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Frequently Asked Questions about Lymphatic Filariasis

Source: www.filariasis.org
Topic: Filariasis
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Sort Desciption: Frequently Asked Questions about Lymphatic Filariasis. What is lymphatic filariasis?

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Frequently Asked Questions about Lymphatic Filariasis The Global Alliance to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis What is lymphatic filariasis? Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is the 4 th leading cause of permanent disability worldwide 1 . Often known by the name elephantiasis, it results in clinical symptoms such as swollen limbs and/or hardened, thickened skin. Found mostly in tropical areas, LF is a parasitic disease caused by thread-like worms or filariae. Each adult worm lives for about six years in the human lymphatic system, and female worms release millions of microfilariae (immature worms) that circulate in the blood. How common is the disease? WHO estimates there are a billion people at risk in approximately 80 countries 2 . Over 120 million people already have been infected with LF, and over 40 million are seriously incapacitated and disfigured by the disease 2 . In 1990, LF caused a loss of 3046 disability adjusted life years (DALYs) in men and 952 DALYs in women. One third of the people infected live in India, one third in Africa and the rest in South Asia, the Western Pacific and parts of Central and South America 2 . In tropical and sub-tropical areas where LF is well-established notably Africa and the Indian subcontinent the prevalence of infection is continuing to increase. Reasons for this include the rapid and unplanned growth of cities, which creates numerous breeding sites for the mosquitoes that transmit the disease, and the rise in poverty 1 . What are the signs and symptoms? The infection is usually acquired early in childhood, but the worst symptoms of the chronic disease do not generally appear until adulthood 3 . Many people with LF never develop clinical signs of their infections. However, studies show that such people actually have hidden, internal damage to the kidneys and lymphatic system. In men and women with clinical signs, the damage to the lymphatic system usually causes fluid to ...

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