Publications

[loa loa: "the eye worm"].		1981	6937741
african eye worm (loa loa) in a tourist.		1981	6947709
ascending paralysis associated with diethylcarbamazine treatment of m. loa loa infection.		1982	6951321
survival of loa loa following transplantation from drills (mandrillus leucophaeus) into jirds (meriones unguiculatus): parasitology and pathology.	two drills infected with loa loa maintained a microfilaraemia for four and a half years ranging from less than 1 mf/100 microliters to 1150 mf/100 microliters. no significant tissue reactions to the adult worms were seen at autopsy. adult worms were transplanted into the peritoneal cavities of naive jirds when a persistent microfilaraemia first developed by 17 days. retransplantation of adult worms into naive jirds produced a microfilaraemia and microfilariae in the peritoneal cavities of three ...	1982	6962569
[serum immunofluorescence examination in loa ophthalmia (author's transl)].	loaiasis is a chronic parasitic disease caused by the filaria loa loa.as soon as the worm reaches the subconjunctival space local irration ensues. this so-called loa ophthalmia necessitates immediate surgical intervention which can be performed under topical anesthesia, using the slit lamp. the indirect immunofluorescence technique represents a valuable diagnostic test,since it is usually difficult to demonstrate the microfilaria in the peripheral blood.	1981	7014997
antibodies to strongyloides stercoralis larval surface antigens in chronic strongyloidiasis.	antibodies to intact rhabditiform and filariform larvae of strongyloides stercoralis were measured by indirect immunofluorescence using quantitative fluorescence microscopy. forty-four of 48 sera from infected patients (92 per cent) were positive for igg antibodies specific for surface antigens of filariform larvae. none of 30 north american adult control sera were positive. all sera from patients with schistosoma mansoni, loa loa, or hookworm infections or with idiopathic hypereosinophilia were ...	1982	7045521
age distribution of horses in kentucky infected with the eye worm thelazia lacrymalis.		1980	7189189
development and larval morphology of loa loa in experimental primate hosts.	experimental infections with loa loa were established in laboratory primates by inoculation of third-stage larvae recovered from either chrysops silacea infected after engorging on a human volunteer with loiasis, or chrysops atlanticus infected after blood feeding on experimentally infected primates. the third molt occurred at 16 to 20 days postinoculation of infective larvae, and the fourth at about 50 days. early larval development was characterized by rapid growth and marked differentiation o ...	1981	7196445
loa loa: structural diversity of a 15-kda repetitive antigen.	a ladder antigen of loa loa was identified on western blots of all life cycle stages probed with loaisis sera. the smallest subunit has a relative m(r) of about 15 kda and larger subunits represent size increments of 15.0 kda. an 1800-bp genomic clone encoding this antigen was characterized further by restriction mapping. southern blot analysis, and nucleotide sequencing. the antigen is encoded by multiple copies of a gene, linked in tandem repeats of 396 bp, each of which encodes 132 amino acid ...	1995	7556556
a new zoonosis of the cerebrospinal fluid of man probably caused by meningonema peruzzii, a filaria of the central nervous system of cercopithecidae.	a female fourth stage larva of meningonema, probably of m. peruzzii orihel et esslinger, 1973, was recovered in cameroon, from the cerebrospinal fluid of a patient harbouring loa loa, but without any neurological signs. this observation is the first human case of meningonema (filarioidea splendidofilariinae) which usually parasitizes the central nervous system of african cercopithecinae. however, as indicated by orihel and esslinger, it seems probable that the perstans-like microfilariae describ ...	1995	7582377
glycolipid antigens of adult o. volvulus reactive with patients sera from onchocerciasis endemic areas in cameroon.	lipid extraction of adult o. volvulus worms using a chloroform/methanol/water mixture yielded 10 lipid fractions of which 8 were demonstrated by the orcinol reagent to be glycolipids. in tlc, two of these lipid fractions had mobilities similar to cholesterol and cholesterol ester (rf.: 0.95, 0.86) whereas two others migrated as sphingomyelin and lecithin (rf.: 0.40, 0.35) respectively. other components migrated at intermediate positions. the glycolipids were immunologically active and reacted wi ...	1994	7604752
[african eye worm as initial manifestation of loaiasis].	history and clinical findings: a 23-year-old woman suddenly had the sensation of a foreign body in her right eye. on looking into the mirror she saw what looked like a moving worm-like structure in the lateral angle of the eye. the patient had visited cameroon 2 years previously. tests: on ophthalmological examination with a slit-lamp a transparent worm, 6-7 cm long, was seen. laboratory tests showed an eosinophilia of 13%, c-reactive protein slightly raised to 1.25 mg/dl and igg of 2100 mg/dl ( ...	1995	7656848
longitudinal survey of loa loa filariasis in southern cameroon: long-term stability and factors influencing individual microfilarial status.	a longitudinal, one-year survey of loa loa infection was carried out in an endemic area of southern cameroon. parasitologic samplings (calibrated thick blood smears) were performed every two months to study the evolution of loiasis infection at both the population and the individual level. the mean number of measurements by subject was 3.8 (range 1-6). at the population level, prevalence of infection and microfilarial load were found to be very stable over time. this observation is consistent wi ...	1995	7741181
prevalence of l. loa and m. perstans filariasis in southern cameroon.	the prevalence and microfilarial density of loa loa and mansonella perstans filariasis have been determined in three successive surveys in one village in the dense rainforest of southern cameroon. the prevalence of l. loa microfilaraemia was 30.9% with a geometric mean density of 81.4 microfilariae/30 microliter blood. there was no difference between men and women. the prevalence increased with age from 14.5% at 0-9 years to 52.9% at 40-49 years, whereafter it stablized. the microfilarial densit ...	1995	7747326
