How does elephantiasis look like?
The main symptom of elephantiasis is gross enlargement and swelling of an area of the body because of the accumulation of fluid. The arms and legs are the areas most often affected. An entire arm or leg may swell to several times its normal size resembling the thick, round appearance of an elephant’s leg.
What causes elephant skin?
Elephantiasis is a tropical disease caused by parasitic worms that are spread through mosquito bites. The skin gets thick and hard, resembling an elephant’s skin.
Can elephantiasis be reversed?
Treated in its early stages, the swelling of elephantiasis can often be reversed. Once it has become extreme, it can’t be. Further enlargement — and painful, feverish exacerbations — can be prevented by keeping the leg clean and elevated.
What is the best treatment for filaria?
Diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC), which is both microfilaricidal and active against the adult worm, is the drug of choice for lymphatic filariasis.
Is there a vaccine for elephantiasis?
There is no vaccine and no treatment, only these drugs to prevent further transmission of the disease. Of all the people in the world in need of this preventative treatment, over 40% of them live in India.
Where can you get elephantiasis?
Elephantiasis is considered a neglected tropical disease (NTD). It’s more common in tropical and subtropical areas of the world, including Africa and Southeast Asia. It’s estimated that 120 million people have elephantiasis.
Can elephantiasis be operated?
Debulking surgery is a second-line treatment for patients with advanced lipo-lymphedema and elephantiasis nostras. Postoperative complications may occur, but they are manageable. Patients can realize a better quality of life in a situation that cannot be controlled by DLT anymore.
What is the natural cure for filaria?
Natural remedies like Scarlet Leadwort and Ajwain were providing clues for developing drugs with the capacity to kill adult filarial worms, said Nisha Mathew, a scientist of the Vector Control Research Centre (VCRC), Pondicherry (Puducherry), which is an institute of the Indian Council of Medical Research, on Thursday.