Extralymphatic disease due to bancroftian filariasis

Infection with Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, or B. timori not only a ffects the structure and function of lymphatic vessels but is also associat ed with extralymphatic pathology and disease. Because it is now possible to detect living adult worms by ultrasonography, much emphasis is placed on l ymphatic pathology. However, the finding of renal damage in asymptomatic mi crofilaremic carriers has led to increased recognition of the importance of extralymphatic clinical manifestation in bancroftian filariasis. The autho rs present a number of clinical syndromes that may be manifestations of ext ralymphatic filarial disease and discuss possible mechanisms that cause the se conditions. The main purpose of this paper is to raise the awareness of students and physicians of the prevalence and the importance of extralympha tic disease in bancroftian filariasis so that it is diagnosed and treated p roperly and also to alert for the need of additional research in this area.