Increase in natural killer cell activity during diethylcarbamazine treatment of patients with filariasis.

Two patients, one with Bancroftian filariasis and the other with onchocerciasis, and two healthy controls were treated with diethylcarbamazine (DEC). The natural killer (NK) cell activity of the two patients increased during DEC treatment to 2.5 and 2.8 times, respectively, while that of the controls remained unchanged. We conclude that the augmentation of baseline NK cell activity, as well as interferon- and interleukin-2-enhanced NK cell activity seen in the patients, is not a direct effect of DEC, but is related to the reaction to DEC in lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis.