What Causes Elephantiasis?

Elephantiasis is a syndrome most often caused by an obstruction of the lymphatic vessels, which results in extreme swelling of the skin and tissues, typically in the lower trunk and body. It primarily affects the legs and genitals, resulting in baggy, thickened and ulcerated skin, along with fever and chills.

Elephantiasis can be very painful and uncomfortable and reduces the sufferer’s ability to lead a normal life. A serious complication of elephantiasis can be obstructed blood vessels, which limit blood supply and cause the skin to become infected and gangrenous.

Elephantiasis has two main forms and several related disorders:

Lymphatic filariasis, which is the most common form of elephantiasis, is caused by a parasitic disease resulting from a bite from an infected mosquito. This form of elephantiasis is caused most commonly by the Wuchereria bancrofti parasite, but also can be caused by Brugia malayi and Brugia timori,. These parasites are all nematodes, or roundworms, that are transmitted by mosquitoes. The parasite inhabits the lymphatic vessels, resulting in their inability to drain the affected extremities.

It is not definitely known if the parasite itself is the sole reason of the swelling, or if the fact that the immune system is working to fight the parasitic infection contributes to it. Lymphatic filariasis affects people primarily in the tropics and is concentrated in Africa. It is estimated that 120 million people spread over 80 countries are affected by elephantiasis. Approximately one-third of these suffer serious cases of the disorder.

Nonfilarial elephantiasis, the second type of elephantiasis, is non-parasitic. This type is more common to Africa’s central mountains. It is caused by repeated contact with volcanic ash in the area. The primarily barefooted population receives chemicals from the soil into their feet, and the chemicals travel to the lymphatic vessels and irritate and block them.
Elephantiasis
Elephantiasis Is Caused By
Loa Loa
Microfilariae

Hereditary lymphedema is a disorder related to elephantiasis. It is a genetic disorder that, either by an underdevelopment of the lymph vessels or other factors, causes an accumulation of fluid in the affected extremities.

Treatment of elephantiasis depends on the type of the disorder the person is afflicted with. Lymphatic filariasis is treated with medication designed to kill the parasite. These medications include Suramin, Diethylcarbamazine, Ivermectin, Metrifonate, Mebendazole and Levamisole. Recent studies of use of the antibiotic doxycycline show promise. Medicines must be taken early after the primary infection, but they can have toxic side effects. The problem with effective treatment of elephantiasis is that it is difficult to diagnose it early enough.

Doctors have found that careful, daily cleaning of the affected areas helps prevent secondary skin infections that may be associated with elephantiasis. Surgical treatments are usually only effective on scrotal elephantiasis, but not on limbs. Unfortunately, there is no vaccine available at this time.

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Mass Treatment of elephantiasis Citizens Lebak

Tens of thousands of people who lived in a number of areas in Lebak obtain mass treatment of filariasis or elephantiasis.
    
"Until now, mass treatment with elephantiasis, is continuing because it was feared transmitting it to other people," said Head of Communicable Diseases Eradication and Restructuring Lingungan, Lebak District Health Office, Dr Alwan Aminudin Friday.

He said the current number of people with elephantiasis, is still high because of the declared clinically as many as six people and dozens of others expressed positive elephantiasis.

Mass treatment of elephantiasis, which was held in Cipanas subdistrict, Lebak Gedong and Maja because in these areas are endemic areas of filariasis transmission.

Mass treatment in the area is already the third year by a team of District Health Office and the Ministry of Health Centre.

"Transmission of disease elephantiasis in the three districts were declared not free," he said.
According to him, elephant foot disease is not deadly, but patients may experience permanent disability in one part of his body.

Therefore, mass treatment should be done to prevent the transmission of the disease. If residents stricken with elephantiasis positive disease can certainly cause social penyandangf in the community.
    
In addition, productivity will be low pederita that ultimately the decline of human quality in Lebak regency. He mentioned, mass treatment in endemic elephantiasis should be done for five consecutive years for declared free from endemic areas elephantiasis.
    
"Currently, in the three districts that are just entering the year declared endemic keiga amssal treatment," he said.

Participants mass treatment with elephantiasis, followed by all citizens including children under the age of two years, pregnant women, nursing mothers and people with chronic disease

"With the mass treatment of this elephant's foot, is expected ditemukakan again penmuan filariasis cases in the community," he explained.

