BACKGROUND Accurate diagnosis of Loa loa infection is essential to the success of mass drug administration efforts to eliminate onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis, due to the risk of fatal encephalopathic reactions to ivermectin occurring among highly microfilaremic Loa-infected individuals living in areas co-endemic for multiple filarial species. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS From a po...

In a total of 1977 males aged 5 years and over examined in 21 cluster samples on the coast of Tanzania, the overall rate for microfilariae of Wuchereria bancrofti was 32%. Hydrocoele and elephantiasis rates were 39% and 3%, respectively. The rates and severity of these 2 clinical manifestations increased in the older age groups. Both the microfilarial density and prevalence increased rapidly in...

In a survey of blood parasites in Ugandan frogs, 30 (17%) of 180 frogs were infected with at least 1 species of Hepatozoon or Trypanosoma, or with microfilariae. There were significant differences in the prevalence of parasitism among species, with parasitemia detected in only 3 of 9 species. The intensity of blood parasite infection ranged from 1 to 1,080 infected cells per 5,000 cells examine...

Six hundred and eleven random-source dogs (338 male, 273 female) one year of age or older, from six sections of the city of Recife, Pernambuco, were examined antemortem for circulating microfilariae Dirofilaria immitis and Dipetalonema reconditum adult heartworm (D. immitis) antigen, and examined postmortem for adult heartworms. The prevalence of heartworm infection was 2.3% (14/611), as determ...

In order to evaluate the prevalence of canine heartworm in the State of Rio de Janeiro, a multicenter survey was carried out in two phases. The survey involved 1376 dogs from two cities: Rio de Janeiro and Niterói, and its surroundings, including the eastern shore and mountain resorts, which were further divided into sections. In the first phase, 795 dog blood samples were examined by the modif...

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification provides a powerful tool for parasite detection. This chapter examines the use of PCR to diagnose malaria in patients with low parasite densities (submicroscopic infections, SMI) and also occult loaiosis (OL: Loa loa infection without detectable circulating microfilaria on standard microscopy). It provides therefore the issue of management of these ...

CASE REPORT We present a case of ocular loiasis with a subconjunctival filaria, 5.5cm long, and a severe microfilaremia, 1 microfilaria/ml, on a previously asymptomatic woman from Equatorial Guinea, with a past medical history of hypereosinophilia of unknown origin. DISCUSSION Ocular loiasis is an imported infestation with a very low rate in our country. Nevertheless, chronic infestation in i...

Dirofilaria immitis is a filariid worm which typically lives as adult in the right ventricle of the heart and the pulmonary arteries of the dog, causing the canine heartworm disease. Therapy of canine dirofilariosis due to Dirofilaria immitis is indicated for dogs suffering from clinical signs of the disease (such as chronic cough). The present paper describes diagnostic and treatment features ...