single pcr and hence are cumbersome. therefore, we designed a single step pcr strategy for differentiating bancroftian infection from brugian infection based on a newly identified gene from the w. bancrofti genome, abundant larv ...	2010	20132908
the long battle against a horrific disease.		2010	20133549
molecular characterization of a truncated antigen (wb14) of sxp-1 of wuchereria bancrofti from four endemic regions in india.	wb14 of wuchereria bancrofti, an orthologue of brugia malayi sxp-1 and w. bancrofti sxp-1, was amplified from genomic dna of w. bancrofti microfilaria collected from four distant geographical locations in india viz., vellore, bhubaneshwar, pondicherry and sevagram. the gene was sub-cloned in a prokaryotic vector prset and expressed in escherichia coli as a truncated protein (approximately 23kda). the nucleotide sequence of the gene is 98% similar to that of wbsxp-1 and is found to be intron-less ...	2010	20138869
detection of wuchereria bancrofti l3 larvae in mosquitoes: a reverse transcriptase pcr assay evaluating infection and infectivity.	detection of filarial dna in mosquitoes by pcr cannot differentiate infective mosquitoes from infected mosquitoes. in order to evaluate transmission risk an assay is needed that can specifically detect infective l3 stage parasites. we now report the development of an assay that specifically detects the infective stage of wuchereria bancrofti in mosquitoes. the assay detects an l3-activated mrna transcript by reverse-transcriptase pcr (rt-pcr).	2010	20169115
an integrative treatment for lower limb lymphedema (elephantiasis).		2010	20180687
filarial selenium glutathione peroxidase: a probable immunodiagnostic marker for lymphatic filariasis.	lymphatic filariasis (lf) caused by wuchereria bancrofti is widely prevalent in tropical and subtropical countries. night blood film examination is most commonly used for diagnosis of filariasis but is cumbersome and labour intensive. in order to develop an indirect elisa-based immunodiagnostic test, the importance of antifilarial igg subclasses was evaluated in bancroftian filariasis patients. blood samples from healthy individuals and different categories of lf patients were used to estimate t ...	2010	20227740
molecular evidence for a functional ecdysone signaling system in brugia malayi.	filarial nematodes, including brugia malayi, the causative agent of lymphatic filariasis, undergo molting in both arthropod and mammalian hosts to complete their life cycles. an understanding of how these parasites cross developmental checkpoints may reveal potential targets for intervention. pharmacological evidence suggests that ecdysteroids play a role in parasitic nematode molting and fertility although their specific function remains unknown. in insects, ecdysone triggers molting through th ...	2010	20231890
ultrastructural analysis of wuchereria bancrofti (nematoda: filarioidea) body wall.	bancroftian filariasis constitutes the principal mosquito-borne nematode infection of humans and the surface of adult of wuchereria bancrofti seems to be especially important in the intricate interplay between host and parasite. the study of the parasite's surface structure might help to understand the localization and function of various organelles. w. bancrofti adult worms were recovered from untreated patients during hydrocele repair surgery and studied by transmission electron microscopy. th ...	2010	20236829
at homeostasis filarial infections have expanded adaptive t regulatory but not classical th2 cells.	despite the well-documented immune suppression associated with human helminth infections, studies characterizing the immune response at the single-cell level are scanty. we used multiparameter flow cytometry to characterize the type of effector (th1, th2, and th17) and regulatory (natural t regulatory cells [ntregs] and adaptive treg cells [atreg/type 1 regulatory cells (tr1s)]) cd4(+) and cd8(+) t cells in filaria-infected (fil(+)) and -uninfected (fil(-)) individuals at homeostasis (in the abs ...	2010	20357251
mitochondrial genes for heme-dependent respiratory chain complexes are up-regulated after depletion of wolbachia from filarial nematodes.	the filarial nematodes brugia malayi, wuchereria bancrofti and onchocerca volvulus cause elephantiasis or dermatitis and blindness resulting in severe morbidity. annually, 1.3 billion people are at risk of infection. targeting the essential wolbachia endobacteria of filarial nematodes with doxycycline has proven to be an effective therapy resulting in a block in embryogenesis, worm development and macrofilaricidal effects. however, doxycycline is contraindicated for a large portion of the at ris ...	2010	20362581
