Lymphatic Filariasis and HIV Infection

The hypothesis that parasitic infections may increase the risk for HIV infection in sub-Saharan Africa is supported by several cross-sectional studies of schistosomiasis. However, Schistosoma haematobium infection is a urogenital infection, and disruption of the mucosa may be the explanation for increase susceptibility to HIV. Lymphatic filariasis is a common infection in Tanzania (prevalence, up to 44%). To investigate whether lymphatic filariasis is related to HIV incidence, researchers performed a cohort study in the Mbeya region of Tanzania, an area highly endemic for both diseases. During an almost 5-year period, 4283 households with about 18,000 participants were enrolled into the study. Of these, 2699 individuals (51% female; median …