Antifilarial agents

Lymphatic filariasis and river blindness (onchocerciasis) are two important tropical diseases caused by infections with filarial nematodes, resulting in considerable morbidity. Onchocerciasis is caused by infection with the nematode worm Onchocerca volvulus, which is transmitted by blackflies. Lymphatic filariasis is caused by infection with the parasitic nematodes, Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi and B. timori transmitted by mosquito vectors. Onchocerciasis is presently treated with ivermectin, while the drugs used for lymphatic filariasis are diethylcarbamazine and ivermectin in combination with albendazole. None of these is effective in completely killing the long-lived adult worms (macrofilariae) and, therefore, treatments are aimed at reducing transmission and pathology. New drugs that affect new molecular targets are essential to improve treatment and control by killing the adult filarial worms. An exhaustive review on antifilarial drug development is presented here.