See special page for Filariasis in domestic animals

Lymphatic Filariasis is a parasitic and infectious tropical disease, caused by three thread-like parasitic filarial worms, Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, and Brugia timori, all transmitted by mosquitoes. It is extremely rare in Western countries. Loa loa is another filarial parasite of humans, transmitted by the deer fly. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (3027x2400, 409 KB)The life cycle of Wuchereria bancrofti, one the causal agents of Filariasis. ... The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (most commonly known by the abbreviation ICD) provides codes to classify diseases and a wide variety of signs, symptoms, abnormal findings, complaints, social circumstances and external causes of injury or disease. ... The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision (ICD-10) is a coding of diseases and signs, symptoms, abnormal findings, complaints, social circumstances and external causes of injury or diseases, as classified by the World Health Organization (WHO). ... // A00-A79 - Bacterial infections, and other intestinal infectious diseases, and STDs (A00-A09) Intestinal infectious diseases (A00) Cholera (A01) Typhoid and paratyphoid fevers (A010) Typhoid fever (A02) Other Salmonella infections (A03) Shigellosis (A04) Other bacterial intestinal infections (A040) Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli infection (A045) Campylobacter enteritis (A046) Enteritis due to Yersinia... The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (most commonly known by the abbreviation ICD) provides codes to classify diseases and a wide variety of signs, symptoms, abnormal findings, complaints, social circumstances and external causes of injury or disease. ... The following is a list of codes for International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems. ... Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) is a huge controlled vocabulary (or metadata system) for the purpose of indexing journal articles and books in the life sciences. ... Filariasis is a disease which occurs in domestic animals as in human beings. ... A parasite is an organism that spends a significant portion of its life in or on the living tissue of a host organism and which causes harm to the host without immediately killing it. ... An infection is the detrimental colonization of a host organism by a foreign species. ... Tropical diseases are infectious diseases that either occur uniquely in tropical and subtropical regions (which is rare) or, more commonly, are either more widespread in the tropics or more difficult to prevent or control. ... Wuchereria bancrofti (named for O.E.H. Wucheria and Joseph Bancroft), a parasitic filarial nematode, affects over 120 million people, and is spread by mosquitoes. ... Binomial name Brugia malayi Brug 1927 Brugia malayi is a filarial roundworm which causes filariasis in humans. ... Diversity 41 genera Genera See text. ... For alternative meanings for The West in the United States, see the U.S. West and American West. ... Loa loa filariasis (also loiasis) is a disease caused by the worm loa loa filaria. ... Species Chrysops carbonarius Chrysops niger Chrysops vittatus Deer flies () are insects of the Tabanidae family that can be pests of cattle, horses, and humans. ...

Presentation

The most spectacular symptom of lymphatic filariasis is elephantiasis—thickening of the skin and underlying tissues—which was the first disease discovered to be transmitted by insects. Elephantiasis is caused when the parasites lodge in the lymphatic system. Elephantiasis (Greek ελεφαντίασις, from ελέφαντας, the elephant) is a disease that is characterized by the thickening of the skin and underlying tissues, especially in the legs and genitals. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ...

Elephantiasis affects mainly the lower extremities, whereas ears, mucus membranes, and amputation stumps are rarely affected; however, it depends on the species of filaria. W. bancrofti can affect the legs, arms, vulva, breasts, while Brugia timori rarely affects the genitals. Infection by Onchocerca volvulus and the migration of its microfilariae through the cornea is a major cause of blindness (Onchocerciasis). A pierced human ear. ... The mucous membranes (or mucosae; singular: mucosa) are linings of ectodermic origin, covered in epithelium, and are involved in absorption and secretion. ... Partial hand amputation For the song Amputations by Death Cab for Cutie, see You Can Play These Songs with Chords Amputation is the removal of a body extremity by trauma (also referred to as avulsion) or surgery. ... Onchocerciasis or river blindness is the worlds second leading infectious cause of blindness. ... The cornea is the transparent front part of the eye that covers the iris, pupil, and anterior chamber, providing most of an eyes optical power [1]. Together with the lens, the cornea refracts light and, as a result, helps the eye to focus. ... Binomial name Onchocerca volvulus Bickel 1982 Onchocerciasis (pronounced ) or river blindness is the worlds second leading infectious cause of blindness. ...

