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Filariasis has been a major public health problem in India next
only to malaria. The disease was
recorded in India
as early as in 6th century B.C. by the famous Indian physician, Susruta in
his book ‘Susruta Samhita’. In 7th century A.D. Madhavakara described signs
and symptoms of the disease in his treatise ‘Madhava Nidhana’ which hold good
even today. In 1709, Clarke called
elephantoid legs in Cochin
as ‘Malabar legs’. The discovery of microfilariae (mf) in the peripheral
blood was made first by Lewis in 1872 in Calcutta (Kolkata).
Filariasis leads to irreversible chronic manifestations
which are responsible for social stigma, especially among unmarried girls,
besides causing considerable economic loss and severe physical disability.
The chronic patients with huge elephantoid swellings are often segregated
from the society. Acute attacks of filariasis frequently traumatize the
patients with transient episodes of disability, often confining the patients
to bed rest for a few days.
Causative Organisms
In mainland India, Wuchereria bancrofti
transmitted by the ubiquitous vector, Culex quinquefasciatus, has been the
most predominant infection contributing to 99.4% of the problem in the
country. The infection is prevalent in
both urban and rural areas. Brugia malayi
infection is mainly restricted to rural areas due to peculiar breeding habits
of the vector associated with floating vegetation. Mansonia (Mansonioides)
annulifera is the principal vector while M.(M). Uniformis is the secondary
vector. The vectorial role of M.(M). indiana is very limited due to its low
density. Both W. bancrofti and B.
malayi infections in mainland India
exhibit nocturnal periodicity of microfilaraemia.
In 1974-75 diurnal subperiodic W.bancrofti infection was
discovered among aborigines, inhabiting Nicobar group of Andaman &
Nicobar Islands. Aedes (Finlaya) niveus group of mosquitoes were incriminated
as the vectors for this infection.)
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