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Lymphatic Filariasis Research Paper

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Lymphatic Filariasis Introduction Over 120 million people worldwide are affected by lymphatic filariasis. This disease is caused by nematode worms, most of the cases being from a species known as Wuchereria bancrofti, or just W. bancrofti. Those who experience the conditions of the disease the worst are older individuals whom have lived in an endemic area for an extended period of time. This is because of the long gestational period for the parasitic presence to become prevalent by repeated mosquito bites and by the larva reproducing. (USAID, 2014) The disease is commonly referred to as elephantiasis due to the symptom of lymphedema. (W.H.O., 2015) Lymphdema causes the limbs to swell and become immobile, which stems from the lymph vessels becoming blocked by larva nests. (M.C.S., 2014) Another common visible symptom is genital swelling in men, known as a …show more content…

In Egypt, a statue of Pharaoh Mentuhotep II dating to about 2000BC shows signs of what might have been elephantiasis; a common symptom of lymphatic filariasis. Between 1588 and 1592, Jan Hyugen Linschoten described the symptoms of lymphatic filariasis during a trip to the Indian state of Goa. The first actual documented observation of larva in the blood stream was by Jean-Nicolas Demarquay, a French surgeon who extracted it from a hydrocele. A short time later, Otto Henry Wucherer discovered the presence of microfilariae in urine. The connection between the two discoveries and between microfilariae presence and elephantiasis was later discovered by Timothy Lewis. In 1876, Joseph Bancroft documented the adult parasitic worm. Perhaps most importantly; in the following year, Patrick Manson discovered microfilariae in mosquitos. This was the first time mosquitos were found to carry diseases, and would not only affect studies in regard to lymphatic filariasis, but other mosquito-borne illnesses such as malaria. (Stanford University.edu,

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