ELEPHANTIASIS

ELEPHANTIASIS
Elephantiasis
* a disease that is
characterized by the
thickening of the skin and
underlying tissues,
especially in the legs and
male genitals.
* scrutom, to swell to the
size of a basketball. It is
caused by flariasis or
podoconiosis.
Signs and symptoms
* Elephantiasis leads to
marked swelling of the
lower half of the body.
* Drawn from the collection
at the National Museum of
ealth and Medicine
showing the e!ect of
Elephantiasis in a historic
conte"t. #natomical items$
%eft %eg, &crotum.
'auses
* occurs in the presence of
microscopic, thread(like
parasitic worms such
as Wuchereria
Bancrofti, Brugia Malayi,
and B. Timori, all of which
are transmitted by
mos)uitoes.
* factors$ the worm, the
symbiotic Wolbachia bacter
ia within the worm, the
host*s immune response,
and the numerous
opportunistic infections
and disorders that arise.
Podoconiosis
* Non(flarial elephantiasis
causes:
* persistent contact with
irritant soils$ in particular,
red clays rich in alkali
metals such
as sodium and potassium a
nd associated with +olcanic
acti+ity.
*
Ethiopian farmer
a!ected by podoconiosis.
Prevention
* Albendazole tablets as a
pre+enti+e measure
against elephantiasis
* #ccording to medical
e"perts the worldwide
e!orts to eliminate
lymphatic flariasis is on
track to potentially be
successful by ,-,-.

#n
estimated ... million
children ha+e been
pre+ented from being
infected, with another
estimated /.0 million in
whom the progress of the
disease has been stopped.
* 1or podoconiosis,
international awareness of
the disease will ha+e to
rise before elimination is
possible.
Treatment
* In sub(&aharan
#frica, albendazole is
being used
with i+ermectin to
treat the disease,
whereas elsewhere in
the world, albendazole
is used
with diethylcarbamazi
ne.

2igorous cleaning of the
a!ected areas of the
body. 3he e4cacy of
these treatments
suggests that many of
the symptoms of
elephantiasis are not
directly a result of the
lymphatic flariasis but
rather the e!ect of
secondary skin
infections.
* &urgical treatment
may be helpful for
issues related to
scrotal elephantiasis
and hydrocele.
owe+er, surgery is
generally ine!ecti+e
at correcting
elephantiasis of the
limbs.
* # +accine is not yet
a+ailable but is likely
to be de+eloped in the
near future.
Treatment for
podoconiosis consists of
* consistent shoe(
wearing 5to a+oid
contact with the
irritant soil6.
* ygiene ( daily
soaking in water
with an antiseptic
5such as bleach6
added, washing the
feet and legs with
soap and water,
application of
ointment, and in
some cases,
wearing elastic
bandages. #ntibioti
cs are used in cases
of infection.
* Antibiotics
* do"ycycline ( most common
Than !ou"
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