Lymphatic Filariasis Elephantiasis课程.pptVIP

Lymphatic Filariasis / Elephantiasis Wuchereria bancrofti Brugia malayi What is it? Wuchereria bancrofti and Brugia malayi are filarial nematodes Spread by several species of night - feeding mosquitoes Causes lymphatic filariasis, also known as Elephantiasis Commonly and incorrectly referred to as “Elephantitis” + Definitive Host Humans are the definitive host for the worms that cause lymphatic filariasis There are no known reservoirs for W.bancrofti. B.malayi has been found in macaques, leaf monkeys, cats and civet cats Intermediate Host W.bancrofti is transmitted by Culex, Aedes, and Anopheles species B.malayi is transmitted by Anopheles and Mansonia species. Geographic Range Lymphatic filariasis occurs in the tropics of India, Africa, Southern Asia, the Pacific, and Central and South America. Lymphatic Filariasis by the numbers Endemic in 83 countries 1.2 billion at risk More than 120 million people infected More than 25 million men suffer from genital symptoms More than 15 million people suffer from lymphoedema or elephantiasis of the leg Morphology - W.bancrofti W.bancrofti is a sexually dimorphic species. The adult male worm is long and slender, between four and five centimeters in length, a tenth of a centimeter in diameter, and has a curved tail. The female is six to ten centimeters long, and three times larger in diameter than the male. Microfilariae are sheathed, and approximately 245 to 300 μm in length. Morphology - B.malayi B.malayi microfilariae are slightly smaller than those of W.bancrofti. Microfilariae are sheathed, and about 200 to 275 μm. Not much is known about the adult worms, as they are not often recovered One distinctive feature of B.malayi is that the microfilarial nuclei extends to the tip of the tail Wuchereria Life Cycle Symptoms 1. Asymptomatic: patients have hidden damage to the lymphatic system and kidneys. 2. Acute: attacks of ‘filarial fever’ (pain and inflammation of lymph nodes and ducts, often accompanied by fever, nausea and