Table 4.

Summary of eosinophil involvement in pathology development during filarial infections.

Onchocerciasis	General
	Adult	No clear evidence
	MF	Dermatitis:  Humans:   • DEC/ivermectin treatment:   • Increased eosinophil counts + eosinophil-associated protein levels   • Dead MF encircled by eosinophils + coated by eosinophil proteins Animal model: neutrophil and eosinophil accumulation
		Ocular lesions:  Animal model:   • Neutrophil + eosinophil accumulation, responsibility of cell types not completely determined   • Eosinophil contribution: IL-4 KO mice + IL-12-treated mice: correlation with eosinophil number and inflammation   • Neutrophil contribution: IL-5 KO mice + Wolbachia-injected mice: keratitis and no eosinophil but neutrophil accumulation
Lymphatic filariasis	General
	Adult	Lymphedema:  Humans: Increased IL-5  Animal model: Increased eosinophil numbers
	MF	TPE:  Humans:   • Acute eosinophil infiltration and eosinophilic inflammation   • Eosinophil-associated proteins in BAL and serum   • DEC treatment: reduced MF counts and eosinophil inflammation  Animal model:   • Neutralization of α4 and β7 integrins, IL-12 administration, IL-5 KO mice + dblGATA mice: reduced lung damage and reduced eosinophilia
Loiasis		Calabar swelling:  Humans:   • Low MF loads associated with increased eosinophil numbers and IL-5   • DEC treatment: endomyocardial fibrosis + renal disease associated with eosinophils   • Anti-IL-5 treatment: no impact on MF clearance and SAEs
Litomosoides sigmodontis		Infection: hyperplasia lung pathology during patency   • Mainly in MF-positive animals, absence in dblGATA mice