Parasite
Wuchereria bancrofti
Lymphatic filaria causing elephantiasis
voo-keh-REER-ee-uh ban-KROF-tye
High-yield clue
Sheathed microfilariae show nocturnal periodicity - best sampled from night blood - and chronic infection causes lymphedema/elephantiasis.
Overview
A mosquito-borne filarial nematode whose adults dwell in lymphatics, the leading study organism for lymphatic filariasis and chronic elephantiasis.
Classification
- Nematode (filarial worm)
- Adults reside in lymphatic vessels
- Sheathed microfilariae
- Transmitted by mosquitoes
Lab & identification clues
- Sheathed microfilariae on night (nocturnal) blood smear
- Giemsa-stained thick smear vocabulary
- Antigen detection concepts
Associations
- Mosquito vector transmission
- Nocturnal periodicity of microfilariae
- Lymphedema, elephantiasis, hydrocele vocabulary
- Tropical mass drug administration public-health framing
Commonly confused with
- Onchocerca volvulus
- Loa loa
Frequently asked questions
What is Wuchereria bancrofti?
A mosquito-borne filarial nematode whose adults dwell in lymphatics, the leading study organism for lymphatic filariasis and chronic elephantiasis.
What are the lab clues for Wuchereria bancrofti?
Lab clues for Wuchereria bancrofti include Sheathed microfilariae on night (nocturnal) blood smear, Giemsa-stained thick smear vocabulary, and Antigen detection concepts.
What is Wuchereria bancrofti commonly confused with?
Wuchereria bancrofti is commonly confused with Onchocerca volvulus and Loa loa.
Original student-study summary. Sources checked: OpenStax Microbiology 2e, NCBI Bookshelf Medical Microbiology, and CDC topic pages where applicable; reviewed 2026-06. Educational only; no diagnosis, treatment, dosing, or specimen-handling guidance.