[Value of filariopheresis in the treatment of Loa loa filariasis].

To prevent the side effects as encephalitis, related with diethylcarbamazine treatment in loiasis, an exchange blood transfusion was proposed. To avoid the disadvantage of this heavy technique, the authors are proposing filariopheresis to trap the microfilariae using cytapheresis technique and filtration. They obtained a medium 75 p. cent microfilariae extraction: 55-70 p. cent by cytapheresis and 5-20 p. cent by filtration. The number of blood cells must be supervised as an important decrease of the platelets may occur temporary. This simple and not expensive technique is efficient, but diethylcarbamazine treatment must be instituted very quickly after filariopheresis session. Furthermore, the millions of microfilariae collected can provide useful antigen for immuno-parasitological tests.