Elephantiasis: Causes, Symptoms, Prevention, Diagnosis and Possible Treatment
Greetings to my esteemed friends on the #Stemsocial platform and the entire hive blockchain. It's another day and time to share with you how to know and manage some health challenges that's around you. It's your friend @faquan, saying hello from this part of the world.
It just amazes me how one can be threatened by a particular health challenge and do not know that they're at risk of contracting the disease. Yesterday, I researched on a the causes of elephantiasis and discovered for the first time that they're caused by mosquito bites and it's very risky for those who live in the tropics where mosquitoes are the landlords. This post will focus on the causes, symptoms, prevention, diagnosis and possible treatment of elephantiasis.
Elephantiasis, also known as lymphatic filariasis, is a very rare condition that’s spread by mosquitoes. The common name is often used because if you have it, your arms and legs can swell and become much bigger than they should be. Your sex organs and breasts may also swell up. The affected skin can thicken and harden to look something like an elephant’s skin.
This sickness is one of the most disease that comes with stigmatization and victims are usually faced with stigmatization and discrimination in the society. Although this is caused because the disease can be communicable through infected mosquitoes bites.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO):
- 51 million people were infected as of 2018, a 74% decline since the start of WHO’s Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis in 2000.
- 692 million people no longer require preventive chemotherapy due to successful implementation of WHO strategies.
Causes of Elephantiasis
Elephantiasis is caused by mosquitoes that are carriers of a certain types of roundworms and this roundworms exist in the tropics and subtropical areas of the world. It starts when mosquitoes infected with the roundworm larvae bite you. The tiny larvae survive in your bloodstream and grow. They finish maturing in your lymph system. They can live there for years and cause a lot of damage to your lymph system. This is what causes the swelling.
There are three types of worms involved:
- Wuchereria bancrofti
- Brugia malayi
- Brugia timori
The worms affect the lymphatic system in the body. The lymphatic system is responsible for removing waste and toxins. If It becomes blocked, then it doesn’t properly remove waste. This leads to a backup of lymphatic fluid, which causes swelling.
Symptoms of Elephantiasis
At the early stage of elephantiasis it is asymptomatic in nature and could last for several months before you could see it's symptoms. This on its own make the disease very dangerous and everything should be done at the early stage. The symptoms start becoming visible when the lymphatic system have been blocked and the leg(s), scrotum or breast becomes larger than it's original size.
Preventions
- one must constantly wear long sleeves and long pants to prevent mosquito bites.
- sleep in a treated mosquito net.
- use insecticides to kill mosquitoes.
Diagnosis
It can be diagnosed through one's medical history, also physical examination by the doctor and through series of tests.
Possible Treatments
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.
Another way to treat elephantiasis is to use DEC in combination with a medicine called ivermectin. This is also taken once a year, and the combination has shown better long-term results.
Finally, you may assume that you aren't infected with elephantiasis because some parts of your body isn't swollen, but remember that it's asymptomatic in nature and could be in your body for long before manifesting. The solution is to go for a medical checkup to clear your doubt.
Thanks!
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