University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland.
Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2012 Jun;26(2):359-81. doi: 10.1016/j.idc.2012.02.005. Epub 2012 Apr 17.
More than 150 million people, mainly in developing countries, are affected by filarial nematode infections that cause debilitating and disfiguring diseases. Although transmission is restricted to the tropics and subtropics, imported infections sometimes occur in Europe and North America among immigrants and refugees from endemic countries, and rarely among long-term travelers. This article reviews the epidemiology of the most important human filarial nematodes, their current distribution, life cycles, clinical features, and disease burden. Diagnosis, treatment, and tools for prevention and control are discussed. Protective measures for travelers are summarized, and vulnerable groups and case numbers in North America identified.
超过 1.5 亿人受到丝虫感染，主要分布在发展中国家，这些感染会导致使人衰弱和致残的疾病。虽然传播仅限于热带和亚热带地区，但移民和难民从流行地区输入的感染有时会发生在欧洲和北美，在长期旅行者中也很少发生。本文回顾了最重要的人类丝虫的流行病学、它们目前的分布、生命周期、临床特征和疾病负担。讨论了诊断、治疗以及预防和控制的工具。总结了旅行者的防护措施，并确定了北美的易感人群和病例数量。