Meanwhile, the Head of Puskesmas Cipanas, Suripto, say, mass treatment is carried out elephant foot in the working areas as many as 40,000 residents.

Until now, he added, Elephant foot disease cases in the District of Cipanas befall residents of Kampung Seah, Cipanas Village. has been declared clinically.

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New City Free Optimistic Elephant's Foot

City District Government, South Kalimantan, is optimistic in 2015 the New Town are free of disease elephantiasis (filariasis).
    
Chief Public Health Alert Notices drg through Ambarita Mardiman Disease Eradication Head, M Kes, in Kota Baru on Sunday, said the conviction was based upon the New City Health Department efforts through counseling and supplementation Dietyl Carbamezin, Albendazol, and Paracetamol and Blood Sidik Jari ( SDJ).

"In this way we hope people become more aware of and can anticipate the spread of elephantiasis disease early on," he said.

Meanwhile, in Kota Baru today was detected about 36 people with elephantiasis, a disease caused by filarial worms Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, and Brugia timori.

North Sea Island, Kota Baru, as many as four people; North Kelumpang (11 people); Pamukan II (one person); South Kelumpang (one person), and South Sea Island (seven people).

Sub Sea Island West (three people); Middle Kelumpang (one person); and District Sei Durian much as two people; barnacle, Island East Sea (two people); Marabatuan, Nine Island (one person); South Pamukan (one person); Mangrove (one person); and Sampanahan one people with elephantiasis.

For eradication and break the chain of transmission of the disease elephantiasis, particularly in areas of endemic filariasis, Public Health Service directly conduct mass treatment round four times in a row.

For the last treatment is not known how much the success rate of these tablets.
    
Mardiman hope this year evaluation of disease eradication programs elephantiasis allocated sufficient funds.

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5 Villages in Pekalongan endemic disease elephantiasis

At least five villages in Pekalongan, Central Java, expressed as an elephant foot disease endemic area  with the  number of  patients  in the tens  of people.
    
Chief Medical Officer Pekalongan Pekalongan Dwi Herrera Wibawa on Friday, said the number of elephant foot disease endemic area in 2009 was increased, when compared to the previous year that only three regions.
    
Five elephant foot disease endemic area is Kelurahan Pasir Sari, Bandengan, Pebean with the number of patients reached 10 people, while 28 patients Bumirejo Kelurahan Tegal Rejo, and as many as 12 patients.
    
"The disease is caused elephantiasis filariasis worm that is spread through mosquito bites. If the worm into the human body, will cause the leg until the thigh swollen and will harden if left unchecked," he said.
    
He said, to prevent the spread of the disease elephantiasis, the Public Health Service has conducted treatment to all residents affected by the disease by giving the drugs' Carbamazine Diethyl Citrate (DEC), albendazole, and vitamin B6.
    
For patients who have reached the chronic category will be given the drug to be taken three times daily for 10-12 days. "For patients with positive 'filaria' whose leg has been enlarged and will recover despite experiencing temporary disability of the foot remains swollen. But the swelling would be cured within a period of five years," he said.

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Banten Must Fight Serious elephantiasis

Banten Provincial Government should seriously combat the spread of disease elephantiasis (filariasis) by giving the allocation of funds for mass treatment. As stated by observers of infectious disease problems in Rangkasbitung Dr. Alwan Amirudin Saturday.
    
Alwan said the type of infectious disease would be prevented as early as possible so as not to spread, extending and transmitting it to other citizens.

Therefore, local governments must allocate funds for prevention and eradication.

"I am concerned if it did not attack city government allocated funds for elephant foot disease prevention," he said.

According to him, or elephantiasis, filarial disease is transmitted by various species of mosquitoes of the person who suffered permanent swelling in the feet or hands. Filariasis will attack the members of the feet and hands like the size of an elephant.
    
To prevent the disease, especially in areas of endemic disease elephantiasis, first performed taking blood Sidik Jari (SDJ) at night, because it is transmitted through mosquito bites.

"This blood sampling could not be done in the daytime," he said. After that, carried to a laboratory blood studies Ministry of Health (MoH) in Jakarta to ensure negative or positive.

