Author: John Carter

Elephantiasis: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, and More

Once inside, the worms grow into adult worms and cluster in the lymphatic system, sending out microfilariae into the blood stream, which can then be picked up by mosquitoes. This can happen even if someone doesn’t have any symptoms, and adult worms can live and reproduce inside the human body for six to eight years. Much like malaria, these roundworms spread from person to person through mosquito bites. Several different kinds of mosquito species can transmit the parasite, including Anopheles (which also transmit malaria) and Aedes (which can transmit viruses like dengue and Zika). While many people use lymphatic filariasis and elephantiasis interchangeably, it’s actually lymphedema that gives the appearance of more elephant-like features. Lymphedema is when there is intense fluid collection and swelling in parts of the body, most often in the legs, breasts, or genitals.

  1. The paralysis results when the medication causes pores, called transient receptor potential ion-channels, in the parasites’ cellular membranes to open, allowing calcium to enter.
  2. This inflammation can sometimes be accompanied by fever and be quite painful.
  3. The swelling and enlargement of body parts can lead to pain and mobility issues.
  4. “If you know how this therapy works, you can start to select and develop better drugs that are maybe even more potent,” Martin said.

These medications stop the spread of the illness to others, but they do not completely kill off all the parasites. Lymphatic filariasis is extremely rare in North America and Europe. In order to become infected with the parasite, you have to be bitten by infected mosquitoes repeatedly and over a long period of time. If you’re just making short-term trips to areas where lymphatic filariasis is common, there’s little reason to be concerned about getting sick from the parasite.

This inflammation can sometimes be accompanied by fever and be quite painful. Its use has spread, thanks to users’ who constantly seek more powerful drugs to get high. It’s more common in tropical and subtropical areas of the world, including Africa and Southeast Asia.

What Is Elephantiasis?

Alternative tests may be used to detect the parasites, but they may show negative results because symptoms can develop years after the initial infection. Finally, the worm larvae migrate to the lymphatics via the bloodstream and mature in the lymph system. Most people who are infected will not show symptoms, despite damage to the lymph system and kidneys. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimate that 120 million people worldwide are affected by elephantiasis. Carfentanil and its stereoisomers and salts are controlled by the Betäubungsmittelgesetz as a Anlage I substance and can only be used with the special permission of the authorities. Carfentanil is an analogue of fentanyl and is also known as (4‑methoxycarbonyl)fentanyl.

Potential as a chemical weapon

While most people don’t have any symptoms, the infection can cause painful swelling, particularly in the limbs, that can lead to permanent disability. More than 120 million people in 72 countries are impacted by the worms, mostly the poorest of the poor in parts of Africa, Asia, the Pacific Islands, the Caribbean, and South America. It’s caused by parasitic worms, and can spread from person to person through mosquitoes. Elephantiasis is a tropical disease spread through mosquito bites. People living in affected tropical or subtropical areas are most at risk of infection.

Public Health

This complex network of organs and tissues is responsible for, among other things, protecting the body from disease and regulating fluid in your tissues. Mosquitoes aren’t just carriers, they’re also an important part of the worm’s life cycle. When the insects bite someone who is infected, they take in the immature larvae of the parasite (called microfilariae). When symptoms do occur (often years later), they can lead to extensive disfigurement and disability. These symptoms are permanent and can be so debilitating that they keep people from working. The three most visible and concerning manifestations of lymphatic filariasis are lymphedema, elephantiasis, and hydrocele.

Medical Links

In most parts of the world the roundworms are most active at night, so the blood sample must be collected during this time, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Other symptoms during these repeated bacterial infections include a fever and chills. Read on to learn more about treating and preventing this neglected tropical disease. Treatment for elephantiasis includes medications, symptom management, and, sometimes, surgery.

About Medical News Today

The worms are only active at night, so the sample should be taken then. This is the cheapest and more practical way to test for the parasite. Lymphatic filariasis is caused by three types of microscopic, thread-like worms, namely Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, and Brugia timori. The overwhelming majority of cases (90%) are due to Wuchereria bancrofti. So far, carfentanil has been discovered in several states in the Midwest and eastern parts of the U.S.

Treatment

Elephantiasis is when the skin and underlying tissues become abnormally thick. This is often the result of secondary bacterial infections that happen because the body’s lymphatic system is damaged and their immune system is suppressed due to the parasite. A year ago, drug enforcement agents across the United States were just beginning to test the word “fentanyl” on their tongues. Today, it’s part of common parlance, largely because the super-opioid was blamed for the death of rock legend Prince. Carfentanil is the latest mouthful of syllables to take its place. The new study indicates diethylcarbamazine directly targets the parasites with a temporary paralysis.