The Global Program for Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis calls for mass drug administration for endemic populations outside of sub-Saharan Africa with a single dose of diethylcarbamazine (DEC) and albendazole (Alb) annually for 4-6 years. Single-dose DEC/Alb dramatically reduces blood microfilaria (MF) counts, but most treated subjects fail to completely clear MF after a single dose. A more e...

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is endemic in approximately 80 tropical and subtropical countries. About 120 million people are infected with the parasite and a billion are estimated to be at risk of infection. The main focus of the LF elimination programme to date has been to interrupt transmission by means of annual community-wide treatment campaigns with diethylcarbamazine and albendazole, or albe...

BACKGROUND The main strategy adopted for Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) elimination globally is annual mass drug administration (MDA) for 4 to 6 rounds. At least 65% of the population at risk should be treated in each round for LF elimination to occur. In Kenya, MDA using diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) and albendazole data shows declining compliance (proportion of eligible populations who receive ...

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) and soil-transmitted-helminths (STH) are co-endemic in 58 countries which are mostly in Africa and Asia. Worldwide, 486 million school-age children are considered at risk of both diseases. In 2000, the World Health Organization (WHO) established the global programme to eliminate LF by 2020. Since then, the LF elimination programme has distributed ivermectin or diethylc...

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE Albendazole, a commonly used anthelminthic drug that targets the polymerization of alpha- and beta-tubulin dimer is currently co-administered with the antifilarial drug, diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) in the ongoing Global Programme for Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF). The experience in veterinary field has shown that there can be a rapid development of resi...

A tiny islet named Hachijo-Koshima was known as the only one focus of brugian filariasis in Japan. It is located about 300 km south to Tokyo in the Pacific Ocean. It had been rather hard to access due to the lack of the regular transportation system. The island was visited for the first time after the last World War II by the medical doctors for the investigation of the nature of a debilitating...

Cystic swellings of the neck in children have limited differential diagnoses, often either lymphatic or vascular malformations. Other cystic inflammations can be the result of tuberculous abscesses, suppurated lymph nodes and actinomycosis. Microfilaria causing lmphadenovarix of head-neck region has not yet been described in the literature. A 10-year-old Indian boy presented with an asymptomati...

The first recorded case of tropical pulmonary eosinophilia from Saudi Arabia is reported. A 57-year-old female presented with paroxysmal cough, wheezing and shortness of breath. The white cell count was 27-0 x 109/l with 80% eosinophils, the serum IgE was grossly elevated and there were flitting pulmonary opacities on X-ray. Following treatment with diethylcarbamazine the patient's symptoms wer...