7D 3. When is the best time to collect specimen for W. bancrofti nd B. malayi? State the reason.

The best time to collect wet smears or thick blood smears is between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m. owing to their nocturnal periodicity. The microfilariae B. malayi have a sub periodicity. Although the best time to collect blood smears for diagnosis is at night, they may also be taken during the day. Blood films for W. bancrofti and B. malayi should be collected at night when microfilariae are circulating. Repeat exams may be necessary due to low parasitemia. Serology does not differentiate between filaria.

REFERENCES: Philippine Textbook of Medical Parasitology by Vicente Y. Belizario Jr. http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2013/06/24/cid.cit278/T70.expansion.html