Research Projects

The major manifestation of clinical disease was lymphadenitis in the acute phase, hydrocele and oedema of lower limb in the chronic phase and involvement of lower limb in the elephantiasis phase. Among males, with disease in the chronic phase, genital involvement was more than that of lower limb. The disease generally progressed with acute to chronic to elephantiasis phase. The clinical manifestations of filariasis in both the W. bancrofti and B. malayi infections were observed in limb lymphangitis, lymphoedema and elephantiasis. Antigenaemia prevalence was ranged from 6.6-42% among 2-5 years of children indicating low to very high transmission, in the 21 districts surveyed. Cx. quinquefasciatus was incriminated as the vector for transmission of filariasis. The infection and infectivity rates (1.96%-23.34% and 2.5%-11.67%) were higher in all the districts surveyed. The microfilaria was identified as the nocturnally periodic W. bancrofti. The most significant finding of the survey was the presence of mf of B. malayi in the districts of Santhal Pargana (Deoghar, Godda and Jamtara), Saraikela and Chatra. Mansonia annulifera was incriminated as the vector for Brugian filariasis in Godda district. The study highlights the problem of filariasis in Jharkhand. Filariasis survey should be carried out in the non-endemic areas to identify new foci, which require more efforts. The survey also highlighted the need for monitoring and strengthening the existing MDA programme.