Lymphatic Filariasis is a neglected tropical disease that is transmitted to humans usually at a young age by mosquitos. It is more commonly know as elephantiasis and can be characterized by the thickening of skin and underlying tissues especially in the legs and genitalia. This disease that is most commonly found in men, and is visibly disfiguring due to swelling in arms in legs in massive proportions and leads to permanent disability (“Parasites – Lymphatic Filariasis”). There are about 1.4 billion people in 73 countries that are threatened by this disease; currently 120 million are currently infected making the prevalence rate around 8.57%. Eighty percent of the 1.4 billion people that are threatened by this disease are living in these 10…show more content… The lymphatic systems job is to return excess fluid that has accumulated in tissues, absorbs fats from bowel and transports them into the bloodstream, and helps prevent infection. There are B cells, which can be found in the lymph nodes (where immune system starts) that are responders to infection by sending antibodies. This obstruction of the lymphatic system leads to a build up of fluid called lymph in the affected areas of the body.With the lymphatic system not properly functioning it is not able to drain the fluid and fats in the body like it is supposed to. When the immune system senses the worm in the body it tries to rid it from its system by sending different cells to the area causing the symptom of inflammation. Once the worm dies this process is accelerated and the, “formation of tough, fibrous tissue which ultimately blocks the lymphatic vessel,” begins to form (“Elephantiasis”). Once this forms lymph fluid is not able to pass through this blocked vessel, this back up of fluid then results in swelling, also known as an edema, below the area of blockage. This build up of fluid continues to get worse throughout the infected persons life and eventually will make them permanently
