WUCHERERIA-BANCROFTI MICROFILAREMIA IN CHILDREN IN RELATION TO PARENTAL INFECTION STATUS

A total of 946 families with 2302 children was surveyed for microfilar aemia due to Wuchereria bancrofti. The prevalence of microfilaraemia a mong offspring born to microfilaraemic parents was significantly highe r than in those born to amicrofilaraemic parents (P=0.0049; relative r isk=3.40). However, there was no statistically significant difference between the prevalence of microfilaraemia in children born to microfil araemic mothers or microfilaraemic fathers, suggesting that parental ( not only maternal) infection is the important risk factor, and it may be exposure within the household which is important. Logistic regressi on analyses also confirmed that the risk of infection for offspring bo rn to either microfilaraemic mothers or microfilaraemic fathers was hi gher than that for offspring born to amicrofilaraemic parents and indi cated that infection in children less than or equal to 20 years old wa s primarily dependent on parental infection status and minimally influ enced by factors other than household exposure.