Expert: Florence M Rollwagen - 12/1/2008

Question
QUESTION: when someone has not been sick of illness like malaria & cholera for about 1.5 or 2 years but suffer from itching(filaria) some times does it mean he or she is immuned

ANSWER: Hi Pascal:  Thanks for your question.  Filarial diseases can cause severe skin itching when the worm is encysted or migrating through the skin.  

In an excellent article by my colleague, Dr Aileen Marty it is stated that a strong T cell mediated immune response can kill the encysted adult worms in the skin.  This can cause intense itching and as such, is related to a potent immune response.

Here is the link:
http://www.emedicine.com/derm/topic888.htm

Hope this help.  Write back if you have more questions.

FM Rollwagen, PhD

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QUESTION: thanks and please can you educate me more on that answer and does it mean that some intense itching means portential immunity .and what if someone takes drug for it an the itching ceases for some days and starts back even within the period you wer taking the drugs and after. please i'll like to have a beautiful answer for this one as you are a good councellor

ANSWER: Hi again, Pascal:  Thanks for your kind words.

As I understand it, the itching is because the immune response is killing the worms in the skin.  So, yes, it would be related to a strong immune response.

As for the drugs, I really don't know the answer to this.  If you look up the name of the drug on the internet, maybe you can get more information.

FM Rollwagen, PhD

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QUESTION: how long max. will it take a strong immune responce to kill the worm in the body.because some people says that when they scratch it swollens why that please.please can you help me give a good sites that talks detaily on this my type of question .

Answer
Hi Pascal:  Studies have shown that the worm can be killed in the test tube in a few days.  I don't know how long it will take in the body and I think that would depend on how many worms were present.

Scratching creates an inflammatory response in the skin (swelling, redness, pain) and is unrelated specifically to the worm.  Scratching will cause the same inflammation regardless of the cause.  

Here are some websites:

World Health Organization:
http://www.who.int/topics/filariasis/en/

Centers for Disease Control:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/lymphaticfilariasis/index.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/lymphaticfilariasis/factsht_lymphatic_fi

Hope this helps!

FM ROllwagen, PhD