Biomaterial Database

[Bancroftian filariasis in Brazil]. 1998

E M Rocha, and G Fontes

Departamento de Patologia, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Maceió, AL, Brasil.

The past and present distribution of Bancroftian filariasis in Brazil is reviewed. Parasitological and entomological surveys were conducted between 1951 and 1958, the autochthonous transmission of Wuchereria bancrofti having been found only in 11 places in the country as follows, with the corresponding prevalences; Ponta Grossa (SC), 14.5% Belém (PA), 9.8%; Barra de Laguna (SC), 9.4%; Recife (PE), 6.9%; Castro Alves (BA), 5.9%; Florianópolis (SC), 1.4%; São Luis (MA), 0.6%; Salvador (BA), 0.4%; Maceió (AL), 0.3%; Manaus (AM). 0.2% and Porto Alegre (RS), 0.1%. The distribution of infection was urban and focal, occurring mainly along the coast. Control measures carried out against filariasis achieved considerable success, reducing infection and transmission, only Belém and Recife being considered endemic areas. Recent studies show the active transmission of filariasis with higher prevalences than those observed in the past, in Maceió, considered to be free from infection, and in Recife. The knowledge of the present status of Bancroftian filariasis in Brazil is important as baseline information, because it will allow for the establishment of control measures by Public Health organizations.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D001938	Brazil	A country located on the eastern coast of South America, located between Colombia and Peru, that borders the Atlantic Ocean. It is bordered on the north by Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana, on the south by Uruguay, and on the west by Argentina. The capital is Brasilia.
D004605	Elephantiasis, Filarial	Parasitic infestation of the human lymphatic system by WUCHERERIA BANCROFTI or BRUGIA MALAYI. It is also called lymphatic filariasis.	Bancroftian Elephantiasis,Brugian Filariasis,Brugoa malayi Infection,Elephantiasis, Bancroftian,Filarial Elephantiasis,Filariasis, Lymphatic,Lymphatic Filariasis,Wuchereria bancrofti Infection,Bancroftian Filariasis,Elephantiasis, Malayi,Malayi Filariasis,Bancroftian Elephantiases,Bancroftian Filariases,Brugian Filariases,Brugoa malayi Infections,Filarial Elephantiases,Filariasis, Bancroftian,Filariasis, Brugian,Filariasis, Malayi,Infection, Brugoa malayi,Infection, Wuchereria bancrofti,Lymphatic Filariases,Malayi Elephantiases,Malayi Elephantiasis,Malayi Filariases,Wuchereria bancrofti Infections
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D014958	Wuchereria bancrofti	A white threadlike worm which causes elephantiasis, lymphangitis, and chyluria by interfering with the lymphatic circulation. The microfilaria are found in the circulating blood and are carried by mosquitoes.	Filaria bancrofti,Filaria sanguinis hominis
D015995	Prevalence	The total number of cases of a given disease in a specified population at a designated time. It is differentiated from INCIDENCE, which refers to the number of new cases in the population at a given time.	Period Prevalence,Point Prevalence,Period Prevalences,Point Prevalences,Prevalence, Period,Prevalence, Point,Prevalences