Imported Asymptomatic Bancroftian Filariasis Discovered from a Plasmodium vivax Infected Patient: A Case Report from Singapore

Human lymphatic filariasis is a vector-borne disease mainly caused by the parasitic nematode Wuchereria bancrofti and transmitted worldwide within the tropical and subtropical regions. Singapore was once endemic for bancroftian filariasis but recent reports are scarce and the disease is nearly forgo...

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Main Authors: Jean-Marc Chavatte, Roland Jureen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2017-01-01
Series:Case Reports in Infectious Diseases
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/1972587
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author Jean-Marc Chavatte
Roland Jureen
author_facet Jean-Marc Chavatte
Roland Jureen
author_sort Jean-Marc Chavatte
collection DOAJ
description Human lymphatic filariasis is a vector-borne disease mainly caused by the parasitic nematode Wuchereria bancrofti and transmitted worldwide within the tropical and subtropical regions. Singapore was once endemic for bancroftian filariasis but recent reports are scarce and the disease is nearly forgotten. The case report presented here reports the incidental hospital laboratory finding of an asymptomatic microfilaremia in a relapsing Plasmodium vivax imported case during a malaria treatment follow-up appointment. The parasite was identified by microscopy as W. bancrofti and retrospective investigation of the sample collected during malaria onset was found to be also positive. Additional confirmation was obtained by DNA amplification, sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis of the mitochondrial cox1 gene that further related the parasite to W. bancrofti strains from the Indian region. Considering the large proportion of asymptomatic filariasis with microfilaremia, the high number of migrants and travellers arriving from the surrounding endemic countries, and the common presence of local competent mosquito vectors, Singapore remains vulnerable to the introduction, reemergence, and the spread of lymphatic filariasis. This report brings out from the shadow the potential risk of lymphatic filariasis in Singapore and could help to maintain awareness about this parasitic disease and its public health importance.
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spelling doaj-art-03cbf79e815e49dc894e688aa7a414f92025-08-20T02:03:18ZengWileyCase Reports in Infectious Diseases2090-66252090-66332017-01-01201710.1155/2017/19725871972587Imported Asymptomatic Bancroftian Filariasis Discovered from a Plasmodium vivax Infected Patient: A Case Report from SingaporeJean-Marc Chavatte0Roland Jureen1Malaria Reference Centre, National Public Health Laboratory, Ministry of Health, 3 Biopolis Drive, Synapse 05-14/16, 138623, SingaporeDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, National University Hospital, 5 Lower Kent Ridge Road, 119074, SingaporeHuman lymphatic filariasis is a vector-borne disease mainly caused by the parasitic nematode Wuchereria bancrofti and transmitted worldwide within the tropical and subtropical regions. Singapore was once endemic for bancroftian filariasis but recent reports are scarce and the disease is nearly forgotten. The case report presented here reports the incidental hospital laboratory finding of an asymptomatic microfilaremia in a relapsing Plasmodium vivax imported case during a malaria treatment follow-up appointment. The parasite was identified by microscopy as W. bancrofti and retrospective investigation of the sample collected during malaria onset was found to be also positive. Additional confirmation was obtained by DNA amplification, sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis of the mitochondrial cox1 gene that further related the parasite to W. bancrofti strains from the Indian region. Considering the large proportion of asymptomatic filariasis with microfilaremia, the high number of migrants and travellers arriving from the surrounding endemic countries, and the common presence of local competent mosquito vectors, Singapore remains vulnerable to the introduction, reemergence, and the spread of lymphatic filariasis. This report brings out from the shadow the potential risk of lymphatic filariasis in Singapore and could help to maintain awareness about this parasitic disease and its public health importance.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/1972587
spellingShingle Jean-Marc Chavatte
Roland Jureen
Imported Asymptomatic Bancroftian Filariasis Discovered from a Plasmodium vivax Infected Patient: A Case Report from Singapore
Case Reports in Infectious Diseases
title Imported Asymptomatic Bancroftian Filariasis Discovered from a Plasmodium vivax Infected Patient: A Case Report from Singapore
title_full Imported Asymptomatic Bancroftian Filariasis Discovered from a Plasmodium vivax Infected Patient: A Case Report from Singapore
title_fullStr Imported Asymptomatic Bancroftian Filariasis Discovered from a Plasmodium vivax Infected Patient: A Case Report from Singapore
title_full_unstemmed Imported Asymptomatic Bancroftian Filariasis Discovered from a Plasmodium vivax Infected Patient: A Case Report from Singapore
title_short Imported Asymptomatic Bancroftian Filariasis Discovered from a Plasmodium vivax Infected Patient: A Case Report from Singapore
title_sort imported asymptomatic bancroftian filariasis discovered from a plasmodium vivax infected patient a case report from singapore
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/1972587
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AT rolandjureen importedasymptomaticbancroftianfilariasisdiscoveredfromaplasmodiumvivaxinfectedpatientacasereportfromsingapore