the status and consequences of mansonella perstans infection in calabar, nigeria.	two aetiological studies on filariasis were conducted from january to june, 1993. in the first study, 690 blood samples clinically diagnosed of filariasis were examined. in the other, 150 blood samples and 150 skin snips collected from the same group of eye clinic patients clinically diagnosed of filariasis were investigated. of the 690 subjects, 108 (15.64%) had filariasis with m. perstans and loa loa accounting for 98.15 and 1.85% of positive cases respectively. among the eye clinic patients, ...	1995	7796752
loa loa antigen detection by elisa: a new approach to diagnosis.	circulating immune complexes associated loa loa antigen in sera of 27 subjects with loa loa (13 'occult' and 14 microfilaraemic infections) was detected with polyethylene glycol enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (peg-elisa) in a controlled study. loa loa antigen was detected in all 27 sera. there was no correlation between antigen levels and microfilaraemia density. cross reaction with mansonella perstans was found. although this serological test is able to detect all loa loa infections, its use ...	1995	7796770
studies on filariasis in bauchi state, nigeria. ii. the prevalence of human filariasis in darazo local government area.	in an eleven months study of eleven communities of darazo local government area of bauchi state, northern nigeria, 293 (21.7) of 1,349 persons examined harboured various filarial parasites. of the sampled population, 18%, 1.9%, 1.6%, 0.5% and 0.2% had microfilariae of onchocerca volvulus, wuchereria bancrofti, mansonella perstans, m. streptocerca and loa loa respectively. of the 637 females examined, 90 (14.1%) were infected, while 203 (23.5%) of 712 males sampled had filarial infections. the hi ...	1994	7812311
ivermectin in human medicine.	ivermectin is a potent macro-cyclic lactone causing paralysis in many nematodes and arthropods through an influx of chloride ions across cell membranes. it is currently the drug of choice for human onchocerciasis and shows potent microfilaricidal activity against the other major filarial parasites of human (wuchereria bancrofti, brugia malayi, loa loa and mansonella ozzardi) but not against m. perstans. whether or not it also kills the adult-stage of these parasites is currently under study. ive ...	1994	7814280
traveller's loiasis in zimbabwe: a case report.	a case of loiasis diagnosed at wankie colliery hospital is presented. the disease was suspected by the history of the patient and the presenting clinical signs, and it was confirmed by identification of microfilariae loa loa in peripheral blood. the patient was successfully treated with a course of diethylcarbamazine. the paper gives a brief account of the clinical aspects of loiasis and emphasizes the importance of the laboratory methods to differentiate microfilariae. the case is discussed aga ...	1994	7859275
[pulmonary involvement with a favorable course during loa loa filariasis].	we report a case of pulmonary infiltrate in filariasis due to loa loa in a 52 years old patient, living in cameroon. antifilarial treatment with ivermectin then diethylcarbamazine led to a rapid resoluting of the pulmonary abnormalities. it is the fifth case of lung disease during filariasis loa loa.	1994	7866045
high levels of parasite-specific igg4 in the absence of microfilaremia in loa loa infection.	the specificity of igg4 as marker of infection has been investigated. the study was based on two well defined clinical groups: amicrofilaremic individuals with verified ocular passage of adult worms of loa loa, and microfilaremic patients. both groups were compared to africans not exposed to loiasis infection and to europeans. the study revealed that there is no significant difference in the level of parasite-specific igg4 between individuals with occult infection (i.e. amicrofilaraemic, but inf ...	1994	7899797
[filariasis caused by loa loa].		1994	8031899
loa loa: immunological responses during experimental infections in mandrills (mandrillus sphinx).	six intact, adult mandrills (mandrillus sphinx) were infected with human-derived, diurnal loa loa infective larvae. microfilaremia, hematological, and immunological parameters were followed for 2-4 years. a major aim was to investigate the relationship between specific humoral immunity to microfilariae and microfilaremia and also to assess whether infection led to generalized immune dysfunction. microfilaremia was similar to previous studies for 4 mandrills, with a prepatent period of 153.5 +/- ...	1994	8056077
the status of human filariasis in north-western zone of bauchi state, nigeria.	in a nine-months epidemiological study to assess the status of human filariasis in north-western zone of bauchi state, nigeria, 3.5% prevalence was recorded in 8 communities. of the 1536 persons examined, 54 were microfilaremic for three blood-dwelling filarial parasites. 22 (1.4%) were positive for mansonella perstans, 10 (0.7%) and 22 (1.4%) had loa loa and wuchereria bancrofti respectively. w. bancrofti showed low microfilaremia in females of reproductive age with high degree of heterogeneity ...	1994	8087153
loa loa microfilariae aspirated during oocyte retrieval.	loa loa is a filarial parasite which is mainly confined to west and central africa. although considered as mildly pathogenic for people living in endemic areas, its appearance in other places might be a cause for concern. we report here the unusual finding of loa loa microfilariae in the follicular aspirate of a 35-year-old black women during oocyte retrieval for in-vitro fertilization. most likely these microfilariae were aspirated, along with follicular fluid, from the small blood vessels arou ...	1993	8150909
efficacy of ivermectin treatment of loa loa filariasis patients without microfilaraemias.		1994	8192523
[value of filariopheresis in the treatment of loa loa filariasis].	to prevent the side effects as encephalitis, related with diethylcarbamazine treatment in loiasis, an exchange blood transfusion was proposed. to avoid the disadvantage of this heavy technique, the authors are proposing filariopheresis to trap the microfilariae using cytapheresis technique and filtration. they obtained a medium 75 p. cent microfilariae extraction: 55-70 p. cent by cytapheresis and 5-20 p. cent by filtration. the number of blood cells must be supervised as an important decrease o ...	1993	8233644
loa loa infection as a cause of migratory angioedema: report of three cases from the texas medical center.	loa loa is a filarial parasite that is endemic in west and central africa. expatriates infected with l. loa commonly develop characteristic migratory angioedema called calabar swellings. we describe three patients who presented with classical calabar swellings for whom the diagnosis of loiasis was delayed. unusual features that were present included a leukocytoclastic vasculitis seen on skin biopsy (case 1), a relatively short exposure to an area of endemicity (cases 1 and 3), and a normal eosin ...	1993	8268351
