filariasis are infectious tropical conditions caused by microfilariae (thread-like nematode parasites) belonging to the superfamily Filarioidea, which are spread by blood feeding arthropods such as black flies and mosquitoes.
clinical pictures
lymphatic filariasis
caused by Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, and Brugia timori.
worms occupy the subcutaneous layer of the skin, in the fat layer.
serous cavity filariasis
caused by the worms Mansonella perstans and Mansonella ozzardi, which occupy the serous cavity of the abdomen
Dx
Filariasis is usually diagnosed by identifying microfilariae on Giemsa stained thin and thick blood film smears, using the “gold standard” known as the finger prick test.
blood must be drawn at the appropriate time of day - night time for Wuchereria bancrofti, day time for Loa Loa
M. streptocerca and O. volvulus produce microfilarae that do not use the blood, so skin samples are required