 |  | Fact sheet No 102: Lymphatic Filariasis - Rev. September 2000 (WHO, 2000, 3 p.) | |
|  | (introduction...) | |
 | | Cause | |
| | Transmission | |
| | Signs and Symptoms | |
| | Diagnosis | |
| | Treatment | |
| | WHO's Strategy to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis | |
| | Economic and Social Impact | |
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The thread-like, parasitic filarial worms Wuchereria bancrofti and Brugia malayi that cause lymphatic filariasis live almost exclusively in humans. These worms lodge in the lymphatic system, the network of nodes and vessels that maintain the delicate fluid balance between the tissues and blood and are an essential component for the body's immune defence system. They live for 4-6 years, producing millions of immature microfilariae (minute larvae) that circulate in the blood.
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