microfilarial densities, hematologic changes, and serum antibody levels in loa loa-infected rhesus monkeys (macaca mulatta).	to better define loa loa infection in the rhesus monkey and assess the potential usefulness of this host as a model for studies of human loiasis, 12 monkeys (four splenectomized and eight nonsplenectomized) were inoculated with l. loa infective larvae. microfilaremia and hematologic changes as well as parasite-specific antibody were assessed as a function of time in these animals. eleven of 12 inoculated monkeys became microfilaremic. splenectomized animals had moderate (250-1,000) to low (< 250 ...	1993	8279642
[ocular filariasis with retinal detachment].	56-years-old patient, which worked 12 years ago in congo, has acused during the last 10 years repeated fever states, and recidived cutaneous nodules at inferior members with papulosquamous reaction. since 1992 he has had right serofibrinous pleurisy and pain, intense pruritus and lacrimation at the ocular level, together the diminish of the vision; the ophthalmoscopy revealed retinal detachment at both eyes. the blood examination shows eosinophilia and the examination in thick drop shows loa loa ...	1993	8338821
elevated antifilarial igg4 antibody levels in microfilaremic and microfilaridermic gabonese adults and children.	immunologic analyses of sera from 47 selected individuals living in a mixed filariasis transmission zone in gabon were carried out. onchocerca volvulus, loa loa, mansonella streptocerca, and m. perstans are transmitted in this region. based on parasitologic findings and age, the 47 individuals were stratified into four groups: microfilaria negative (mf-) children (3-15 years old), mf- adults (> 15 years old), microfilaria positive (mf+) children and mf+ adults. for descriptive purposes, the term ...	1993	8352386
tolerance and efficacy of single high-dose ivermectin for the treatment of loiasis.	a study was carried out in southeastern gabon to evaluate the tolerance and efficacy of single high doses of ivermectin in 31 loa loa-infected subjects with low-to-moderate parasitemia (7-7,700 microfilaria/ml). the first group of 16 subjects received 300 micrograms/kg of ivermectin and, seven days later, a second group of 15 received 400 micrograms/kg. complete clinical and biological monitoring was carried out during the first 10 days post-treatment and again after one and three months. all su ...	1993	8447521
filariasis caused by loa loa in an israeli temporary resident of west africa.		1993	8491575
mansonella ozzardi: the course of patency in experimentally-infected patas monkeys.	twenty-five of 30 patas monkeys (erythrocebus patas) inoculated with varying numbers (35 to 135) of third-stage larvae of mansonella ozzardi developed patent infections in an average of 163 days. there was no correlation between the size of the inoculum and the length of the prepatent period. ten of the monkeys were monitored thereafter by regular blood examination for extended periods of time in order to characterize the onset, course and duration of patency. typically, with the onset of patenc ...	1993	8516634
filariae from a wild gorilla in gabon with description of a new species of mansonella.	a search for filariae was performed on a wild male gorilla g. gorilla from the lopé reserve in gabon, which had died as a result of injuries inflicted by another male gorilla. a female worm of loa loa and female worms of two species of mansonella were recovered from the deep tissues of a wounded thigh. in order to analyze these mansonella, specimens of m. (e.) perstans, m. (e.) vanhoofi and m. (e.) streptocerca from the collections of the museum national d'histoire naturelle de paris have been s ...	1995	8520803
large scale collection of viable infective larvae of loa loa.	a simple method to obtain large numbers of viable infective larvae (l3) of the human filarial parasite loa loa in an endemic country is described: wild vector flies (chrysops silacea and c. dimidiata) were caught in large numbers, sealed into pockets of mosquito netting, gently crushed on a glass plate and incubated in a funnel with medium ("baermann technique"). 91-94% of the l3 actively left the crushed flies and accumulated in the funnel tip after 15 (80%) to 45 minutes (95%). during 111 catc ...	1995	8533026
[secondary effects of the treatment of hypermicrofilaremic loiasis using ivermectin].	in the last ten years ivermectin appeared an efficient and safe alternative to diethylcarbamazine which is known to induce severe adverse reactions in loiasis, including encephalitis. after these results, large scale ivermectin treatments against onchocerciasis were carried out in central africa where loiasis is also endemic; and seven cases of severe reaction were reported in cameroon since 1991, during these mass ivermectin treatments. in order to study adverse reactions in patients harbouring ...	1995	8555762
markers of loa loa infection in permanent residents of a loiasis endemic area of gabon.	different markers of infection were analyzed in 56 permanent residents of a loa loa endemic village in gabon. the population was divided into those with parasitological evidence of l. loa infection and those with no history of loiasis over the period of observation (c. 5 years). 26.7% of villagers had l. loa microfilariae, 33.9% had an ocular passage of an adult worm, and 17.8% had calabar oedema. several other clinical symptoms were present in both groups of individuals, but none was considered ...	1996	8761565
decreased prevalence and intensity of loa loa infection in a community treated with ivermectin every three months for two years.		1996	8882197
clinical and laboratory features of patients with loiasis (loa loa filariasis) in the u.k.	to assess differences between africans and expatriates, we reviewed records of 100 patients with loiasis presenting to the hospital for tropical diseases, london. fifty-one were black africans, and 49 were white expatriates. a history of calabar swellings was more common amongst expatriates (p = 0.0001, or 8.1), whilst eyeworm was reported more frequently in africans (p = 0.0038, or 4.2). higher eosinophil levels (p < 0.0001) and filarial antibody levels, whether measured by immunofluorescence ( ...	1996	8889997
