Prevention of Elephantiasis

Elephantiasis is most commonly found in tropical regions of India, Africa, South Asia, and affects over 120 million people. Elephantiasis is consider one of most neglected diseases world wide. This video discusses the struggle of living with this horrible disease and ways to prevent and control the transmission of the Filariasis parasitic worm.

References
http://www.news-medical.net/health/Elephantiasis-What-is-Elephantiasis.aspx
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnWwHthkGkY(video)

How Elephantiasis is Acquired

Elephantiasis is transmitted to humans by a mosquito infected with the filariae parasite. Once a person acquires the filariae larvae transmitted by the mosquito, the larvae enters the lymphatic system, where they mature (live up to 7 years) and reproduce (produce millions of offspring). The worms will begin to block and imbalance to the lymphatic flow throughout the body causing fluid to build up; which then causes body parts to become enlarged.

 This diagram shows how the filariae worm travels from
mosquito to host. 

References 

http://howshealth.com/elephantitis-elephantiasis/(Picture)

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs102/en/