Monday, October 08, 2012

Lymphatic filariasis or elephantiasis

Lymphatic filariasis, also known as elephantiasis, is best known from dramatic photos of people with grossly enlarged or swollen arms and legs.
Lymphatic filariasis currently affects 120 million people worldwide, and 40 million of these people are seriously diseased.
When an infected female mosquito bites a person, she may inject the worm larvae, called microfilariae, into the blood. The microfilariae reproduce and spread throughout the bloodstream, where they can live for many years.
The most common, visible signs of infection are excessively enlarged arms, legs, genitalia, and breasts.

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