Filariasis

Filariasis refers to a parasitic worm infection, with the supplied sources specifically identifying lymphatic filariasis as a parasitic infection spread by mosquitoes carrying worm larvae ^[1]. The available evidence does not further distinguish species, life-cycle stages, or other filarial syndromes in a way that can be summarized conservatively from the snippets alone ^[2][3][4][5]. The disease category is parasitic, and the ICD labels supplied for the record are B74 and 1F60 [disease metadata].

The sources characterize lymphatic filariasis as a major cause of permanent disfigurement and the second most common cause of long-term disability in the world ^[1]. One review also lists filariasis among the infectious causes of eosinophilic pneumonia, indicating that pulmonary involvement can occur in some contexts ^[6]. Beyond these general outcome and syndrome-level statements, source-backed detail on symptom sequence, complications, or severity pattern is not yet available in the supplied material ^[1][6].

The supplied evidence does not provide a geographic map, endemic regions, incidence figures, or outbreak descriptions for filariasis ^[1][2]. It does state that several factors will affect the global prevalence of lymphatic filariasis in the future and that climate change is expected to influence the spread of parasitic diseases and their vectors ^[1]. The available material therefore supports a surveillance view focused on changing vector ecology and the global burden of disability, rather than on a localized epidemic pattern ^[1].

In the provided sources, lymphatic filariasis is spread by mosquitoes infected with worm larvae ^[1]. No further source-backed detail is available on mosquito species, infective exposure settings, persistence, or person-to-person transmission ^[1][2].

The supplied material does not identify specific age, occupational, travel, or immunologic risk groups ^[1][2]. The only clearly supported vulnerability context is exposure to mosquitoes infected with worm larvae, which implies risk in settings where such vectors are present ^[1]. Additional subgroup detail is not yet available from the source snippets ^[1].

The evidence supplied here does not describe a prevention schedule, drug-based prophylaxis, or specific community control program ^[1][2]. What is supported is a public-health emphasis on mosquito-vector control and on anticipating how climate change may alter the spread of parasitic diseases and their vectors ^[1]. Any additional prevention detail would exceed the current source boundary ^[1].

For monitoring purposes, the supplied sources frame filariasis as a parasitic disease of major disability importance, with lymphatic filariasis singled out as a leading cause of permanent disfigurement and a major contributor to long-term disability ^[1]. Surveillance interpretation should therefore consider both infection occurrence and the longer-term burden of disability ^[1]. Source-backed detail on case definitions, laboratory confirmation, or reporting thresholds is not yet available in the provided snippets ^[1][2].

1. 1 Lourens GB et al. Lymphatic Filariasis. Nurs Clin North Am. 2019 Jun. PMID: 31027660. doi: 10.1016/j.cnur.2019.02.007. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31027660/
2. 2 Edeson JF et al. Filariasis. Br Med Bull. 1972 Jan. PMID: 4404135. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.bmb.a070895. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/4404135/
3. 3 Akuthota P et al. Eosinophilic pneumonias. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2012 Oct. PMID: 23034324. doi: 10.1128/CMR.00025-12. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23034324/
4. 4 Filariasis. AJN, American Journal of Nursing. 1949. doi: 10.1097/00000446-194902000-00042. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/00000446-194902000-00042
5. 5 Filariasis. Ferri's Color Atlas and Text of Clinical Medicine. 2009. doi: 10.1016/b978-1-4160-4919-7.50337-6. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-1-4160-4919-7.50337-6
6. 6 Filariasis. Scientific American. 1892. doi: 10.1038/scientificamerican05211892-13669csupp. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/scientificamerican05211892-13669csupp

ICD-10

B74

ICD-11

1F60

Total cases

3

Peak month

2011-08

Coverage

1 reporting countries · 2010-01-01 → 2026-05-01