Microfilaria is not seen in: September 2009

Ans. A: Lymphatics Filariasis due to Wucheria bancrofti is endemic to Southern Asia. While the laboratory diagnosis of filariasis have been conventionally made by demonstrating microfilariae in peripheral blood smear, these have also been occasionally diagnosed by cytological study of the material obtained by fine needle aspiration of various organs. Microfilariae occasionally may be found in variety of locations including thyroid, soft tissue, bone marrow, epididymis, lung, bronchoalveolar fluid, breast, gastric brushing, chylous urine and hydrocele fluid. Microfilaria is seen in blood only for all filarial infections except for Onchocerca volvulus and Mansonella streptocerca whose microfilaria area also found in skin. It's the adult parasite which resides in lymphatics (Wucheria and Brugya sp.)