splenectomy for suspected malignant lymphoma in two patients with loiasis.	intrasplenic lesions can cause diagnostic difficulties because malignant diseases can be excluded only by histologic examination. we present the cases of two patients with splenic manifestations of loiasis. both patients had visited central africa. several years later, intrasplenic lesions were found during routine examinations (for chest trauma and employment, respectively). both patients underwent splenectomies because malignant lymphoma was suspected. in both cases, histologic examination of ...	1996	8922789
detection of circulating antigens in gabonese patients with loa loa filariasis.	circulating antigens were detected in sera of gabonese patients with loa loa filarial infection by co-electrosyneresis (co-es). the serum samples selected for this study were exposed to rabbit hyperimmune antifilarial antisera and human immune antisera: specific arcs were observed in 35/60 filarial patients, of whom 24/47 were microfilaraemic and 11/13 amicofilaraemic. the identity of rabbit hyperimmune antisera and loiasial immune sera was confirmed by the continuity of precipitation arcs. thes ...	1996	8980588
high levels of parasite-specific igg1 correlate with the amicrofilaremic state in loa loa infection.	to investigate the mechanisms of protective immunity operating in loa loa infection, 56 persons from a l. ioa-endemic village in southeast gabon were examined over a 7-year period. the level of l. loa-specific igg subclasses in defined parasitologic groups was compared by use of elisa with either adult, microfilarial, or third-stage larval (l3) antigens of l. loa. with all antigen preparations, igg1 levels were significantly higher in amicrofilaremic persons than in persons with high or low leve ...	1997	8985211
species-specific sequence in the repeat 3 region of the gene encoding a putative loa loa allergen: a diagnostic tool for occult loiasis.	a polymerase chain reaction (pcr)-based method to detect loa loa dna in the blood lysate of infected individuals is described. a set of primers was designed to amplify the repeat 3 sequence (15r3) of the gene encoding a putative l. loa allergen. the qualitative pcr was carried out using blood lysates from subjects from an l. loaendemic area of gabon where loiasis exists sympatrically with mansonella perstans, and from individuals from a loiasis-free area in togo infected concomitantly with m. pe ...	1997	9063362
experimental infection of a nonhuman primate with loa loa induces transient strong immune activation followed by peripheral unresponsiveness of helper t cells.	human infection with the parasite loa loa is characterized by a good adaptation between the parasite and its host. one portion of the human population harbors only adult worms in subcutaneous tissues, whereas another portion also harbors the l1 microfilarial stage in peripheral circulation. this study was undertaken to understand the mechanisms by which the parasite evades or modulates host immunological attack. the cellular responses, based on t-cell proliferation, to the production of various ...	1997	9125575
molecular phylogenetic studies on filarial parasites based on 5s ribosomal spacer sequences.	this paper is the first large-scale molecular phylogenetic study on filarial parasites (family onchocercidae) which includes 16 species of 6 genera: brugia beaveri ash et little, 1962, b. buckleyi dissanaike et paramananthan, 1961; b. malayi (brug, 1927) buckley, 1960; b. pahangi (buckley et edeson, 1956) buckley, 1960; b. patei (buckley, nelson et heisch, 1958) buckley, 1960; b. timori partono et al, 1977; wuchereria bancrofti (cobbold, 1877) seurat, 1921: w. kalimantani palmieri. purnomo, denn ...	1994	9140481
t helper responsiveness in human loa loa infection; defective specific proliferation and cytokine production by cd4+ t cells from microfilaraemic subjects compared with amicrofilaraemics.	the proliferation and cytokine profiles of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (pbmc) from microfilaraemic (mf+) subjects infected by loa loa in response to antigens of several parasitic stages were compared with those from amicrofilaraemic (mf-) individuals. while a strong lymphoproliferative response and consistent levels of both th1 (il-2, interferon-gamma (ifn-gamma)) and th2 (il-4, il-5) type cytokines were observed in response to adult worm (aw) and microfilariae (mf) antigen in mf- individ ...	1997	9158097
ivermectin where loa loa is endemic.		1997	9217709
serious reactions after mass treatment of onchocerciasis with ivermectin in an area endemic for loa loa infection.	in 1995, the world bank launched an african programme for onchocerciasis control to eliminate onchocerca volvulus disease from 19 african countries by means of community-based ivermectin treatment (cbit). several cases of encephalopathy have been reported after ivermectin in people heavily infected with microfilariae of loa loa (loiasis). we assessed the incidence of serious events in an area where onchocerciasis and loiasis are both endemic.	1997	9217715
detection of loa loa-specific dna in blood from occult-infected individuals.	accurate and specific diagnosis of human loiasis is of crucial importance in an endemic area where two-thirds of infected individuals are without circulating microfilariae (occult loiasis). by using the polymerase chain reaction (pcr) and specific primers to the repeat 3 region (15r3) of the gene coding for loa loa 15-kda polyprotein antigen, dna was amplified from total blood lysate of occult-infected subjects. a 396-bp dna fragment was specifically detected. we tested the specificity of this m ...	1997	9225766
blastogenic responses, interleukin-2 production and interleukin-2 receptor expression on cd4+ and cd8+ lymphocytes in rhesus monkeys experimentally inoculated with loa loa.	to better understand cellular responses in loiasis infection, in vitro blastogenesis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (pbmc) to filarial antigen was assessed in 12 loa loa-inoculated rhesus monkeys over a two-year period. cellular reactivity to antigen was observed between 10-35 weeks postinoculation (wpi), but had declined by week 50. the roles of interleukin-2 (il-2) and il-2 receptor (il-2r) expression of cd4+ and cd8+ t cells in regulating the response to antigen were examined during th ...	1997	9278942