Furthermore, to citizens around the elephant foot disease endemic area, would have made mass treatment.

"It's very costly because it amounted to thousands of people," he said. Amirudin Alwan explained that currently merupkan elephantiasis disease transmission threat to society, local government is not serious when allocating funds to hold a mass treatment.

According to him, to turn off the filarial worm virus that patients can take medicine Dethyl Carbamazine (DEC) for repeated for the worms die and do not undermine the victim's body.
    
Transmission of infectious disease elephantiasis due to filarial worms, which live on the tract and lymph nodes (lymph nodes) that result in acute and chronic symptoms.

They were clinically cause inflammation in the lymph glands and channels, especially in the groin area and underarms. However, the type of elephant foot disease does not cause death, but can cause social burden in society.

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The absence of Inhibition Treatment Fund elephantiasis

Health Office (DHO) Serang, Banten, now find it difficult to conduct mass treatment of disease transmission or filariasis elephantiasis, because they do not have the funds from the Revenue Budget Regional Budget (APBD).
    
"If treatment is not ensured bulk transmission of the disease elephantiasis threaten other residents," said Chief Medical Officer of Serang, Asep Misbah, on Sunday.

Asep said it has yet to do much to make taking blood finger prints (SDJ) is also mass treatment in endemic elephantiasis of disease transmission because it requires a substantial cost.

SDJ-making and mass treatment should be conducted in six districts in the city of Serang, after the discovery of two positive people stricken with the disease elephantiasis.

"Elephant foot disease is a type of contagious disease that can lead to permanent disability in one part of his body," he said.

According to him, taking finger prints on the night blood mass treatment is also an effort to prevent transmission of the disease.

Because, if not done the prevention of possible attacks can be attacked by city residents, because of transmission through the bite of various species of mosquitoes.

Therefore, the government should allocate funds Serang to SDJ-making and mass treatment, especially in the cases of transmission in the health center and Taktakan Singadari.

In addition, it asked the residents for keeping the environment clean house and yard, so no breeding populations of mosquitoes.

He mentioned, until recently the source of transmission of the disease elephantiasis is transmitted through mosquito bites from the patient who suffered permanent swelling in the feet or hands.

Transmission of infectious diseases caused by elephantiasis, filarial worms, which live on the tract and lymph nodes (lymph nodes) that result in acute and chronic symptoms. These worms cause inflammation clinically in lymph glands and channels, especially in the groin area and underarms.

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Overcome elephantiasis

The city government (municipal) and district government (Pemkab) Serang, Banten, was asked to hold a mass treatment of disease elephantiasis (filariasis), following the cases of new patients in the two regions.
     
"I as a citizen of course very much hope the local government held a mass treatment of elephantiasis," said one resident waterfall, waterfall district, Serang, Sofyan (45) Thursday.

Sofyan said that, based on surveillance results Banten Provincial Health Office in 2003 found new cases of people with elephantiasis disease.

In both regions are found as many as six cases of filariasis patients, so the need for mass treatment because it can transmit to other citizens.

Elephantiasis disease transmitted through mosquito bites various jenis.Karena it, the only thing to prevent the disease should be conducted mass treatment.

Treatment was conducted for all citizens of the City and County of Serang Serang, for five consecutive years.

"If treatment is not ensured mass Serang Serang and yet free of the disease ggajah foot," said Sofyan who also graduated from the academy nurse.

According to him, transmission of disease elephantiasis to be a threat to society, so that the local government immediately allocate funds for mass treatment.

Disease elephantiasis due to filarial worm infection, who live in tract and lymph nodes (lymph nodes) that result in acute and chronic symptoms.

Therefore, for the deadly virus filarial worms that patients can take medicine Dethyl Carbamazine (DEC) for repeated for the worms die and do not undermine the victim's body.

Clinical elephantiasis cause inflammation in the lymph glands and channels, especially in the groin area and underarms.

However, until now elephantiasis disease does not cause death, but it could cause social burden in society.

Meanwhile, the Chief Medical Officer of Serang, Asep Misbah, said it until now do not have the funds to gpengobatan disease elephantiasis.

"The possibility of an elephant foot disease is steadily increasing, because there is no mass treatment," kkataya.

Patients with elephantiasis disease in its territory are found in two health centers and now people are still in control.

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