Wuchereria bancrofti is known primarily for causing elephantiasis in humans. It is the most commonly identified species of filarial nematode worms, found in the widest geographic distribution. WHO reports that W. bancrofti is responsible for 90% of all cases of lymphatic filariasis.25
Infections with the Wuchereria bancrofti parasite are also known as:
- Elephantiasis
- Lymphatic filariasis
- Periodic filariasis
Summary of the General Morphologic Characteristics of the Microfilariae:
| Filarial Agent | Length | Width | Nuclear Column |
| Wuchereria bancrofti | Large (>200 μm in length) | Large species tend to be as wide as a red blood cell (RBC), about 6-8 μm in diameter
| Loose (sparse, discrete) |
| Headspace | Tail | Sheath on Giemsa |
| Short | No nuclei | Present: Colorless |
26. CDC/Green. Image #21127. "Under a magnification of 1125X, this photomicrograph of a blood smear specimen revealed some of the ultrastructural morphology exhibited at the tail region of a
Wuchereria bancrofti microfilaria parasite." PHIL public domain. Created 1968. Accessed April 6, 2023.
https://phil.cdc.gov/Details.aspx?pid=2112727. CDC/Melvin. Image #3009. "Under a magnification of 400X, this photomicrograph reveals some of the ultrastructural morphology exhibited by a Wuchereria bancrofti microfilaria, which was found in this thick film blood smear specimen processed using Giemsa stain." PHIL public domain. Created 1977. Accessed April 6, 2023. https://phil.cdc.gov/Details.aspx?pid=3009