evidence for wolbachia symbiosis in microfilariae of wuchereria bancrofti from west bengal, india.	wolbachia are symbiotic endobacteria that infect the majority of filarial nematodes, including wuchereria bancrofti, brugia malayi and onchocerca volvulus. recent studies have suggested that wolbachia are necessary for the reproduction and survival of filarial nematodes and have highlighted the use of antibiotic therapy such as tetracycline/doxycycline as a novel method of treatment for infections caused by these organisms. before such therapy is conceived and implemented on a large scale, it is ...	2010	20413911
feasibility and effectiveness of basic lymphedema management in leogane, haiti, an area endemic for bancroftian filariasis.	approximately 14 million persons living in areas endemic for lymphatic filariasis have lymphedema of the leg. clinical studies indicate that repeated episodes of bacterial acute dermatolymphangioadenitis (adla) lead to progression of lymphedema and that basic lymphedema management, which emphasizes hygiene, skin care, exercise, and leg elevation, can reduce adla frequency. however, few studies have prospectively evaluated the effectiveness of basic lymphedema management or assessed the role of c ...	2010	20422031
a multicenter evaluation of a new antibody test kit for lymphatic filariasis employing recombinant brugia malayi antigen bm-14.	antibody tests are useful for mapping the distribution of lymphatic filariasis (lf) in countries and regions and for monitoring progress in elimination programs based on mass drug administration (mda). prior antibody tests have suffered from poor sensitivity and/or specificity or from a lack of standardization. we conducted a multicenter evaluation of a new commercial elisa that detects igg4 antibodies to the recombinant filarial antigen bm14. four laboratories tested a shared panel of coded ser ...	2010	20430004
production and immunological characterization of a recombinant subunit of a loa loa polyprotein antigen.	diagnosis of loiasis and analysis of the specific immune response are limited by a paucity of parasite material. to circumvent this problem, a loa loa antigen has been expressed in a prokaryote vector (ptrchis). immunization of balb/c mice with this soluble recombinant protein produced a strong antibody response, with antibodies recognizing 2 major bands of 38 and 20 kda in a native crude extract of loa loa adult worms and microfilariae on western blots. the target molecule was located mainly in ...	2010	20441677
microfilariae in lymph node aspirate associated with metastatic gastric carcinoma: a case report.	microfilariae of wuchereria bancrofti inhabit peripheral blood, and nocturnal periodicity is observed in the indian subcontinent. however, microfilariae have been reported in various tissues and organs by needle aspiration cytology in atypical cases. occasionally, they were detected in cases with some diseases including malignancy.	2010	20518418
retroperitoneal filariasis diagnosed by fine needle aspiration: a case report.	filarial worms lodge anywhere, from body fluids to subcutaneous tissue, as various case reports prove.	2010	20518420
molecular-based assay for simultaneous detection of four plasmodium spp. and wuchereria bancrofti infections.	four major malaria-causing plasmodium spp. and lymphatic filariasis-causing wuchereria bancrofti are co-endemic in many tropical and sub-tropical regions. among molecular diagnostic assays, multiplex polymerase chain reaction (pcr)-based assays for the simultaneous detection of dnas from these parasite species are currently available only for p. falciparum and w. bancrofti or p. vivax and w. bancrofti. using a post-pcr oligonucleotide ligation detection reaction-fluorescent microsphere assay (ld ...	2010	20519596
a mechanism for chronic filarial hydrocele with implications for its surgical repair.	chronic hydrocele is the most common manifestation of bancroftian filariasis, an endemic disease in 80 countries. in a prospective study, we evaluated the occurrence of intrascrotal lymphangiectasia, gross appearance/consistency of the testis, and the efficacy of complete excision of hydrocele sac in patients living in a bancroftian filariasis endemic area who underwent hydrocelectomy at the center for teaching, research and tertiary referral for bancroftian filariasis (nepaf).	2010	20532225
