About Lymphatic Filariasis:
- It is commonly known as elephantiasis (Haatipaon) which is a neglected tropical disease.
- It is a vector-borne disease transmitted by the female Culex mosquito.
- Cause: It is caused by infection with parasites classified as nematodes (roundworms) of the family Filariodidea. There are 3 types of these thread-like filarial worms:
- Wuchereria bancrofti, which is responsible for 90% of the cases
- Brugia malayi, which causes most of the remainder of the cases
- Brugia timori, which also causes the disease
- Transmission Cycle: Adult worms nest in the lymphatic vessels and disrupt the normal function of the lymphatic system where they produce millions of microfilariae (immature larvae) that circulate in the blood.
- Infection occurs when filarial parasites are transmitted to humans through mosquitoes.
- Symptoms: The majority of infections are asymptomatic but in chronic conditions it leads to lymphoedema (tissue swelling) or elephantiasis (skin/tissue thickening) of limbs and hydrocele (scrotal swelling).
- Treatment:
- Elimination of lymphatic filariasis is possible by stopping the spread of the infection through preventive chemotherapy.
- WHO-recommended preventive chemotherapy strategy for lymphatic filariasis elimination is mass drug administration (MDA).
- MDA involves administering an annual dose of medicines to the entire at-risk population.
