Source: google.com
Do you know that mosquito bite do not cause malaria parasite alone but also cause disease known as Elephantiasis.
Source: google.com
Causes of Elephantiasis
The Elephantiasis syndrome is caused by an infection of a nematodes parasite called filaria worm. The parasite transmitted into the human body by female mosquito parasite then grows into an adult worm leading to Elephantiasis.
There are three types of these thread-like filarial worms and they are:
- Wuchereria bancrofti; which is responsible for 90% of most cases of Elephantiasis in West and East Africa while,
- Brugia malayi, and Brugia timori dominate Asia and Southern America.
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Epidemiology of Elephantiasis
Elephantiasis is not contagious but it is spread from person to person by mosquito bites.
Adult filaria worm (W.bancrofti) live in human lymph vessels,they copulate and produces millions microscopic worms which are known as microfilariae.
This microfilariae worms circulate in the infected persons blood and infect the mosquito when it feed(bites). The microfilariae worm grows and develop in the mosquito's mid gut and migrate to the thoracic muscles. The microfilariae migrate to the head of the mosquito's proboscis.
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When the mosquito feeds on an immune person, It transmit the larva worms to the human skin, and travel to the lymph vessel where they grow into adult worm. This process takes about 6month's or more. This adult worm can live up to 6-7 years. They mate in the lymph vessels and release millions of microfilaria into the blood.
In tropical Africa, the principal vector of human filariasis is Anopheles gambies; they breed in man made fresh water like pool and dams.
Culex papien fatigan; which breed in polluted or stagnated water,in pit, toilet,disused wells and drainages are known to transmit urban filariasis.
Aedes sp e.g (Aede cerotularis) breed and flourish in water storage drums, tree holes, bottles,cans and tyres.
Source: google.com
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