recent advances in diagnosis of filarial infections.	improved diagnostic methods for human filariasis are needed to facilitate surveillance activities, to monitor control efforts and to evaluate new drugs and vaccines. currently, diagnosis of filarial infections largely depends upon detection of worms themselves, principally of microfilariae in blood or skin. in many infected people with lymphatic filariae, microfilariae (mf) are not detectable in blood, and removal of skin snips for detection of microfilariae in onchocerciasis seems a rather prim ...	1997	9279128
molecular methods for diagnosis and epidemiological studies of parasitic infections.	direct microscopy is widely used for the diagnosis of parasitic infections although it often requires an experienced microscopist for accurate diagnosis, is labour intensive and not very sensitive. in order to overcome some of these shortcomings, molecular or nucleic acid-based diagnostic methods for parasitic infections have been developed over the past 12 years. the parasites which have been studied with these techniques include the human plasmodia, leishmania, the trypanosomes, toxoplasma gon ...	1997	9394184
secondary collapsing glomerulopathy associated with loa loa filariasis.	this is the first case of nonprimary collapsing focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (fsgs) associated with loa loa filariasis. loa loa micofilariae were detected on a blood smear after a patient presented with nephrotic syndrome (ns), microhematuria, and renal failure. the renal biopsy showed a collapsing glomerulopathy variant of fsgs. microfilariae also were identified in renal microvasculature, including the afferent arterioles and the glomerular and peritubular capillaries.	1997	9398129
[nephropathy and filariasis from loa loa. apropos of 1 case of adverse reaction to a dose of ivermectin].	a patient with a filarial infection due to loa loa, received single oral dose of ivermectin a few hours after, he has presented a severe renal impairment. native of the cameroons, he was also treated for malaria. a renal biopsy has been done, because of chronic proteinuria. it has showed microfilariae in glomeruli, thickening of the basement membrane and a segmental and focal mesangial hyalinosis. by immunofluorescence microscopy there were granular deposits of igm and c3 along this membrane. el ...	1997	9410254
prevalences of loa loa microfilaraemia throughout the area endemic for the infection.	several cases of encephalopathy recorded in cameroon since 1991 were in patients with very high, coincident, loa loa microfilaraemias who had been treated with ivermectin for onchocerciasis. there was thus an urgent need to identify those areas where loiasis is hyperendemic, and where specific monitoring procedures should be developed if large-scale ivermectin treatment of onchocerciasis is to be implemented. in the present review, the available data on loa endemicity are detailed and maps showi ...	1997	9425360
reduced loa loa microfilaria count ten to twelve months after a single dose of ivermectin.	the action of a single dose of ivermectin (200 micrograms/kg) on 71 gabonese patients with loa loa microfilariae in the peripheral blood, and living in areas highly endemic for loiasis, has been evaluated. ten to 12 months after treatment, 43 patients (63%) had no circulating microfilaria and the geometric mean peripheral blood microfilaria count had decreased by 88.6% (p < 0.02). thus, a single annual dose of ivermectin can markedly reduce loiasis transmission.	1997	9463677
marked decrease in loa loa microfilaraemia six and twelve months after a single dose of ivermectin.		1997	9463678
[stabbing pain, conjunctival changes, foreign body sensation and unilateral red eye. subconjunctival macrofilariasis in systemic loa loa filariasis].		1998	9531803
short- and long-term action of multiple doses of ivermectin on loiasis microfilaremia.	one hundred nine gabonese patients infected with loa loa microfilariae were treated with ivermectin (200 microg/kg of body weight) at the parasitology, mycology and tropical medicine department (faculte de medecine et des sciences de la sante, libreville, gabon). each was given one dose per month for six consecutive months. the peripheral blood microfilaria (mf) count before and after each dose showed an average decrease in the microfilaremia of 87.3% (short-term-single dose). an annual single-d ...	1998	9574792
three probable cases of loa loa encephalopathy following ivermectin treatment for onchocerciasis.	over the past nine years, more than 12 million people exposed to onchocerca volvulus infection have received at least one dose of ivermectin, almost all without serious adverse reactions. since 1991, however, several cases with neurologic manifestations, including coma, have been reported after ivermectin treatment of persons infected with o. volvulus who also had concomitant loa loa infection with very high microfilaremia (> 50,000 microfilariae/ml of blood). in 1995, four criteria were establi ...	1998	9574793
a case of loiasis.	the prevalence of loa loa infections in non-endemic areas such as korea is very low, even though it is quite common in the endemic regions of west and central africa. we describe a patient who presented with temporary localized edema (classical calabar swellings) after travelling to cameroon and in whom the diagnosis of loiasis was made by elisa. this is the second reported case of loiasis in korea. as international travel is becoming more frequent, loa loa infection should be considered in the ...	1998	9587261
igg4 serology of loiasis in three villages in an endemic area of south-eastern gabon.	human filariasis due to loa loa differs from other filariasis in that the majority of infected subjects are without circulating microfilariae (occult loiasis). in search for alternative diagnostic methods, which do not depend on circulating microfilariae or the (rather infrequent) eye-passage of adult worms, it was shown earlier that igg4 antibodies directed against loa loa adult worm antigen are apparently a good marker of occult loiasis and specific with regard to the sympatrically occurring m ...	1998	9623933
human occult loiasis: field evaluation of a nested polymerase chain reaction assay for the detection of occult infection.	a nested polymerase chain reaction (nested pcr) assay, targeted on the repeat 3 region (15r3) of the gene coding for a loa loa 15 kd polyprotein, was developed to detect l. loa infection. the assay has a sensitivity of 95% and is 100% specific with regard to sympatric filarial parasites: mansonella perstans, onchocerca volvulus and wuchereria bancrofti. in this field study in a mixed filarial (l. loa and m. perstans) endemic region of gabon, 157 l. loa amicrofilaraemic blood samples (amf; diagno ...	1998	9657514
