Early Filariasis Diagnosis and Clinical Findings: A Report of 268 Cases in American Troops

Abstract

Summary 1. 268 cases of early filariasis are presented. 2. The infection was contracted in three Pacific islands. No patients were seen that had not been in these areas. 3. 263 (98%) of the patients had been in the endemic areas four months or longer. 4. The observed incubation period varied from eight to sixteen months when the period of observation ended, with history of attacks as early as three months. 5. The mode of onset and clinical findings are described in detail. The tendency toward recurrences, the lack of severe constitutional reactions, the characteristic lymphangitis of extremity or genitalia and the adenopathy particularly in the epitrochlear region are stressed. 6. The intradermal reaction with Dirofilaria immitis antigen was positive in 90.8% of patients and 10.5% of a comparable number of control individuals. 7. Elevation of the total number of eosinophiles in the blood was present in 64.3% of the cases. 8. It is suggested that enlargement of the epitrochlear nodes and the intradermal reaction might be used as survey methods in approximating the incidence of filarial infestation in personnel residing in endemic areas.