Page 7 - Bulletins-No. 1-1938-Endemic-Filariasis-In-The-Federated-Malay-States

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4 To determine the mosquitoes responsible for trans-
mission, their relative importance as vectors, their
ecological features, and to what extent, and by what
means the transmission of the disease by thern may
be interrupted.

2.—DEFINITIONS.
l<'n.AftiA.sJs.—Infestation with Nemathelmmtb.es of the
family Filariidae (Cobbold .1864) Clans 1885.
Only two members of this family are at present believed to
be transmitted to man in this country, and it is unfortunate that
Ihey should both be a cause of elephantiasis, as other species are
not responsible for this deformity.
1. Wvchcrrria bancrofti (Cobbold 1877).—This species has
suffered many names including—Filaria sanguinis hominis, Filaria
dcnnatltcmica, Filaria wucliereri, Filaria nocturna, Filaria
dcviarquayi. Two other species put forward as distinct are now
believed to be identical—Filaria taniguchii (Penel 1905) and
Filaria. Philippineaxis (Ashburn & Craig 1906).
2. Microfilaria iiialaiji (13nig 1927).—This temporary name
will presumably remain in use until the adult worms are dis-
covered .
In Africa there are a number of other species that are
commonly found infesting man. Some of these also occur in
South America and the West Indies. Probably because efficient
vectors are not available, they are so far unknown in Malaysia.
The most important are—
Onchocerca volvulus (Leucart 1898)
Onchocerca caecutiens (Brumpt 1919)
Loa loa (Guyot 1778)
Filaria oxzanli (Manson 1897)
Acantlwcheilonema perstans (Manson 1891).
Both TF. bancrofti and Mj. malayi give rise to pathological
lesions, though the former is responsible for a far wider variety.
It is important that a consistent nomenclature should be used to
describe these clinical manifestations, which, may be summarised
as follows:
Filarial adenitis.— Enlargement of lymphatic glands, usually
m ^ the groin, less frequently in other situations, such as the
axilla or at the elbow. This is the commonest clinical sign of
infestation.