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What is a Microfilaria Antigen test?
Filariasis is a painful, disfiguring disease caused by thread-like roundworms called filariae. Some of the species of filariae that can cause this disease are Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi and Brugia timori.
Commonly, this disease is detected by the presence of microfilaria - numerous microscopic worms produced by the adult filaria worms once it lodges inside the lymphatic system - in the body. However, low levels of microfilaria sometimes go unnoticed in lab tests, in such cases, a microfilaria antigen test is done to confirm the absence of filaria worms.
The microfilaria antigen is a protein that the filaria worms release into the bloodstream of the infected individual. Unlike the traditional methods for the diagnosis of filariasis, the antigen test can be performed during the night as well as during day time. However, this test does not confirm the presence of an active infection since the antigen would be found in the blood until there are any traces of dead microfilariae in your body.
