Elephantiasis
...rmant for approximately three years in the infected human. The symptoms therefore are often not in line with the time of the infection (Worms, 2002). Elephantiasis in some individuals may cause symptoms like fever, shaking chills, malaise, which is a general feeling of ill health, sweating, headaches, vomiting, and pain (retrieved from FreeYellow.com ‘02, on-line 1-16-03). The cause of elephantiasis is blockage of the lymphatic system by threadlike filarial worms. This blockage causes fluids to collect in the tissues, which then leads to great swelling of the affected area. The most common type of these threadlike worms is the Wuchereria bancrofti. These worms are classified as a parasitic nematode worm. They are tiny and white in thier larve stage, but they grow to be any where from one to four inches in length when in the human body. These worms enter the body as larve. They are transfered into the body by mosquitos. The microfilarial are ingested by the mosquito from an infected human body. The microfilarial undergo development in the mosquito’s thoracic muscles. They later migrate to the mosquitos mouthparts (Berkow, 1987). The mosquitos then inject the worm larve when they bite another individual. The larve then migrate to the lyph nodes where they develop into mature worms. After entrance into the body, the female worms begin to constantly release embryos. The embryos then turn into larve. The primary worms remain in the lymph region, but the larve they produce are free to roam throughout the body in the bloodstream and corresponding tissues. If a male and a female remain coiled together in the body, they can reproduce in the glands for ten to eighteen years. These worms cause the inflammation of lymph ducts and related glands. This then causes an obstruction of the lymph flow and possibly of blood circulation. When the lymphatic obstruction is large enough, back pressure in the lymphatic channels produces dilation of the superficial vessels, resulting in extreme swelling. Without medical intervention the affected are becomes grotesquely enlarged. Death of surrounding tissues may also occur from an obstructed blood supply. Some charactersitics of the skin of individuals who have elephantiasis include hardening of the skin and thickening of the skin. The skin will also have a pebbly appearance and it may also become ulcerated and darkened. In the male, there may be an enlargement of the scrotum, and the penis may be retracted under the skin which has become thickened, non-elastic, hot and painful. The external female genital organs may also be affected. In the female, a long tumorous mass covered by thickened and ulcerated skin may develop between the thighs (FreeYellow.com ‘02, on-line 1-16-03). Until recently, diagnosing elephantiasis had been extremely difficult, since parasites had to be detected microscopically in the blood, and in most parts of the world, the parasites have a nocturnal periodicity that restricts their appearance in the blood to only the hours around midnight. The new development of a very sensitive, very specific simple card test to detect circulating parasite antigens. Since this card can be used with out the need for laboratory facilities and using only finger-prick blood droplets taken anytime of the day it has completely transformed the approach to diagnosis (Worms, 2002). Patient history and the appearance of the patient are also used in diagnosing since it is something that can be seen easily if it has already progressed into the swelling of an area of the body. There is not a treatment available that can reverse elephantiasis. Surgery can be done on the genitals to take away some of the excess skin. Surgery is not effective on elephantiasis of the legs. Elastic bandages and elevation can be used to lessen some of the swelling. There is also an antifilarial drug available called Hetrazan. This drug aides in the reduction of parasites in the blood by killing some of them. Preventative measures can be taken to lessen the risk of getting elephantiasis. You can take Hetrazan preve...