 |
FILARIASIS TESTS
The Disease
Lymphatic filariasis puts at risk more than a billion people in
more than 80 countries. Over 120 million have already been affedted
by it, over 40 million of them are seriously incapacitated and disfigured
by the diease. One-third of the poeple infected with the disease
live in India, one-third are in Africa and most of the reminder
are in south asia, the pacifc and teh Americas. Lymphatic filariasis
is caused by three main species of blood/tissue worms namely Wuchereria
bancrofti, Brugia malayi and B. timori.
The disease is transmitted by several species of mosquitoes. Infective
larvae from infected mosquitoes enter the human body after mosquito
bite. The larvae then travel to lymphatic channels and lymph nodes
and develop into adult worms. W.bancrofi has a larger distribution
than B.malayi and B.timori and occurs in many countries in Asia
(China, India Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philipines and Sri Lnaka),
Tropical Africa, Central and South Ameriaca and Pacific Islands.
B.Malayi infection is endemic in Asia in Countries like Chine, Korea,
India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philipines, Sri Lanka while B.timori
infection occurs in Indonesia.
|
