 |
| The picture above shows an x-ray highlighting the lymph system with elephantiasis. |
Elephantiasis
directly affects the lymphatic system and will eventually disrupt the
integumentary system. The lymphatic system which is a subset of the
circulatory system regulate the bodies fluids. The lymph system has a net work
of lymph vessels and has an immune response which uses antibodies to attacks
diseases. The integumentary system is what protects the inside of the body it
consists of skin, hair, nails, and exocrine glands.
The filariae
nematode worm cause an obstruction of the lymphatic vessels. (I will
discuss what exactly what filariea is and how it's acquire in
a future blog post.) Once the filariae invade the lymph
vessels they mature and cause blockages in the lymphatic system; mostly by or
in reproductive organs and the urinary system. The blockages become worse over
time and lead to hyperplasia (an increase in cell production) of the
connective tissues in the lowest layer of the dermis causing large masses to
form. "The secondary and recurrent bacterial or fungal
infections act to form the rough appearance of limbs and other parts of the
body like elephant hide" (Tada).
References
Tada, Isao. "Pathogenesis and Treatment of Chronic Symptoms with Emphasis on Chyluria and Elephantiasis." March 2011. Trop Med Health.
http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0774536.html
http://www.sciencephoto.com/media/257042/view(Picture)
So are there any treatments for elephantitis, or is surgery the only option to alleviate this disorder? And if there are treatments what is the success rate of the treatment?
ReplyDeleteYes, there is treatments for elephantiasis. The medicine that is administered can only kill the parasitic worm and does not bring the infected areas back to normal size; if it's possible, the enlarged body masses can be surgically removed. There is an almost 100% success rate for treatment of killing the parasitic worms.
DeleteI'm ready to read about how these worms are acquired into the body. I wonder if it is based on environment, living conditions, or by ingestion of certain foods. It's kinda crazy that one worm can cause such huge problems!
ReplyDelete