Lymphatic filariasis and malaria: concomitant parasitism in Orissa, India

Concomitant parasitism with Plasmodium spp. and Wuchereria bancrofti was examined in Orissa, India, to study the influence of one parasite infection on the other in human communities. A survey of 1815 nocturnal blood films in 11 villages indicated an overall prevalence of 9.6% for malaria and 8.5% for microfilaraemia. Only 0.3% of the population harboured both parasites. Analysis of the expected and observed distribution of cases of dual infection in each village did not indicate any significant interaction between the 2 infections. The malarial vector density in 3 selected villages correlated well with the prevalence rate of malaria.