Filariasis/Elephantiasis

Biological Impact

Lymphatic filariasis is caused when several, threadlike parasitic worms invade the human lymph system, which fights infections and regulates the body's fluid balance. The microscopic worms live in the lymph vessels for five to seven years, often causing permanent damage. An impaired lymph system results in the swelling of arms, legs, and even genitals, often to several times the normal size, usually termed lymphedema. Lymphedema makes it difficult to fight infections and those affected typically have severe fungal and bacterial diseases that thicken and harden the skin, which is called elephantiasis.

Social Impact

As a chronic infection, lymphatic filariasis inflicts severe social problems upon its victims. People with the disease often suffer pain, disfigurement, and sexual disability. Communities frequently shun women and men disfigured by the disease, many of whom never marry or become rejected by spouses. Their families and communities are further affected as people disabled by the disease are frequently unable to work.

Prevention, Treatment, and Control

Prevention and control measures against lymphatic filariasis include sleeping under mosquito nets, with or without insecticide treatment, and the use of mosquito repellents. However, given the long life cycle of the filarial worms, even these mosquito control efforts have failed at eradicating the disease. Thus, in 2000, the World Health Organization launched a global program to eliminate lymphatic filariasis by mass drug administration (MDA) of at-risk populations with medicines, including diethylcarbamazine, ivermectin, and albendazole, known to kill the worms.

Such efforts have yielded promising results in endemic areas, such as in Egypt, where research suggests that filariasis can be eliminated after five rounds of MDA. The goals of this global campaign are to eliminate lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem and alleviate the social and economic hardships in individuals suffering from lymphatic filaria-sis-induced disability.