human occult loiasis: improvement in diagnostic sensitivity by the use of a nested polymerase chain reaction.	the development of control strategies for loiasis is of crucial importance in endemic areas and depends heavily on the accurate identification of occult-infected individuals. a polymerase chain reaction (pcr) and nested polymerase chain reaction (nested pcr) were developed and based on sequences of the repeat 3 region (15r3) of the gene encoding a loa loa 15-kd protein. the assays was performed on 20 blood samples from occult-infected subjects and 30 from field-collected amicrofilaremic individu ...	1998	9684643
thrombosis of the ulnar veins--an unusual manifestation of loa loa filariasis.	a 49-y-old male, who had travelled in central africa, was admitted to hospital with oedema of the right forearm. he was diagnosed as having thrombosis of the ulnar veins. subsequently eosinophilia and positive serology for filariae established the aetiologic agent as loa loa. the patient received antithrombotic and antiparasitic therapy. this is, to our knowledge, the first reported case of thrombosis of the ulnar veins associated with loa loa.	1998	9730317
new features on the moults and morphogenesis of the human filaria loa loa by using rodent hosts consequences.	the development of the human filaria loa loa (dirofilariinae, onchocercidae), previously studied in monkeys, was studied using the non permissive hosts-mice and jirds. the development proved to be rapid: moult 3 occurred on day 8 post-inoculation, the adult stage was reached on day 25 and measured at that time 3-3.5 mm in length. as in the other filarioids, the female genital apparatus developed during the fourth stage. a critical analysis of the studies on the development of onchocercid species ...	1998	9754295
igg subclass recognition of loa loa antigens and their correlation with clinical status in individuals from gabon.	in endemic areas for loa loa, a significant percentage of actively infected individuals have no circulating microfilariae, an observation which implies the existence of a stage-specific immune response. in an attempt to define the immunological basis of the amicrofilaraemic state, the reactivity of antigens from adult, microfilariae and infective larvae of l. loa was examined by western blotting with individual serum samples from four clinically defined groups (high microfilaraemic, low microfil ...	1998	9767604
[excretion-secretion antigens from adult dirofilaria immitis in the diagnosis of human filariasis by solid phase immunoenzyme assay].	the solid phase enzymatic immuno-assay (elisa) was normalized for detecting antibodies against. filaria using excretion-secretion antigens (esa) from dirofilaria immitis adults in a group of asymptomatic and microfilaraemic patients infected by different species of filariae (loa loa, wuchereria bancrofti, onchocerca volvulus, mansonella ozzardi and mansonella perstans), and in another group of symptomatic and aminorofilaraemic patients, temporary residents in an area with endemic loiasis. the es ...	1991	9768181
short report: total serum levels of the nitric oxide derivatives nitrite/nitrate during microfilarial clearance in human filarial disease.	nitric oxide (no) has recently been shown to be cytotoxic to both microfilariae and adult brugia malayi in vitro and in a murine model, as well against onchocerca lienalis microfilariae in vitro. we studied the kinetics of nitrite/nitrate, both stable end products of no, by high-pressure liquid chromatography during microfilaricidal chemotherapy in four filariasis (three loa loa, and one onchocerca volvulus) patients. high serum levels of nitrite/nitrate were released during microfilarial cleara ...	1998	9790422
immunohistochemical detection of dirofilaria immitis using a rabbit polyclonal anti-serum against adult somatic antigens and excretory-secretory products.	an immunohistochemical study on tissue sections of kidney, lung, liver and spleen from six dogs naturally infected by dirofilaria immitis was carried out, using a rabbit polyclonal anti-serum against somatic antigen (sa) of adult worms, excretory-secretory products (es) of adult worms and fraction c3 of complement (dog c3). positive immunoreactions were observed on circulating microfilariae when anti-sa and anti-es were used, but no differences were noted between the two anti-sera. no antigen de ...	1997	9802110
monosymptomatic loa loa infection.	we report the case of a 17-year-old student from cameroon who presented an atypical, mono-symptomatic form of loa loa infection, characterized only by rare subcutaneous movements of adult worms.	1998	9812043
[release of loa loa antigens after treatment with ivermectin].	this study concerns 112 patients of whom 104 were followed up. microfilaricidal treatment of loaiasis is sometimes followed by severe adverse reactions. using an immunodiffusion technique and the measure of microfilaraemia by calibrated thick smear, the authors show that the intensity of adverse reactions is proportional to the quantity of microfilariae eliminated by the treatment. the appearance of loa loa antigens within three days following treatment was evident in 83% of the subjects. five p ...	1998	9846220
impact of repeated large scale ivermectin treatments on the transmission of loa loa.	we have studied the impact of large-scale treatment with ivermectin on the transmission of loiasis in a forest village in south cameroon where loiasis was highly endemic, with a prevalence of 30%. after one year of parasitological and entomological surveillance without treatment, all consenting residents aged > 5 years received ivermectin 200 micrograms/kg every 3 months. for ethical reasons, treatment was interrupted after 2 years, but parasitological and entomological surveillance continued fo ...	1998	9850408
first report of thelazia sp. from a captive oriental white stork (ciconia boyciana) in japan.	nematodes of the genus thelazia were recovered from the cornea and inferior conjunctival sac of an immature oriental white stork (ciconia boyciana). the bird hatched and reared at the toyooka oriental white stork breeding center, hyogo prefecture, japan, but died of chlamydiosis. there were neither gross nor histopathologic ophthalmic lesions. the eye worm from a bird is believed to be first reported in japan. as regarding reintroduction plan for the oriental white stork, control measures for pr ...	1999	10027175
[surgical worm extraction in loa loa ophthalmia].	loa loa is a chronic parasitemic disease which is endemic in the tropical rain forests of western africa. vector of this disease is a mangrove fly with the name chrysops. besides the eye worm and skin affections a systemic infection with microfilariae is common.	1998	10048017
