Clinical And Therapeutic Studies Of Human Filariasis and Related Diseases

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To understand better the pathogenesis of filarial infections (onchocerciasis, loiaisis, lymphatic filarasis) clinical assessments of patients with these and other related non-filarial (strongyloides, malaria) infections have been studied in detail. Moreover, the post-treatment inflammatory responses and the underlying mechanisms in their induction have been detailed. In particular, the control of eosinophil induction and cell trafficking to sites of post-treatment inflammation has been studied. The importance of the Wolbachia endosymbiont both as a therapeutic target and as a inducer of inflammation has been detailed as well. The pathogenesis of lymphedema in lymphatic filariasis has been shown to result (in part) from interdigital lesions that predispose to acute lymphangioadenitis. Understanding of the pathogenesis of eosinophil-related disorders has been a major focus of our clinically related studies. Multiple groups of hypereosinophilic patients (parasite-infected, familial hypereosinophilia, idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome, benign hypereosinophilia, episodic angioedema with eosinophilia) have been assessed clinically; moreover, lymphocytes (and their subsets) and eosinophils have been examined functionally and at the molecular level (human microarrays and RT-PCR) to identify the molecules and pathways involved in conditions associated with increased blood and tissue eosinophilia. New diagnostic approaches have been developed and utilized for the rapid and specific diagnosis of Strongyloidiasis, loiasis, and onchocerciasis.