Filaria Detection by Smear Test

Lymphatic Filariasis is a painful and disfiguring disease that can affect people of all age groups. This disease is caused by thread-like worms known as filariae and can lead to disability symptoms in the human body. In many cases, it is found that the infection is transmitted during the childhood but the visible manifestations take place in the later part of the life. In order to prevent this grave condition, doctors prescribe the filarial detection by smear so that early diagnosis may allow them to take adequate preventive measures. The biggest problem is that there are no visible symptoms. In very cases, long-term damage to the lymph system may result in swelling of the legs, arms, and genitalia. It is better to visit a doctor and undergo this test for staying on the safe side.

You need not make any changes in your diet prior to the Filaria detection test. Your daily routine need not be disturbed for this but if you are on medication for some other health conditions, then it is important to disclose all the details to your doctor in advance. If required, some of the medicines might be required to stop for few days, if they have the capacity to affect the test results.

The results might be varied for various cases. Depending on the concentration of microfilariae in your blood and several other factors, the medical practitioners conclude the final results. Some cases, where the concentration is not too high and the infection is at the initial stage, the disease can be treated easily and there remains less chances of any disease.

If the concentration of microfilariae is too high, then you may be subjected to prolonged grave diseases. However, it is better that you show your reports to your doctor for getting the precise information.

The microfilariae, that cause lymphatic filariasis, circulate in the blood at night. It is advised that this test is conducted during night hours so that the precise concentration of the active infection could be addressed. The optimal time for drawing blood is from 10 PM to 4 AM.

The person drawing the blood will first clean the area with an antiseptic to prevent infection. Then blood will be drawn using a small needle. The collected blood is then smeared on thin and thick films.

These films are then examined under microscopic devices for identifying the presence of microfilariae. The process hardly takes few minutes of your time and you can get your reports after 3-5 days time prior your test.