Diagnosing and treatment of skin filariases based on own observations

7 cases of Mansonella perstans filariasis and 9 of Loa loa invasion were diagnosed and treated in the clinic of the Institute of Maritime and Tropical Medicine in Gdynia in the years 1993-1999. The study group comprised 7 women aged 15-45 and 19 men aged 32-49. The most frequently occurring symptoms and signs of the disease, results of laboratory tests, diagnostic methods, ways of treatment and their efficacy were discussed. The diagnosis was made on the basis of the presence of filaria larvae in peripheral blood and, in part, on positive serological reactions. The most frequently reported and observed in our patients were Calabar swellings, allergic lesions of the skin and general symptoms. In the laboratory tests the most characteristic were elevated white blood cells counts with marked eosinophilia and a rise in immunoglobulin E during the active phase of the disease. In doubtful cases, Mazzotti's test was applied. In spite of the treatment with DEC lasting for 3-4 weeks and a combined therapy with levamisole and albendazole, relapses occurred in 5 cases in the period from 2 months to 2 years after the completion of the therapy. In 3 patients treated with ivermectin the period of observation was still too short (2 and 5 months) to draw conclusions as to the efficacy of such treatment.