bancroftian filariasis among the mbembe people of cross river state, nigeria.	bancroftian filariasis is a major public health and socioeconomic problems in the humid tropical and subtropical regions of the world. a study was undertaken to investigate the status of the disease in some rural communities of cross river state, nigeria, with a view to enriching the epidemiological baseline data of the disease in nigeria.	2010	20539046
association between toll-like receptor 2 (tlr2) polymorphisms and asymptomatic bancroftian filariasis.	lymphatic filariasis is mainly caused by the filarial nematodes wuchereria bancrofti and brugia malayi. wolbachia, intracellular symbiotic bacteria in filarial parasite, is known to induce immune response predominantly through toll-like receptor 2 (tlr2). this study was performed to investigate the association between polymorphisms of the tlr2 gene and susceptibility to asymptomatic bancroftian filariasis. a total of 142 unrelated asymptomatic bancroftian filariasis patients and 151 endemic norm ...	2010	20549240
lymphatic filariasis in children: age dependent prevalence in an area of india endemic for wuchereria bancrofti infection.	lymphatic filariasis has been considered as a disease of adults and most epidemiological surveys have excluded children. the prevalence of infection and clinical manifestations of the disease among children in the age group of 1-15 years was determined in a wuchereria bancrofti endemic area. the 1383 children from the rural villages of a coastal district (khurda), state of orissa, india, were studied. the finger prick blood (50ìl) samples were collected between 20:30 and 23:30 hours for parasito ...	2010	20562812
assessment of family and neighbors of an individual infected with wuchereria bancrofti from a non-endemic area in the city of maceió, brazil.	the family and neighbors of a patient infected with w. bancrofti microfilariae were assessed aiming to evaluate the occurrence of cases of lymphatic filariasis in a non-endemic area in the city of maceió, in the brazilian state of alagoas. the patient had previously lived in an endemic focus; however, he has been living in an area where the parasite has never been detected for the past ten years. female ingurgitated culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes captured in the houses of the microfilaremic i ...	2010	20563436
size and charge antigens of dirofilaria immitis adult worm for igg-elisa diagnosis of bancroftian filariasis.	we used dirofilaria immitis adult worm antigens to develop an igg-elisa, then used this to evaluate 30 serum samples of patients with proven wuchereria bancrofti infection, 131 samples of patients with other parasitic diseases and 30 serum samples of healthy controls. the d. immitis antigen was prepared using two methods: sephacryl s-200 chromatography and iso-electric focusing with a rotofor cell. this was done to determine the best method for diagnosing w. bancrofti filariasis. before fraction ...	2010	20578510
the bacteria wolbachia in filariae, a biological russian dolls' system: new trends in antifilarial treatments.	filarial nematode species can host wolbachia bacterial endosymbionts. to understand the symbiosis, a higher level of complexity should be considered, taking in account the tripartite association between wolbachia, filariae and mammals. this overview article discusses the biology of wolbachia in filariae, including their distribution and phylogeny, mechanisms of action, inflammatory consequences on mammal host and biological control implications for filariases. potential directions for future res ...	2010	20597434
lymphatic filariasis in india: epidemiology and control measures.	lymphatic filariasis caused by wuchereria bancrofti and brugia malayi is an important public health problem in india. both parasites produce essentially similar clinical presentations in man, related mainly to the pathology of the lymphatic system. filariasis is endemic in 17 states and six union territories, with about 553 million people at risk of infection. the government of india has accorded a high priority for elimination of this infection through mass chemotherapy programme (annual, singl ...	2010	20739779
