Animalscaretips
Elephantiasis is also known as lymphatic filariasis. It's caused by parasitic worms, and can spread from person to person through mosquitoes. Elephantiasis causes swelling of the scrotum, legs, or breasts. Elephantiasis is considered a neglected tropical disease (NTD).
- How does elephantiasis affect the body?
- Can elephantiasis be cured?
- Is elephantiasis a disability?
- How does lymphatic filariasis affect the body?
- Can filaria be cured?
- Is there a vaccine for elephantiasis?
- Can filaria cause blindness?
- What should not eat in filaria?
- How is elephantiasis prevented?
- How long does lymphatic filariasis last?
- Is elephantiasis genetic?
- What countries have elephantiasis?
- Is filariasis painful?
How does elephantiasis affect the body?
The main symptom of elephantiasis is gross enlargement and swelling of an area of the body because of the accumulation of fluid. The arms and legs are the areas most often affected. An entire arm or leg may swell to several times its normal size resembling the thick, round appearance of an elephant's leg.
Can elephantiasis be cured?
There are medicines to treat elephantiasis. Your doctor may give you one called diethylcarbamazine (DEC). You'll take it once a year. It will kill the microscopic worms in your bloodstream.
Is elephantiasis a disability?
The painful and profoundly disfiguring visible manifestations of the disease, lymphoedema, elephantiasis and scrotal swelling occur later in life and can lead to permanent disability. These patients are not only physically disabled, but suffer mental, social and financial losses contributing to stigma and poverty.
How does lymphatic filariasis affect the body?
The swelling and the decreased function of the lymph system make it difficult for the body to fight germs and infections. Affected persons will have more bacterial infections in the skin and lymph system. This causes hardening and thickening of the skin, which is called elephantiasis.
Can filaria be cured?
Since there is no known vaccine or cure for lymphatic filariasis, the most effective method that exists to control the disease is prevention.
Is there a vaccine for elephantiasis?
Currently there is no vaccine available to prevent this infection in human.
Can filaria cause blindness?
People are infected with river blindness (also known as onchocerciasis) by repeated exposure to blackflies that breed in fast-flowing rivers. The flies transmit worms that can cause severe itching and disfiguring skin lesions, and repeated infection can lead to blindness.
What should not eat in filaria?
Light diet consisting of older jowar, wheat, horse gram, green gram, drum stick, bitter gourd, radish, garlic and older red rice is beneficial. Milk and products, fish, jaggery, sweets and contaminated water must be avoided.
How is elephantiasis prevented?
The best way to prevent elephantiasis is to avoid mosquito bites. People who visit or live in countries at risk should: sleep under a mosquito net. cover up their skin with long sleeves and trousers.
How long does lymphatic filariasis last?
The worms can live an average of six to eight years and throughout their life produce millions of small larvae (microfilariae) that circulate in the blood. When lymphatic filariasis becomes chronic, it causes lymphedema or elephantiasis (swelling of the skin and other tissues) of limbs and hydrocele.
Is elephantiasis genetic?
Genital elephantiasis, end result of lymphogranuloma venereum. Proteus syndrome, a genetic disorder best known as the condition possibly suffered by Joseph Merrick, the so-called "Elephant Man."
What countries have elephantiasis?
Elephantiasis – also known as lymphatic filariasis – is a disease that affects people in Asia, Africa, the Western Pacific and parts of the Caribbean and South America.
Is filariasis painful?
The scrotum may become abnormally swollen and painful. Bancroftian filariasis affects both the legs and the genitals. The Malayan variety affects the legs below the knees.