increased frequency of th2-type cytokine-producing t cells in microfilaremic loiasis.	the frequency of cytokine-producing peripheral blood mononuclear cells was assessed in 28 subjects with microfilaremic loiasis and in 14 amicrofilaremic individuals. in addition, a subgroup of seven microfilaremic individuals coinfected with plasmodium malariae was evaluated. by using flow cytometry for the intracellular detection of cytokines, a more pronounced t helper (th)2 cell-type response with the expansion of interleukin (il)-4, il-10, and il-13 expressing cd4+ cells in the microfilaremi ...	1999	10348248
sequence conservation of repeat 3 region of the gene coding for the 15 kda polyprotein within human and simian loa loa.	the human and simian strains of loa loa microfilariae are morphologically identical even though their periodicities vary. when using primate models (mandrillus sphinx) of human loaisis for vaccination trials, the absence of any ongoing simian l. loa infection must be demonstrated. nested primers derived from a human strain of l. loa (targeted on the repeat 3 region of the gene encoding the 15 kda polyprotein; 15r3) amplified at 366 bp sequence from simian l. loa genomic dna and blood lysates fro ...	1999	10431694
[comparative analysis of 2 diagnostic methods of human loiasis: igg4 serology and nested pcr].	by evaluating the diagnostic methods developed in our laboratory, the prevalence of loaiosis was estimated among 201 individuals from the province of haut ogooué in gabon using igg4 serology and nested-pcr. the study showed that the prevalence of loaiosis was higher than that described using standard microscopy. igg4-based elisa (enzyme linked immunosorbant assay) using crude extract of loa loa microfilariae showed that 80% (35/44) of microfilaraemic individuals (mf') and 56% (88/157) of amicrof ...	1999	10472442
genetic epidemiology of host predisposition microfilaraemia in human loiasis.	evidence is accumulating from experimental and human studies that genetic factors are involved both in the control of infectious diseases and in the regulation of infection levels and clinical presentation. so far few studies have investigated the role of these genetic factors in human infection by the filarial parasite loa loa. we present a segregation analysis on 74 nuclear families who live in the tropical rainforest of southern cameroun and are exposed to homogeneous loiasis transmission. th ...	1999	10499080
ocular findings after ivermectin treatment of patients with high loa loa microfilaremia.	hemorrhages in the palpebral conjunctiva (hpcs) have been recorded in patients living in an area endemic for loiasis who developed serious reactions after ivermectin treatment. a study was designed to evaluate the frequency of these lesions, and to identify risk factors associated with their appearance. the conjunctivae of 1,682 patients who complained of reactions were systematically examined. hpcs were found in 41 patients. the initial mean loa loa microfilaremia in the individuals with hpcs w ...	2000	10652169
development of a pcr- and probe-based test for the sensitive and specific detection of the dog heartworm, dirofilaria immitis, in its mosquito intermediate host.	the mosquito-borne filarial worm, dirofilaria immitis, causes heartworm disease in dogs. detection of this parasite in its mosquito intermediate host currently involves dissection and microscopic examination for larval stages. although this method is used commonly as a screening tool for epidemiological surveys, it lacks both sensitivity and specificity. in this study, a more efficient pcr- and probe-based diagnostic assay was developed. the target selected for this assay is a segment of the 16 ...	1999	10657147
use of polymerase chain reaction for accurate follow-up of loa loa experimental infection in mandrillus sphinx.	mandrills (mandrillus sphinx) experimentally infected with human loa loa usually remain microfilaremic for a long period of time. nevertheless some control their microfilaremia while still harboring adults worms, and therefore become occult-infected. a nested polymerase chain reaction (pcr) assay, targeted on the repeat 3 region of the gene coding for the l. loa 15-kd protein (15r3-pcr), has been evaluated in mandrills infected with third-stage larvae (l3) of l. loa. the results of this assay we ...	1999	10674677
[relationship between the intensity of loa loa filariasis transmission and prevalence of infections].	filarial loiasis differs from other filariases in that most infected subjects are amicrofilaremic. this difference raises the notion of occult infection. the aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the intensity of transmission and incidence of infection. for this purpose we determined the incidence of loiasis both microscopically and by pcr in 201 subjects from three villages in the province of haut ogooue in gabon. intensity of transmission, expressed in atp (annual transmis ...	1999	10701202
the wuchereria bancrofti orthologue of brugia malayi sxp1 and the diagnosis of bancroftian filariasis.	the gene encoding the wuchereria bancrofti orthologue of the brugia malayi-derived diagnostic antigen sxp1 was identified from a w. bancrofti l3 cdna library and characterized. the wb-sxp-1 cdna encoded a basic protein with a calculated molecular mass of 20.8 kda. wb-sxp-1 was 85% identical to the sxp1 protein described from b. malayi (bm-sxp-1). the wb-sxp-1 sequence also showed significant identity with proteins described from b. pahangi, onchocerca volvulus, acanthochilonema vitea, ascaris su ...	2000	10717303
cellular responses to loa loa experimental infection in mandrills (mandrillus sphinx) vaccinated with irradiated infective larvae.	in order to shed light on the mechanisms of antifilarial protective immunity, we investigated the course of experimental loaiosis after vaccination in a nonhuman primate host, mandrillus sphinx. six vaccinated (v) mandrills received 50 irradiated l3 while six nonvaccinated (nv) received saline solution on days -60, -30 and -15. all animals were challenged with 100 intact l3 (day 0). parasitological and immunological status were followed for 9 months. vaccination delayed the appearance and mean p ...	2000	10760183
[cutaneous larva migrans syndrome].	the presence of an erythematous serpiginous cord migrating inside the skin must evoke one of several parasitoses. such a type of lesion is encountered in distinct diseases including larva migrans, gnathostoma dermatitis, larva currens, loa-loa filariosis, dirofilariasis and creeping myiasis.	2000	10992786
