A filter for body fluids includes a housing with a filtering element. The filtering element is made of a filtering material pleated and wrapped in a cylindrical configuration. The pleated material includes an alternation of long pleats and short pleats. Intermediate length pleats with an intermediate length may also be present. The alternation may include, for example, each long pleat interposed between two short pleats or each long pleat interposed between two pairs of short pleats.
