Diethylcarbamazine enhances antibody-mediated cellular adherence to Brugia malayi microfilariae (original) (raw)

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• Published: 20 December 1979

Nature volume 282, pages 845–847 (1979)Cite this article

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Abstract

Treatment with the antifilarial drug diethylcarbamazine (DEC) results in a rapid decline in the number of microfilariae circulating in the blood of infected hosts1. DEC induces morphological changes in the surface layers of microfilariae, but these alterations alone are probably insufficient to cause the death of the parasite, because the drug fails to reduce microfilaraemia in animals lacking filarial antibodies, and also does not shorten the survival of microfilariae _in vitro_1–4. The effect of DEC in vivo is thought to result from the trapping of microfilariae in the liver, where they undergo lysis1,2,5,6.

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Authors and Affiliations

1. Harvard Medical School, Peter B. and Robert B. Brigham Hospitals, Boston, Massachusetts, 02115
   Willy F. Piessens & Maria Beldekas

Authors

1. Willy F. Piessens
2. Maria Beldekas

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Piessens, W., Beldekas, M. Diethylcarbamazine enhances antibody-mediated cellular adherence to Brugia malayi microfilariae.Nature 282, 845–847 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1038/282845a0

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• Received: 26 March 1979
• Accepted: 15 October 1979
• Issue date: 20 December 1979
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/282845a0

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