Global Alliance to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis

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Global Alliance to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis
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Lymphatic Filariasis The Disease

• A parasitic disease caused
• by threadlike worms living
• in the human lymphatic
• system
• Transmitted by mosquitoes
• Endemic in 83 countries
• 1.2 billion people at risk
• More than 120 million people
• infected
• More than 25 million men
• suffer from genital disease
• More than 15 million people suffer from
  lymphoedema or elephantiasis of the leg

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Lymphatic Filariasis or Elephantiasis

• A major cause of permanent disability and
  disfigurement
• Adult worms damage the lymphatic system, causing
  fluid to collect and cause swelling
• Patients are physically incapacitated

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A Disease of Poverty

• LF occurs primarily in poor communities
• The disease exacerbates poverty by physically
  incapacitating people, thus affecting their
  livelihood
• Lost productivity caused by LF disease costs
  billions of dollars across the world each year
• Medical treatment for the disease imposes a
  tremendous burden on individuals and health care
  systems

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Lymphatic Filariasis and Children

• Infection acquired in childhood
• Often with as many as 1/3 of children infected
  before age 5
• Because of the long latency period of the
  disease, visible symptoms usually appear in
  puberty
• Of all LF sufferers, children will benefit most
  from the elimination programme

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Elimination Strategy

• Elimination of LF and relief of
• current affliction through a
• 2-pronged approach
• 1. Interrupt Transmission
• 2. Alleviate and prevent
• disability

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Elimination Strategy

• Interrupt transmission
• Annual treatment of entire populations at risk
  with donated or inexpensive medicines
• albendazole Mectizan (ivermectin)
• albendazole diethylcarbamazine (DEC)
• DEC-fortified salt
• Must be treated for at least 5 years

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Elimination Strategy
Alleviate and prevent disability

• Community-level care for those with disease
• Lymphoedema management
• Prevention of acute inflammatory episodes
• Hydrocele repair

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Global Alliance to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis

• National Ministries of Health of LF endemic
  countries
• International Organizations
• Private Sector
• International Development Agencies and
  Foundations
• Non-governmental Organizations
• Academic Research Institutions

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Total Number of People Treated(by year)
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Total Population Treated in 2004 (in millions)
250 million treatments in 39 countries
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Integration and Synergy

• Opportunities for cost-effective integration with
  other community-based health initiatives
• Onchocerciasis
• Schistosomiasis
• School-based deworming
• Trachoma
• Malaria bed nets
• Vitamin A supplements
• National Immunization Days

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A Future Free of Lymphatic Filariasis

• Through annual, cost-effective
• treatments, lymphatic filariasis
• can be eliminated from the world.
• The communities are ready
• The tools are available
• More partners and support will make the goal a
  reality