02034nas a2200205   4500000000100000008004100001653001900042653002500061653001500086653002000101100001500121700001300136700001300149245009300162856026000255300000700515490000600522520128600528022001401814       2016                            d10aonchocerciasis10aLymphatic filariasis10aIvermectin10aImmune response1 aKwarteng A1 aAhuno ST1 aAkoto FO00aKilling filarial nematode parasites: role of treatment options and host immune response.  uhttp://download.springer.com/static/pdf/692/art%253A10.1186%252Fs40249-016-0183-0.pdf?originUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fidpjournal.biomedcentral.com%2Farticle%2F10.1186%2Fs40249-016-0183-0&token2=exp=1476108188~acl=%2Fstatic%2Fpdf%2F692%2Fart%25253A10.1186%25252Fs40  a860 v53 a<p><strong>BACKGROUND: </strong>There is compelling evidence that not only do anti-filarials significantly reduce larval forms, but that host immune responses also contribute to the clearance of filarial parasites; however, the underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated.</p>

<p><strong>MAIN TEXT: </strong>Filarial infections caused by Wuchereria bancrofti and Brugia species (lymphatic filariasis) and Onchocerca volvulus (onchocerciasis) affect almost 200 million individuals worldwide and pose major public health challenges in endemic regions. Indeed, the collective disability-adjusted life years for both infections is 3.3 million. Infections with these thread-like nematodes are chronic and, although most individuals develop a regulated state, a portion develop severe forms of pathology. Mass drug administration (MDA) programmes on endemic populations focus on reducing prevalence of people with microfilariae, the worm's offspring in the blood, to less than 1 %. Although this has been successful in some areas, studies show that MDA will be required for longer than initially conceived.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSION: </strong>This paper highlights the mode of action of the various antifilarial treatment strategies and role of host immune response.</p>
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