Filariasis testing causes confusion in Pune
The health department has selected 17 districts, including Pune, Satara, Nashik, Sambhajinagar and Ahilyadevinagar, among others, for the screening test
The Public Health Department from Monday started night screening in 17 non-endemic districts of the state to identify Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) cases, commonly known as elephantiasis.

The health department has selected 17 districts, including Pune, Satara, Nashik, Sambhajinagar and Ahilyadevinagar, among others, for the screening test. During this campaign, blood samples are being collected between 8 pm and 12 am to test for microfilarial disease. In the night, parasites of microfilaria remain active which makes it easier to diagnose the disease for further treatment. However, the lack of awareness regarding the screening tests has caused confusion amongst the citizens in Pune, said officials.
Dr Rajesh Dighe, assistant health officer of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), said the concept of night testing for LF is new for people and there is hardly any awareness about such screening tests amongst the citizens.
“To overcome this challenge, we have appointed two teams. One team conducts the awareness activities in the morning and the second team conducts the screening tests in the evening in the same area,” he said.
“The Pune city has been divided into six different blocks for the screening. To date we have tested 692 citizens, out of which 307 were tested randomly and 385 through sentimental centres,” added, Dighe.
The screening drive will be conducted between 9 December to 14 December. In Pune district, as many as 12,600 people will be screened for Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) infection.
Dr Aparna Patil, district malaria officer, said, “The problem of reluctance is less in the rural parts, but the issue is in the urban parts of the districts. However, the team are working on it and will complete screening of the target population.”
Dr Premchand Kamble, assistant director of health services, Filaria, said, “These screening test drives in the non-endemic areas will help us identify in which areas the MDA programme should be started. Under the programme, everybody above the age of two is compulsorily given medicines to prevent lymphatic filariasis,” he said.
Lymphatic filariasis (LF), commonly known as elephantiasis, occurs when filarial parasites are transmitted to humans through mosquitoes. Infection is usually acquired in childhood and causes hidden damage to the lymphatic system.