crucial epitopes of wuchereria bancrofti abundant larval transcript recognized in natural infection.	lymphatic filariasis is a tropical disease, with over 40 million people seriously incapacitated due to lymphangitis and elephantiasis. over 99% of infections are caused by the nematode wuchereria bancrofti. expressed sequence tag (est) analysis of filarial genome identified novel infective larval (l3) stage-specific antigen, abundant larval transcript (alt-2), which was shown to be highly essential for parasite establishment and survival in the host. the unique structural features and immunologi ...	2010	20803227
post-kidney transplantation lymphocele due to a lymphatic filariasis.	lymphocele is a well-known complication of renal transplantation. presenting symptoms are nonspecific; most patients are entirely asymptomatic. herein, we have reported a case of lymphocele due to an asymptomatic lymphatic wuchereria bancrofti filariasis with deterioration of graft function. a 53-year-old man with end-stage renal disease secondary to vascular disease was admitted 40 days after transplantation with vague, isolated abdominal pain. an abdomen and pelvis ultrasound examination demon ...	2010	20832594
filarial labial chylorrhoea: an uncommon problem in an endemic region.		2010	20845300
elevated levels of plasma angiogenic factors are associated with human lymphatic filarial infections.	lymphatic dilatation, dysfunction, and lymphangiogenesis are hallmarks of patent lymphatic filariasis, observed even in those with subclinical microfilaremia, through processes associated, in part, by vascular endothelial growth factors (vegfs). a panel of pro-angiogenic factors was measured in the plasma of subjects from filaria-endemic regions using multiplexed immunological assays. compared with endemic normal control subjects, those with both subclinical microfilaremia, and those with longst ...	2010	20889885
up-regulation of lipophorin (lp) and lipophorin receptor (lpr) gene in the mosquito, culex quinquefasciatus (diptera: culicidae), infected with the filarial parasite, wuchereria bancrofti (spirurida: onchocercidae).	in mosquitoes, including culex quinquefasciatus, immune molecules are known to be upregulated or produced de novo upon exposure to parasites or pathogens. these molecules are regulatory in nature acting against parasite or pathogen infection and development. similarly, there are molecules that are upregulated to facilitate parasite development in the vector mosquitoes. lipophorin, a major lipid transporting lipoprotein in the hemolymph of insects, is implicated as a helper molecule in the clotti ...	2010	20922426
effect of a single dose of diethylcarbamazine, albendazole or both on the clearance of wuchereria bancrofti microfilariae and antigenaemia among microfilaria carriers: a randomized trial.	lymphatic filariasis is a major vector-borne parasitic disease. the global programme to eliminate lymphatic filariasis was launched in 1997 and currently over 570 million people are covered under it in 48 countries. mass annual single-dose drug administration of diethylcarbamazine (dec), co-administrated with albendazole for 5-6 years and mass distribution of diethylcarbamazine-fortified salt are the two strategies for elimination of filariasis.	2010	20925201
pathogenomics of culex quinquefasciatus and meta-analysis of infection responses to diverse pathogens.	the mosquito culex quinquefasciatus poses a substantial threat to human and veterinary health as a primary vector of west nile virus (wnv), the filarial worm wuchereria bancrofti, and an avian malaria parasite. comparative phylogenomics revealed an expanded canonical c. quinquefasciatus immune gene repertoire compared with those of aedes aegypti and anopheles gambiae. transcriptomic analysis of c. quinquefasciatus genes responsive to wnv, w. bancrofti, and non-native bacteria facilitated an unpr ...	2010	20929811
improving community participation to eliminate lymphatic filariasis in american samoa.	in 2000, the american samoa department of health initiated a campaign of annual mass drug administration (mda) with albendazole and diethylcarbamazine (dec) to eliminate transmission of filariasis. drug coverage was well below prescribed targets in the first three campaigns, ranging from 24 to 52% of the total population. evaluation findings from a variety of formative research methods identified opportunities to improve mda coverage and ensuing program modifications resulted in increased drug c ...	2010	20932818
