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Joan Stephenson, PhD

JAMA. 2007;298:1752.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

An international team of scientists from the United States, England, Scotland, Australia, Canada, and Germany has produced a draft genome of Brugia malayi, a parasitic worm that causes lymphatic filariasis, or elephantiasis (Ghedin E et al. Science. 2007;317[5844]:1756-1760). The infection, which damages the lymphatic system, affects more than 120 million people in 80 countries, and more than 40 million of them are severely incapacitated and disfigured by the disease.

Scientists have produced a draft genome of Brugia malayi, a parasitic worm that causes lymphatic filariasis, or elephantiasis. (Photo credit: AAAS/Science)

Most infections are asymptomatic, but the infection can damage lymphatic vessels and may lead to lymphedema of the leg, arm, scrotum, penis, vulva, or breast. Immune hyperresponsiveness to microfilariae in the pulmonary capillaries also can result in potentially serious lung disease.

Current drugs target the larva but do not kill the worms, . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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