Incidence/prevalence

Filariasis is endemic in tropical regions of Asia, Africa, Central and South America with 120 million people infected. World map showing the location of Asia. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... For other uses, see Central America (disambiguation). ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ...

In endemic areas of the world (e.g., Malaipea in Indonesia), up to 54% of the population may have microfilariae in their blood.^[1]

History

Lymphatic Filariasis is thought to have affected humans since approximately 1500-4000 years ago, though an exact date for its origin is unknown. The first clear reference to the disease occurs in ancient Greek literature, where scholars discuss diagnosis of lymphatic filariasis vs. diagnosis of similar symptoms that can result from leprosy.

The first documentation of symptoms occurred in the 16th century, when Jan Huygen Linschoten wrote about the disease during the exploration of Goa. Soon after, exploration of other parts of Asia and Africa turned up further reports of disease symptoms. It was not until centuries later than an understanding of the disease began to develop.

In 1866, Timothy Lewis, building on the work of Jean-Nicolas Demarquay and Otto Henry Wucherer, made the connection between microfilariae and elephantiasis, establishing the course of research that would ultimately explain the disease. Not long after, in 1876, Joseph Bancroft discovered the adult form of the worm, and finally in 1877 the life cycle involving an arthropod vector was theorized by Patrick Manson, who proceeded to demonstrate the presence of the worms in mosquitoes. Manson incorrectly hypothesized that the disease was transmitted through skin contact with water in which the mosquitoes had laid eggs. In 1900, George Carmichael Low determined the actual transmission method by discovering the presence of the worm in the proboscis of the mosquito vector.^[2] Joseph Bancroft (1836-1894), scientist born in England, who emigrated to Australia. ... Patrick Manson. ...

Diagnosis

The diagnosis is made by identifying microfilariae on a Giemsa stained thick blood film. Blood must be drawn at night, since the microfilaria circulate at night, when their vector, the mosquito, is most likely to bite. Giemsa stain is used for the histopathological diagnosis of Malaria and other parasites. ...

There are also PCR assays available for making the diagnosis.

Treatment

Medicines to treat lymphatic filariasis are most effective when used soon after infection, but they do have some toxic side effects. In addition, the disease is difficult to detect early. Therefore, improved treatments and laboratory tests are needed.

Antibiotics as a possible treatment

In 2003 it was suggested that the common antibiotic doxycycline might be effective in treating elephantiasis.^[3] The parasites responsible for filariasis have a population of symbiotic bacteria, Wolbachia, that live inside the worm. When the symbiotic bacteria are killed by the antibiotic, the worms themselves also die. Clinical trials in June 2005 by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine reported that an 8 week course almost completely eliminated microfilariaemia.^[4][5] Doxycycline (INN) (IPA: ) is a member of the tetracycline antibiotics group and is commonly used to treat a variety of infections. ... Wolbachia is a genus of inherited bacterium that infects arthropod species, including a high proportion of all insects. ...

• Diethylcarbamazine Citrate (Hetrazan)

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Filariasis

1. ^ Aupali T, Ismid IS, Wibowo H, et al. (2006). "Estimation of the prevalence of lymphatic filariasis by a pool screen PCR assay using blood spots collected on filter paper". Tran R Soc Trop Med Hyg 100 (8): 753–9. 
2. ^ http://www.stanford.edu/class/humbio103/ParaSites2006/Lymphatic_filariasis/Discovery.htm Accessed 7-3-2007
3. ^ Hoerauf A, Mand S, Fischer K, Kruppa T, Marfo-Debrekyei Y, Debrah AY, Pfarr KM, Adjei O, Buttner DW (2003). "Doxycycline as a novel strategy against bancroftian filariasis-depletion of Wolbachia endosymbionts from Wuchereria bancrofti and stop of microfilaria production". Med Microbiol Immunol (Berl) 192 (4): 211-6. PMID 12684759. 
4. ^ Taylor MJ, Makunde WH, McGarry HF, Turner JD, Mand S, Hoerauf A (2005). "Macrofilaricidal activity after doxycycline treatment of Wuchereria bancrofti: a double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled trial". Lancet 365 (9477): 2116-21. PMID 15964448. 
5. ^ Outland, Katrina. "New Treatment for Elephantitis: Antibiotics", The Journal of Young Investigators, 2005 Volume 13. 

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... The Wikimedia Commons (also called Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ...

External links

• (2005) "Special issue". Indian Journal of Urology 21 (1). 