evaluation of effectiveness of diethylcarbamazine/albendazole combination in reduction of wuchereria bancrofti infection using multiple infection parameters.	objectives: to evaluate the effect of multiple rounds of annual single dose of dec (6mg/kg) or albendazole (400mg) given alone or in combination on wuchereria bancrofti microfilaraemia, anti-filarial igg1 and igg4 and antigenaemia. methods: a total of 170 participants were randomly assigned to albendazole (n=62), dec (n=54), and dec plus albendazole (dec/alb) combination (n=54). blood samples were collected at pre-treatment in 1998, at 1 week and 6 months after the first treatment and thereafter ...	2010	20933491
[filaria].		2010	20942062
expanded numbers of circulating myeloid dendritic cells in patent human filarial infection reflect lower ccr1 expression.	apc dysfunction has been postulated to mediate some of the parasite-specific t cell unresponsiveness seen in patent filarial infection. we have shown that live microfilariae of brugia malayi induce caspase-dependent apoptosis in human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (dcs) in vitro. this study addresses whether apoptosis observed in vitro extends to patent filarial infections in humans and is reflected in the number of circulating myeloid dcs (mdcs; cd11c(-)cd123(lo)) in peripheral blood of infe ...	2010	20956349
microfilaria in malignant pleural effusion: an unusual association.	lymphatic filariasis is common in tropical countries and is endemic in india. filariasis presenting with pleural effusion is an unusual presentation. malignancy in association of filarial pleural effusion is extremely rare. we report a case of a 60-year-old female who presented with chest pain, loss of weight and breathlessness for a few months. pleural fluid examination revealed malignant cells, along with microfilaria of wuchereria bancrofti.	2010	20966579
toward molecular parasitologic diagnosis: enhanced diagnostic sensitivity for filarial infections in mobile populations.	the diagnosis of filarial infections among individuals residing in areas where the disease is not endemic requires both strong clinical suspicion and expert training in infrequently practiced parasitological methods. recently developed filarial molecular diagnostic assays are highly sensitive and specific but have limited availability and have not been closely evaluated for clinical use outside populations residing in areas of endemicity. in this study, we assessed the performance of a panel of ...	2010	20980560
use of high-dose, twice-yearly albendazole and ivermectin to suppress wuchereria bancrofti microfilarial levels.	annual mass treatment with albendazole and ivermectin is the mainstay of current strategies to interrupt transmission of wuchereria bancrofti in africa. more-effective microfilarial suppression could potentially reduce the time necessary to interrupt transmission, easing the economic burden of mass treatment programs in countries with limited resources.	2010	21039220
higher-dose, more frequent treatment of wuchereria bancrofti.		2010	21039221
adult filarial worm by fine needle aspiration cytology of breast lumps.		2010	21053616
midgut barrier imparts selective resistance to filarial worm infection in culex pipiens pipiens.	mosquitoes in the culex pipiens complex thrive in temperate and tropical regions worldwide, and serve as efficient vectors of bancroftian lymphatic filariasis (lf) caused by wuchereria bancrofti in asia, africa, the west indies, south america, and micronesia. however, members of this mosquito complex do not act as natural vectors for brugian lf caused by brugia malayi, or for the cat parasite b. pahangi, despite their presence in south asia where these parasites are endemic. previous work with t ...	2010	21072236
a single dose of doxycycline in combination with diethylcarbamazine for treatment of bancroftian filariasis.	standard treatment of lymphatic filariasis with diethylcarbamazine (dec) is associated with systemic adverse reactions, thought to be due to the release of microfilariae material and wolbachia endosymbiotic bacteria into the blood. combination treatments with doxycycline for 3-8 weeks are more effective than standard treatment. however, long-term use of antibiotics may contribute to drug resistance and are not practical for use in remote areas. we assessed whether a single dose of doxycycline co ...	2010	21073054
touchdown-touchup nested pcr for low-copy gene detection of benzimidazole-susceptible wuchereria bancrofti with a wolbachia endosymbiont imported by migrant carriers.	a novel, sensitive and specific touchdown-touchup nested pcr (tnpcr) technique based on two useful molecular markers, a wuchereria bancrofti β-tubulin gene involved in benzimidazole susceptibility and a wolbachia ftsz gene involved in cell division, was developed to simultaneously detect the parasite w. bancrofti (w1) with its wolbachia endosymbiont (w2) from both microfilaremic and post-treatment samples of at-risk migrant carriers infected with geographical w. bancrofti isolates. the detection ...	2010	21074526
