title: Ultrasonographic examination of Haitian children with lymphatic filariasis: a longitudinal assessment in the context of antifilarial drug treatment.
abstract: To assess the clinical findings associated with detection of adult Wuchereria bancrofti worms on ultrasound, 186 schoolchildren in a filariasis-endemic area of Haiti underwent physical and ultrasonographic examinations. The filaria dance sign (FDS) of adult W. bancrofti was detected in the inguinal and crural lymphatics of 28 (15%) children. FDS detection was more common in older children (P = 0.003) and in those with a history of inguinal lymph node inflammation (P = 0.002) or crural lymphadenopathy on physical exam (P = 0.01). Twenty-five FDS-positive children were reexamined after three annual cycles of mass treatment for lymphatic filariasis (LF). The total number of adult worm nests detected by ultrasound decreased from 29 to 4 (P </=0.0001). FDS and lymphangiectasia were detected in the intrascrotal (N = 3) and inguinal (N = 1) lymphatic vessels of three postpubescent boys. This study demonstrates clinical and subclinical findings of LF in FDS-positive children.
authors.affiliation: Epidemic Intelligence Service, Epidemiology Program Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30341-3724, USA. lfox@bu.edu
authors.forename: Leanne M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.forename: Bruce W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Furness
authors.forename: Jennifer K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Haser
authors.forename: Jean-Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Brissau
authors.forename: Jacky
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Louis-Charles
authors.forename: Susan F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: David G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Addiss
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Lammie
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Beach
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015766:Albendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004049:Diethylcarbamazine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004605:Elephantiasis, Filarial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005369:Filaricides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006205:Haiti; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008208:Lymphatic System / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D005369:Filaricides; D015766:Albendazole; D004049:Diethylcarbamazine