What is Lymphatic filariasis?

Lymphatic Filariasis is the common term for a group of disease caused by lymph dwelling nematode worms such as Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi and Brugia timori termed as Bancroftian filariasis, Brugian (Malayan) filariasis and Timorian filariasis. Since these parasites affect primarily the lymphatic system of man, the disease caused is also commonly termed as Lymphatic filariasis.

Filariasis is mostly a hidden disease. Individuals with filarial infection may be

Asymptomatic or Symptomatic

Asymptomatic condition:
Asymptomatic individuals are those infected but without any detectable clinical symptoms and signs.They may have detectable microfilaraemia or antigenaemia. They may be immune or partially immune to infection. Still others in this group may have subclinical infections(without microfilaraemia), as indicated by the presence of filarial antigens in the blood.

Asymptomatic individuals are of two types:
Asymptomatic without sub clinical damage
Asymptomatic with subclinical damage

Sub clinical changes include

• Haematuria

• and Lymphatic changes