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Lymphatic Filariasis |
| • Caused by thread-like parasitic worms (Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi and Brugia timori) that damage the human lymphatic system – transmitted by mosquitoes (see 1) |
| • One of the most disabling and disfiguring of diseases |
| • 80+ endemic countries (Figure 1) |
| • 1+ billion people are at risk of infection |
| • 120 million people are infected. Of these... |
| • 43 million people have swelling of the limbs and breasts (known as lymphoedema) and genitals (known as hydrocoele), and their more chronic state – known as elephantiasis – in which the skin becomes enormously thickened, and is rough, hard, and fissured |
| • It is a disease of poverty – affecting the "poorest of the poor" – preventing those afflicted from living a normal working and social life (See 2) |
| • Children acquire the disease early and are blighted for life |
Molyneux Filaria Journal 2003 2:13 doi:10.1186/1475-2883-2-13 |