Filariasis - Epidemiology

Epidemiology

Filariasis is considered endemic in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, Africa, Central and South America, and Pacific Island nations, with more than 120 million people infected and one billion people at risk for infection.

In communities where lymphatic filariasis is endemic, as many as 10% of women can be afflicted with swollen limbs, and 50% of men can suffer from mutilating genital symptoms.

Filariasis is considered endemic in 73 countries; 37 of these are in Africa.

In the Americas, it is present in seven countries: Brazil, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.

In the Middle East, it is present in one country: Yemen.

In Asia, it is present in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam.

In the Pacific region, it is endemic in American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Micronesia, Niue, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Papua New Guinea, and Vanuatu.

In many of these countries, considerable progress has been made towards elimination of filarisis. This may have been achieved in several countries, but this awaits official confirmation by the WHO.