ELEPHANTIASIS

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ELEPHANTIASIS
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INTRODUCTION

• Elephantiasis is a disease that is characterized
  by the thickening of the skin and underlying
  tissues, especially in legs and male genitals.
• In some cases the disease can cause certain body
  parts, such as the scrotum, to swell to the size
  of a softball or basketball.
• Elephantiasis is caused by mosquitos.

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CAUSES OF ELEPHANTIASIS

• Elephantiasis is caused by different mosquitos
  and different types of microorganisms which
  includes Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugiamalayi, and
  B.timori.
• The extreme enlargement of the limbs and other
  areas of the body characterized by elephantiasis,
  is the result of obstruction of the lymph flow
  and possibly of blood circulation.

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SYMPTOMS

• The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in
  various sources for Elephantiasis includes the 10
  symptoms listed below
• Severe swelling
• Blocked lymph ducts
• Massive leg swelling
• Impaired lymphatic drainage
• Thickened skin tissue
• Fibrotic skin tissue
• Brawny skin color
• Skin ulceration
• Pebbly skin appearance
• Verrucous skin appearance

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PREVENTION AND TREATMENT

• An estimated 6.6 million children have been
  prevented from being infected, with another
  estimated 9.5 million in whom the progress of the
  disease has been stopped. You can avoid having
  this disease by preventing the bite of this
  mosquito.

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PREVENTION AND TREATMENT

• Another form of effective treatment involves
  rigorous cleaning of the affected areas of the
  body.
• A vaccine is not yet available but is likely to
  be developed in the near future.
• Antibiotics are used in cases of infection.
• Treatment consists of consistent shoe-wearing (to
  avoid contact with the irritant soil) and hygiene
  - daily soaking in water with an antiseptic (such
  as bleach) added, washing the feet and legs with
  soap and water, application of ointment, and in
  some cases, wearing elastic bandages.

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REGIONS OF WORLD AFFECTED BY ELEPHANTIASIS

• This disease is more likely to find in Africa ,
  Asia and in South America.
• Lymphatic filariasis affects over 120 million
  people, primarily in Africa and South-East Asia,
  with about 40 million disfigured and
  incapacitated by the disease
• It is one of the most common causes of disability
  in the world.
• In endemic communities, approximately 10 percent
  of women can be affected with swollen limbs and
  50 percent of men can suffer from mutilating
  genital disease.

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GOALS FOR FUTURE

• According to medical experts the worldwide
  efforts to eliminate lymphatic filariasis is on
  track to potentially be successful by 2020.
• A vaccine to be developed in the near future.
• To finish this disease and to save as much people
  as we can from this disease.
• A high rate has been shown as a result of saving
  people from around the world from this disease.

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SOURCES

• http//www.rightdiagnosis.com/
• http//topworldofhealth.blogspot.com/2011_08_01_ar
  chive.html
• http//www.wikipedia.org
• http//www.news-medical.net/health/Elephantiasis-W
  hat-is-Elephantiasis.aspx
• http//tmcr.usuhs.edu/tmcr/chapter26/clinical1.htm
  
• http//www.filariajournal.com/content/2/1/13
• http//www.stanford.edu/class/humbio103/ParaSites2
  006/Lymphatic_filariasis/Prevention.htm