Water and lymphatic filariasis

Abstract

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is one of the most prevalent diseases of tropical and subtropical countries that is transmitted by mosquito and accompanied by a number of pathological conditions. It has been recognized as second leading cause of permanent and long-term disability. Research within the last decade has provided newer and better diagnostics methods for LF, improved disease management and treatment control strategies. World Health Organization (WHO) recognized LF as a potentially eradicable disease and launched Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic filariasis (GPELF) in 2000 to eliminate this disease by the year 2020. The release of sequenced and annotated genome of Brugia malayi and its endosymbiont Wolbachia has provided new insight into the pathogenesis of filarial disease, chemotherapy, and the mechanism of host-parasite interaction. The genome information is useful to identify novel antifilarial drug targets or design potent inhibitors for the existing or new targets. This chapter briefly gives an overview of LF including the diagnostic methods, symptoms, treatment strategies, and molecular biology of filarial parasite.