evaluation of synthetic peptides of wbsxp-1 for the diagnosis of human lymphatic filariasis.	parasitic nematodes infect nearly half of the world's human population, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. though filariasis is not fatal, it is the second leading cause of permanent and long-term disability worldwide. filariasis has a spectrum of disease manifestation and infectivity found among the infected individuals and also goes unnoticed for years. furthermore, there are ample reports emerging on the genetic variation among the parasites population. hence, it is necessary t ...	2010	21094425
incidental detection of filaria in fine-needle aspirates: a cytologic study of 14 clinically unsuspected cases at different sites.	filariasis is a major health problem in tropical countries like india. detection of microfilariae or adult worm or egg in fnac is very unusual despite the high incidence of this parasite in endemic zone. the aim of this study was to document the value of fine-needle aspiration cytology (fnac) in diagnosis of filaria at all possible sites presenting as mass or swelling.fourteen patients (nine males and five females) in the age range of 14-61 years were subjected to fnac. fna from swellings was do ...	2010	21104843
high prevalence of wuchereria bancrofti infection as detected by immunochromatographic card testing in five districts of orissa, india, previously considered to be non-endemic.	india accounts for over one-third of the world's burden of lymphatic filariasis (lf). although most coastal districts of orissa state (eastern india) are lf-endemic, the western districts of orissa are considered non-endemic. during a large-scale insecticide-treated bed net/microfinance trial, we tested one randomly selected adult (age 15-60 years) for lf from a random sample of microfinance-member households in five districts of western orissa, using immunochromatographic card testing (ict). ov ...	2010	21122883
a foray for filaria.		2010	21143068
first evidence of spatial clustering of lymphatic filariasis in an aedes polynesiensis endemic area.	successful elimination of lymphatic filariasis (lf) requires accurate identification of residual foci of transmission and stringent surveillance strategies to combat potential resurgence. this is challenging in areas where the day-biting aedes polynesiensis is endemic, such as samoa, since in previous studies no geographical clustering of infection has been demonstrated. another challenge for this low prevalence phase is the choice of diagnostic assay as testing for circulating filarial antigen ...	2010	21172296
lymphedema in a guyanan migrant.		2010	21199149
identification of setaria cervi heat shock protein 70 by mass spectrometry and its evaluation as diagnostic marker for lymphatic filariasis.	using mass spectrometry and immunological approaches, a heat shock protein 70 associated with lymphatic filariasis (lf) has been identified from a bovine filarial parasite setaria cervi. a heat shock protein was detected in different life stages of s. cervi when exposed to an elevated temperature of 44 degrees c. a combination of atp-agarose column chromatography and electro-elution was used for its purification from adult female extract. on closer examination, it migrated as a single band at 68 ...	2010	19573640
oral filariasis--a case report.	filarial worms are nematodes that dwell in the subcutaneous tissues and lymphatics of human hosts. in india, filariasis is predominantly caused by a species of nematode called wuchereria bancrofti. the disease is transmitted through the bite of blood sucking mosquitoes. the salient clinical feature of the disease is lymphangitis leading to elephantiasis of the legs, arms, scrotum and breast. oral or perioral involvement is very rare. we report a case of filariasis which was diagnosed after biops ...	2010	19446380
imported bancroftian filariasis: diethylcarbamazine response and benzimidazole susceptibility of wuchereria bancrofti in dynamic cross-border migrant population targeted by the national program to eliminate lymphatic filariasis in south thailand.	the implementation on the thailand-myanmar border of annual mass drug administration (mda) of a single 6 mg/kg dose of diethylcarbamazine (dec) plus 400mg albendazole, part of the national program to eliminate lymphatic filariasis (pelf), has been challenging. in particular, chain migration of cross-border myanmar workers at risk for nocturnally periodic wuchereria bancrofti infection can lead to imported bancroftian filariasis (ibf) in thailand. ibf is targeted for multiple-dose mda with 300 mg ...	2010	19835831
