Antifilarial drugs, in the doses employed in mass drug administrations by the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis, reverse lymphatic pathology in children with Brugia malayi infection

damage in 82% of the children at enrolment, in about 67% of the children this pathology was markedly reduced by the 24-month follow-up. These results indicate that the drug regimens used in the mass drug administrations run by the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis are capable of reversing subclinical lymphatic damage and can provide benefits other than interruption of transmission in endemic areas. The implications of these findings are presented and discussed.