Chiluria in a lymphatic filariasis endemic area.

OBJECTIVE

To establish clinical and laboratory data of individuals presenting chyluria in endemic areas.

RESULTS

75 individuals were studied. The majority were females with an average age of 45 years residing in the Metropolitan Region of Recife. The mean time between the beginning of the presentation of chyluria and the first care service in the Serviço de Referencia Nacional em Filarioses was approximately 5 years. The most frequent urinalysis changes were hematuria (27.6%), leukocytes (21.9%) and proteinuria (10.5%). The Addis test showed mean values of 155.43 E/min/mL of cylinders, 52,892 E/min/mL of erythrocytes and 291,660 E/min/mL of leukocytes. Among recorded cases, proteinuria had a mean value of 1372.80 mg/dL in 24 h, and the presence of lymphocytes in the urine was positive in 68.3%. Among lymphatic filariasis tests, immunochromatography was positive in 16.7%, there was circulating filarial antigen determined by detection of OG4C3 antibodies in 7.7% and microfilaremia in only 1/55.