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High prevalence of bancroftian filariasis and comorbidities in the eastern coalfield regions of West Bengal, India following COVID-19 disruption
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  • Published: 16 March 2026

High prevalence of bancroftian filariasis and comorbidities in the eastern coalfield regions of West Bengal, India following COVID-19 disruption

  • Pritha Chakraborty1,
  • Arnab Sadhu2,
  • Biplob Kumar Modak3,
  • Shankar Dey4,
  • Jagadeesh Bayry5 na1 &
  • …
  • Suprabhat Mukherjee1 na1 

Scientific Reports , Article number:  (2026) Cite this article

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  • Diseases
  • Health care
  • Medical research

Abstract

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is one of the most debilitating parasitic diseases worldwide, casting a shadow of socio-economic stigma over the affected underprivileged communities. The present study is a maiden investigation depicting LF prevalence in the previously unexplored remote eastern coalfield districts of West Bengal state, India during and after COVID-19 pandemic. A community-based cross-sectional survey (August 2021–March 2024) was conducted in four LF-endemic districts of West Bengal. Symptomatic cases were graded clinically, and asymptomatic infections confirmed by filaria-specific IgG/IgM and nocturnal microfilariae (mf) detection. Comorbidities were systematically recorded. Of 3705 individuals (50.7% females and 49.3% males) screened, the overall LF prevalence was 16.65% (95% CI:15.45% -17.85%, 617 individuals). Asymptomatic mf + ICT-positive cases accounted for 10.63% (95% CI, 9.64–11.62; n = 394), while 6.02% (95% CI, 5.30–6.82; n = 223) were symptomatic. Among the symptomatic cases, 144 had circulating mf, filaria-specific IgG/IgM (ICT positive) and clinical symptoms of lymphedema, most commonly Grade II (34.79%) and Grade III (43.48%). Chronic mf-negative lymphedema was observed in 2.13% (n = 79). Active LF prevalence, defined by mf and ICT positivity, was 14.52% (95% CI, 13.4–15.7; n = 538). Acute dermato-lymphangio-adenitis (ADLA) among the clinical categories was ranged between 8.71% and 39.79%. LF prevalence was higher in the rural areas, while hypertension, diabetes, and fungal infections as major comorbidities. The eastern coalfield region of West Bengal state presents heightened prevalence of severe chronic lymphedema and a marginal prevalence of new LF cases possibly due to interruption of mass drug administration in this neglected remote areas and poor morbidity management during COVID-19.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analysed during the current study available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the Department of Biotechnology (DBT)(BT/PR50228/MED/29/1651/2023) (SM and JB), Department of Science and Technology-Science & Engineering Research Board (DST-SERB) (Ref no.- CRG/2021/002605) (SM and JB), West Bengal DSTBT (WBDSTBT) (1116(Sanc.)/STBT-11012(12)/7/2024-WBSCST SEC) (SM) and University Grants Commission (UGC) (Ref no. F.2-12/2019(STRIDE-1) (SM) for supporting his research activities and laboratory through awarding research grants. PC thanks DST, Govt. of India for the award of the DST-INSPIRE fellowship (IF190998). The technical help by Mr. Bikash Mondal, phlebotomist, (Puruliya), and former associates of IBIL Dr. Nabarun Chandra Das, Dr. Ritwik Patra, Mr. Chiranjib Guin, and Mr. Shubham Ghosh (Project Assistants) are duly acknowledged for their assistance in the sampling studies. We also acknowledge Biorender.com, SRPlot, GraphPad Prism (version 8.00), Origin (Learning Edition 2025), and Q-GIS Platform (version 3.18) for illustrations and graphical representations. 

Funding

The research embodied in the manuscript is funded by Department of Biotechnology (DBT) (BT/PR50228/MED/29/1651/2023), DST-Science & Engineering Research Board (SERB), (Ref no.- CRG/2021/002605) University Grants Commission (UGC) (Ref no. F.2–12/2019(STRIDE-1), Govt. of India and West Bengal DSTBT (WBDSTBT) (1116(Sanc.)/STBT-11012(12)/7/2024-WBSCST SEC), Govt. of West Bengal. Funders had no role in manuscript preparation and decision of publication.

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally to this work: Jagadeesh Bayry and Suprabhat Mukherjee.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Integrative Biochemistry & Immunology Laboratory (IBIL), Department of Animal Science, Kazi Nazrul University, Asansol, 713340, West Bengal, India

    Pritha Chakraborty & Suprabhat Mukherjee

  2. Computer Centre, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore, Paschim Medinipur, 721102, West Bengal, India

    Arnab Sadhu

  3. Department of Zoology, Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, Purulia, 723104, West Bengal, India

    Biplob Kumar Modak

  4. ESI Hospital, Sen Raliegh Road, Gobindapur, Asansol, 713305, West Bengal, India

    Shankar Dey

  5. Department of Biological Sciences and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Palakkad, Palakkad, 678623, Kerala, India

    Jagadeesh Bayry

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Contributions

PC, BKM, SD, and SM have curated the data. The investigation, methodology was conducted by PC and SM. Formal analysis was done by PC, AS, JB and SM. PC, JB and SM visualised and validated the data. Project administration, funding acquisition, resources, supervision was done by JB and SM. All the supervision was done by SM. The writing – original draft, and writing– review & editing was done by PC, JB and SM.

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Correspondence to Jagadeesh Bayry or Suprabhat Mukherjee.

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Chakraborty, P., Sadhu, A., Modak, B.K. et al. High prevalence of bancroftian filariasis and comorbidities in the eastern coalfield regions of West Bengal, India following COVID-19 disruption. Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-43973-z

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  • Received: 24 November 2025

  • Accepted: 09 March 2026

  • Published: 16 March 2026

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-43973-z

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Keywords

  • Lymphatic filariasis
  • Wuchereria bancrofti
  • Prevalence
  • Lymphedema
  • Co-morbidity
  • Post COVID-19
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