satellite mapping of loa loa prevalence in relation to ivermectin use in west and central africa.	for many years, ivermectin has been widely distributed throughout west africa for the safe and effective control of onchocerclasis. however, recent events in loa-loa-endemic areas of cameroon, where severe adverse reactions have occurred, now constrain the public-health use of this drug in the forest habitat of the l. loa vector. we have created a model of l. loa prevalence to identify areas where high endemicity may be associated with the occurrence of such reactions. the model results have bee ...	2000	11009145
[painless orbital swelling after sojourn in tropics. cysticercosis and other parasitic eye diseases].	the differential diagnosis of painless orbital swelling is complex and based on radiological and physical examination as well as laboratory tests. due to increasing tourism to exotic countries a thorough history is important to observe diseases which are rare in industrialised countries but frequent in developing countries.	2000	11022665
the repeatability of corneal thickness measures.	to compare the repeatability of three measures of corneal thickness: orbscan slitscan pachymetry, ultrasound pachymetry, and optical pachymetry.	2000	11095052
encephalopathy following loa loa treatment with albendazole.		2001	11164753
diagnosing and treatment of skin filariases based on own observations.	7 cases of mansonella perstans filariasis and 9 of loa loa invasion were diagnosed and treated in the clinic of the institute of maritime and tropical medicine in gdynia in the years 1993-1999. the study group comprised 7 women aged 15-45 and 19 men aged 32-49. the most frequently occurring symptoms and signs of the disease, results of laboratory tests, diagnostic methods, ways of treatment and their efficacy were discussed. the diagnosis was made on the basis of the presence of filaria larvae i ...	2000	11214111
[analysis of the prevention of post-ivermectin loa loa encephalopathy by administration of initial low dose].	a number of cases of loa-encephalopathy have been reported following ivermectin (mectizan) treatment for onchocerciasis in patients with high loa microfilaraemia. a possible explanation for these severe reactions is the formation of micro-emboli in small brain vessels as a result of massive paralysis of loa microfilariae in the blood. this suggests that encephalopathy might be prevented by giving an initial low dose of ivermectin to induce a more gradual action on the loa microfilariae. to test ...	2000	11258063
[a case of loiasis].	loiasis is quite common in the endemic regions of central and west africa. but only three cases were reported in japan. this is a report of a 28 year old male from gabon infected with loa loa with eye symptoms as the chief complaint. for the first time in japan he was treated with ivermectin (ivm) which is recently attracting attention as the drug for filariasis world wide. ivm therapy was effective, and decreased the counts of microfilarias in the patient's blood. no adverse effect was seen in ...	2001	11260882
the relationship between parasitological status and humoral responses to loa loa antigens in the mandrillus sphinx model after immunization with irradiated l3 and infection with normal l3.	in order to identify antigens associated with protection and those associated with active infection, the humoral immune response of 6 mandrillus sphinx immunized with 150 irradiated l3 and challenged with 100 normal l3 of loa loa or 6 animals infected with 100 l3 were compared. the plasma of these animals was analysed by western blot using adult, mf and l3 antigens. several antigens with molecular weights varying from 120 kda to 13 kda were recognized by the plasma of all animals. it was shown t ...	2001	11467785
relationships between the prevalence and intensity of loa loa infection in the central province of cameroon.	ivermectin treatment may induce marked adverse effects in those harbouring > 8000 loa microfilariae (mff)/ml of blood, individuals with > 30 000 loa mff/ml being at risk of developing serious neurological reactions. it is thus necessary to delineate the geographical areas where such responses may occur. to determine if the simple measure of prevalence of loa microfilaraemia would be appropriate to identify the communities at risk, the relationships between prevalence and intensity of loa microfi ...	2001	11487371
loa loa and mansonella perstans infections in ijebu north, western nigeria: a parasitological study.	the prevalence and intensity of loa loa and mansonella perstans were studied in three villages of the ijebu north area in ogun state, western nigeria. blood samples were collected by finger-pricking from 373 (181 males, 192 females) subjects with an age range of 4 to 55 years. the blood samples were examined microscopically for the presence of microfilariae (mf). l. loa and m. perstans were present in the blood samples in 39 (10.5%) and 12 (3.2%) of the subjects, respectively. neither of the inf ...	2001	11544400
[cutaneous filariasis loa loa: 26 moroccan cases of importation].	loa loa filariasis or loiasis is a subcutaneous and bloody vectorial parasitosis. it is endemic in forest and swamp areas of west and central africa.	2001	11590341
longevity and ageing in parasitic and free-living nematodes.	in the developing field of biological gerontology, rapid advances have recently been made in the genetics of ageing in the nematode caenorhabditis elegans. the aim of this work is to develop an understanding of the general mechanisms determining the ageing process. within the last decade the prospect of actually achieving this somewhat hubristic aim has begun to look startlingly real. in this context, knowledge of every aspect of the biology of ageing in nematodes is of added interest. here the ...	2000	11708211
co-endemicity of loiasis and onchocerciasis in the south west province of cameroon: implications for mass treatment with ivermectin.	encephalopathy has been reported in cameroon in individuals heavily infected with loa loa microfilariae who were treated with ivermectin against onchocerciasis. prior to the initiation of the community-directed treatment of onchocerciasis with ivermectin (cdti) in the south west province of cameroon, an epidemiological survey of loiasis was conducted (in july 1998-july 1999) to ascertain the intensity of the disease. thick blood films were made from 1228 blood samples collected during the day. r ...	2001	11816443