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Lymphatic filariasis is a mosquito-borne parasitic disease caused by three species of tissue dwelling filaroid nematodes: Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi and Brugia timori. The disease manifests as progressive lymphoedema leading to disfiguring elephantiasis in both genders, hydrocele in males or loss of respiratory function due to tropical pulmonary eosinophilia (TPE) (WHO, 1992; Pani and Dhanda 1994). Filariasis patient suffer from episodic adenolymphangitis (ADL), which causes acute suffering and incapacitation (Pani et al 1995, Ramaiah et al 1997). The other health problems due to filariasis include renal disease, arthritis, endomyocardial fibrosis, etc (Pani and Dhanda, 1992; Das and Pani, 2000). Filariasis is considered as a hidden disease as lymphoedema is the only visible manifestation. It is a disease of the poor and is the cause and effect of the poverty. The majority of the people at risk of filariasis live in rural areas. Poor sanitary conditions associated with low socioeconomic status of the community makes the environment conducive for proliferate breeding of vector mosquitoes facilitating transmission.

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Dr Daya Ram Pokharel currently works as Associate Professor of Biochemistry in the Manipal College of Medical Sciences (MCOMS), Pokhara, Nepal. He completed his master degree studies from Tribhuvan University (TU), Nepal and PhD from the Banaras Hindu University, India. He also holds a diploma in vaccinology from Institut Pasteur, France.

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