Filariasis
Original Editors - Kim McMillin from Bellarmine University's Pathophysiology of Complex Patient Problems project.
Lead Editors - Your name will be added here if you are a lead editor on this page. Read more.
Definition/Description[edit | edit source]
Lymphatic filariasis is a disease associated with parasitic infection of one of three different nematodes: Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, or Brugia timori. The microscopic worms enter the human body via mosquito transmission- in both children and adults- and can live up to 5-7 years in the lymphatic system. Although most people who are infected are asymptomatic, a small percentage of people will develop extreme lymphedema and multiple secondary infections as a result of years of exposure to the parasites. (CDC)
Prevalence[edit | edit source]
It is estimated that more than 120 million people in 80 countries worldwide are currently infected with one of the three nematodes. Greater than 90% of those 120 million people are infected with the Wuchereria bancrofti filaria. Reports also suggest that more than 40 million people are significantly dibilatated and disfigured by the disease. (Lymphatic filariasis: the disease and its control. Fifth report of the WHO Expert Committee on Filariasis. World Health Organ Tech Rep Ser 1992; 821:1.)
Lymphatic filariasis is endemic is the tropic and sub-tropics of Southeast Asia, Africa, the India Subcontinent, the Pacific islands, and parts of the Caribbean and Latin America. (CDC; Ngwira BM, Jabu CH, Kanyongoloka H, et al. Lymphatic filariasis in the Karonga district of northern Malawi: a prevalence survey. Ann Trop Med Parasitol 2002; 96: 137.)
Characteristics/Clinical Presentation[edit | edit source]
add text here
Associated Co-morbidities[edit | edit source]
add text here
Medications[edit | edit source]
add text here
Diagnostic Tests/Lab Tests/Lab Values[edit | edit source]
add text here
Etiology/Causes[edit | edit source]
add text here
Systemic Involvement[edit | edit source]
add text here
Medical Management (current best evidence)[edit | edit source]
add text here
Physical Therapy Management (current best evidence)[edit | edit source]
add text here
Alternative/Holistic Management (current best evidence)[edit | edit source]
add text here
Differential Diagnosis[edit | edit source]
add text here
Case Reports/ Case Studies[edit | edit source]
add links to case studies here (case studies should be added on new pages using the case study template)
Resources
[edit | edit source]
add appropriate resources here
Recent Related Research (from Pubmed)[edit | edit source]
see tutorial on Adding PubMed Feed
Failed to load RSS feed from http://eutils.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/erss.cgi?rss_guid=1LuCQHj6kRF7j_ljRKzw4jWi_VSnRV5z-VpbnDe_osv1Q_UIgA|charset=UTF-8|short|max=10: Error parsing XML for RSS
References[edit | edit source]
see adding references tutorial.