Lymphatic filariasis can be diagnosed by a blood test that looks for the parasitic worms. The worms are active in the body only at night, so the blood must be drawn late in evening to detect them. Because swelling from the infection can take years to develop, the blood test may be negative even though the person is infected. A new, more sensitive test, which uses only a finger prick to draw the blood and can be done at any time, has recently been developed. The test results are available at once without a laboratory. As it comes into widespread use, the new test will help medical workers make faster, more accurate diagnoses.
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