Elephantiasis: Case Study
Elephantiasis Unit 3 Case Study 1 Jessica Beadles Dr. Stephen Brown Anatomy and Physiology 2 7/07/2013
Abstract With this case study, I am presenting to the class the medical condition called Elephantiasis. Included in this presentation is a definition of the disease, early symptoms, treatment options and known preventative measures that can be taken to protect yourself from this horrible condition that alters the active daily living activities of a little over a billion people, worldwide. Definition Elephantiasis is the end stage lesion of filariasis; characterized by extensive swelling usually of the external genitalia and legs. It is usually the end symptom of filarial worms present for years which block the lymph nodes. Signs, Symptoms and Affected Population Elephantiasis is a growing endemic that is mostly affecting the tropical countries where insects are a huge problem. In most other climates the insect population is killed off almost completely with the colder temperatures especially frozen temperatures, hence why there are no bugs in Antarctica. In tropical areas insects live to grow and mature all year round which offers them uninterrupted life cycles and makes the disease infected insects so much harder to eradicate. Elephantiasis is caused by a couple of different things such as the bite of a mosquito, or that of a biting fly infected either of which is infected with a worm parasite. What this worm parasite does is it works its way into the body and causes a blockage that interrupts the regular lymphatic system flow. When this blockage happens, the lymph gets backed up in the upper, lower or genitalia extremity regions of the infected individual causing an abnormal accumulation of watery fluid in the tissues, better known as severe edema. The skin of the affected tissue area can become darker than the rest of the body, and grow in thickness. Sometimes the enlarged extremity or genitalia region can
Abstract With this case study, I am presenting to the class the medical condition called Elephantiasis. Included in this presentation is a definition of the disease, early symptoms, treatment options and known preventative measures that can be taken to protect yourself from this horrible condition that alters the active daily living activities of a little over a billion people, worldwide. Definition Elephantiasis is the end stage lesion of filariasis; characterized by extensive swelling usually of the external genitalia and legs. It is usually the end symptom of filarial worms present for years which block the lymph nodes. Signs, Symptoms and Affected Population Elephantiasis is a growing endemic that is mostly affecting the tropical countries where insects are a huge problem. In most other climates the insect population is killed off almost completely with the colder temperatures especially frozen temperatures, hence why there are no bugs in Antarctica. In tropical areas insects live to grow and mature all year round which offers them uninterrupted life cycles and makes the disease infected insects so much harder to eradicate. Elephantiasis is caused by a couple of different things such as the bite of a mosquito, or that of a biting fly infected either of which is infected with a worm parasite. What this worm parasite does is it works its way into the body and causes a blockage that interrupts the regular lymphatic system flow. When this blockage happens, the lymph gets backed up in the upper, lower or genitalia extremity regions of the infected individual causing an abnormal accumulation of watery fluid in the tissues, better known as severe edema. The skin of the affected tissue area can become darker than the rest of the body, and grow in thickness. Sometimes the enlarged extremity or genitalia region can
References: MedlinePlus - Health Information from the National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). Retrieved July 7, 2013, from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ Mosby, Inc (2013). Mosby 's dictionary of medicine, nursing & health professions (9th ed.). St. Louis, Mo: Elsevier/Mosby.