Maternal filarial-infection status and its consequences on pregnancy and the newborn, in Ragama, Sri Lanka
Weerasinghe, C.R.; de Silva, N.R.; Michael, E.
Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology 99(8): 813-816
2005
ISSN/ISBN: 0003-4983 PMID: 16297296 DOI: 10.1179/136485905x65198Document Number: 259064
240 women who had delivered in the Colombo North Teaching Hospital, Ragama, Sri Lanka during the period 4-16 October 2002 were enrolled in a study. Maternal and cord blood samples were collected from all subjects at delivery. 188 (78.3%) delivered at term, 180 (75%) had normal vaginal deliveries, 58 (24.2%) had Caesarean sections, and 2 (0.8%) had forceps-assisted deliveries. No microfilariae were detected in any of the maternal or cord blood samples. 53 (22.1%) of the mothers were found to be positive for circulating filarial antigens using the immunochromatographic (ICT) card test. 31 (58%) of the ICT positive mothers and 12 (6%) of the ICT negative mothers were eosinophilic. Gestational age at delivery, mode of delivery, and parity had not association with ICT positivity. Filarial antigenaemia in the mother had no significant association with birthweight or gender of the baby.