Pulmonary Manifestations in Filariasis.

摘要

12.87% of males and 9.66% of females in the village of Manshat E1 Bakary were positive for microfilaraemia using the 20 mm. blood film method. By the newer concentration methods for the percentages would have been higher. Even the lower percentages indicate the endemicity of filariasis in this village. In a study to determine the clinical manifestations of filariasis, bilharziasis ascariasis, oxysuriasis and malaria were common concurrent endemic diseases. In the filariasis cases, 5.40% had involvement of genstalia, 4.72% had hydroceles, 4.22% had testicular enlargement and 2.48% had enlarged epididimis. Elephantiasis of lower limbs occurred in 1.15% of the cases while lymphatic edema of the lower limbs occurred in 6.84% of the cases. The prevalence of filaraemia and elephantiasis in the young age group age group indicates active transmission. In a comparison of the thick smear method versus counting chamber method for detection of microfilaraemia, 3.4% of a group were found positive by the thick smear method while 22.3% were positive by the counting chamber method. This method should be adopted as the standard method in Egypt in order to determine the true distribution of the disease. Inhalation of filaria antigen in patients with filariasis did not reveal a significant statistical change in ventilatory function studies measured before and up to 24 hours after inhalation.