transplacental transfer of filarial antigens from wuchereria bancrofti-infected mothers to their offspring.	maternal infection has been considered to be a risk factor for filarial infection in offspring. in order to examine the influence of maternal infection in neonates, we have determined the prevalence of circulating filarial antigen (cfa) and anti-filarial antibodies in 119 maternal and corresponding cord blood samples collected from an area endemic for bancroftian filariasis.	2010	19849889
towards novel antifilarial drugs: challenges and recent developments.	filariasis is caused by thread-like nematode worms, classified according to their presence in the vertebrate host. the cutaneous group includes onchocerca volvulus, loa loa and mansonella streptocerca; the lymphatic group includes wuchereria bancrofti, brugia malayi and brugia timori and the body cavity group includes mansonella perstans and mansonella ozzardi. lymphatic filariasis, a mosquito-borne disease, is one of the most prevalent diseases in tropical and subtropical countries and is accom ...	2010	21426193
absence of lymphatic filariasis infection among secondary-school children in oman.	the endemicity status of lymphatic filariasis in oman is uncertain, with only sporadic cases reported, mostly imported. immunochromatographic card test surveys were carried out to assess the presence of circulating wuchereria bancrofti antigenaemia as a marker for active infection in children from suspected high-risk areas of oman (south batinah and dhofar). lot quality assurance sampling surveys were carried out on a minimum of 250 secondary-school children aged 17-18 years in each of 8 distric ...	2010	21222423
[mapping of lymphatic filariasis: "to be (in english) or not to be"].	despite lack of supporting evidence from epidemiologic studies and/or confirmed case reports over the last 30 years, maps in non-specialist works on tropical medicine as well as in documents from specialized organizations (e.g. who) systematically include congo and gabon, two french-speaking countries, within the zone of endemic filariasis due to wuchereria bancrofti. one certainty is that no cases were found in field studies carried out in these countries in the late 1970s and 1980s but unfortu ...	2010	21520639
a review of the complexity of biology of lymphatic filarial parasites.	there are about five more common, including wuchereria bancrofti and brugia malayi, and four less common filarial parasites infecting human. genetic analysis of w. bancrofti populations in india showed that two strains of the species are prevalent in the country. the adult filarial parasites are tissue specific in the human host and their embryonic stage, called microfilariae (mf), are found in the blood or skin of the host, depending upon the species of the parasite. three genetically determine ...	2010	23129882
integrated mapping of neglected tropical diseases: epidemiological findings and control implications for northern bahr-el-ghazal state, southern sudan.	there are few detailed data on the geographic distribution of most neglected tropical diseases (ntds) in post-conflict southern sudan. to guide intervention by the recently established national programme for integrated ntd control, we conducted an integrated prevalence survey for schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminth (sth) infection, lymphatic filariasis (lf), and loiasis in northern bahr-el-ghazal state. our aim was to establish which communities require mass drug administration (mda) with ...	2009	19859537
isolation of an antigen fraction from setaria cervi adults having potential for immunodiagnosis of human filariasis.	crude antigenic preparations from heterologous filarial parasites gave false positive results because of complex nature of these antigens and their cross-reactivity with other helminth parasites. in the present study, efforts have been made to isolate and characterize the antigens from setaria cervi important for diagnostic purposes. the fractionation of s. cervi somatic antigenic preparation on sephacryl s-200 resulted in separation of three major antigenic peak fractions. crossed immunoelectro ...	2009	19860586