• BBC News article on Lymphatic filariasis

such a fool disease Helminthiasis is a disease in which a part of the body is infested with worms such as pinworm, roundworm or tapeworm. ... Subclasses Aspidogastrea Digenea The Trematoda is a class within the phylum Platyhelminthes, which contains two groups of parasitic worms. ... Schistosomiasis or bilharzia is a disease affecting many people in developing countries. ... Swimmer’s itch, or cercarial dermatitis, is a short-term, immune reaction occurring in the skin of humans that have been infected by water-borne trematode parasites. ... Clonorchiasis is an infectious disease caused by the Chinese liver fluke, Clonorchis sinesis. ... Fascioliasis is caused by the trematodes Fasciola hepatica (the sheep liver fluke) and Fasciola gigantica, parasites of herbivores that can infect humans accidentally. ... Paragonimiasis is a food-borne parasitic infection caused by the lung fluke, most commonly Paragonimus westermani. ... Fasciolopsiasis results from infection by the trematode Fasciolopsis buski (Lankester 1857) Odhner 1902, the largest intestinal fluke of humans. ... Orders Subclass Cestodaria Amphilinidea Gyrocotylidea Subclass Eucestoda Aporidea Caryophyllidea Cyclophyllidea Diphyllidea Lecanicephalidea Litobothridea Nippotaeniidea Proteocephalidea Pseudophyllidea Spathebothriidea Tetraphyllidea Trypanorhyncha In biology, Cestoda is the class of parasitic flatworms, called tapeworms, that live in the digestive tracts of vertebrates as adults and often in the bodies of various animals as juveniles. ... Adult tapeworm infection is the infection of the digestive tract by parasitic flatworms called cestodes or tapeworms. ... Cysticercosis is a the most common parasitic infection of the central nervous system worldwide. ... Hymenolepiasis is infestation by one of two species of tapeworm: Hymenolepis nana Hymenolepis diminuta Alternative names are: Dwarf tapeworm infection Rat tapeworm Causes, incidence, and risk factors Hymenolepis live in warm climates and are common in the southern USA. The eggs of these worms are ingested by insects, and mature... Classes Adenophorea    Subclass Enoplia    Subclass Chromadoria Secernentea    Subclass Rhabditia    Subclass Spiruria    Subclass Diplogasteria The nematodes or roundworms (Phylum Nematoda from Greek (nema): thread + -ode like) are one of the most common phyla of animals, with over 20,000 different described species (over 15,000 are parasitic). ... Dracunciliasis, more commonly known as Guinea Worm Disease (GWD), is an infection caused by the parasite Dracunculus medinensis (also known as Guinea worm). The word Dracunculus comes from the Latin little dragon. // An adult female Dracunculus worm emerges through the skin of its human host one to two years after... Binomial name Onchocerca volvulus Bickel 1982 Onchocerciasis (pronounced ) or river blindness is the worlds second leading infectious cause of blindness. ... Loa loa filariasis (also loiasis and African eyeworm) is a skin and eye disease caused by the nematode worm, loa loa filaria. ... Mansonelliasis (or mansonellosis) is the condition of infection by the nematode Mansonella. ... Trichinosis, also called trichinellosis, or trichiniasis, is a parasitic disease caused by eating raw or undercooked pork and wild game products infected with the larvae of a species of roundworm Trichinella spiralis, commonly called the trichina worm. ... Species Species N. americanus and A. duodenale The hookworm is a parasitic worm (nematode) that lives in the small intestine of its host, which may be a mammal such as a dog, cat, or human. ... Ancylostomiasis is the condition of infection by Ancylostoma hookworms. ... Necatoriasis is the condition of infection by Necator hookworms. ... Cutaneous larva migrans is a skin disease in humans are caused by a parasitic larvae called Ancylostoma braziliense. ... Binomial name Ascaris lumbricoides Linnaeus, 1758 Ascariasis is a human disease caused by the parasitic roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides. ... Strongiloides stercoralis. ... Life cycle of Trichuris trichiura. ... Enterobiasis is the medical condition of being infected with pinworms (Enterobius vermicularis). ... Visceral larva migrans is a condition in children caused by the migratory larvae of nematodes like Toxocara vitulloram ,T.canis etc. ... Gnathostomiasis is the human infection by the nematode (roundworm) Gnathostoma spinigerum and/or Gnathostoma hispidum, which infects vertebrate animals. ...