Department of Physiotherapy, SHUATS

1. FILARIASIS
(community medicine)
Submittedto - submittedby-
Mrs. Surabhi Srivastava Priya kumari
Assistant professor id:- 21bphy017
Department of physiotherapy Bpt 3rd year
shuats

2. CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
EPIDEMILOGY
MODE OF TRANSMISSION
FILARIASIS SYMPTOMS
Treatment and diagnosis
Prevention and control

3. INTRODUCTION
Filariasis is tropical diseases
caused by various thread-like
parasitic round worms(nematodes)
and their larvae.
The larvae transmit the disease to
humans through a mosquito bite.
filariasis is also known as
elephantiasis .
Chronic infection can lead to
swelling of the
extremites,hydroceles,and
testicular masses.
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4. Cont.
• Filariasis is the term for disease caused by parasitic
nematodes.
• Nematodes live in the human lymph system bancroftian
filariasis or lymphatic flariasis.
• Causative organism-filarial worm wuchereria bancrofi.
(Cobbold 1877)
(Elephantiasis is the end result of disease.
• Cutaneous and subcutaneous tissue enlarge and harden in
areas where lymph has accumulated.
• Usually occurs in lower extremities.
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6. EPIDEMILOGY
• These diseases are prevalent in tropical and subtropical
regions of the world, particularly in Africa, Asia, the
Western Pacific, and parts of the Americas.
• Global Burden
• Lymphatic filariasis affects over 120 million people
worldwide, with about 40 million suffering from chronic
and debilitating symptoms. Onchocerciasis affects
around 37 million people globally. These diseases have
a significant impact on public health and socioeconomic
development in endemic regions.

7. Epidemiological
Distribution
The distribution of lymphatic filariasis is closely linked
to the presence of specific mosquito vectors that
transmit the filarial worms. Regions with high
prevalence rates of lymphatic filariasis include parts
of Africa, Southeast Asia, the Western Pacific, and
parts of South America. In these areas, factors such
as poor sanitation, lack of access to healthcare, and
inadequate vector control contribute to the
persistence of the disease.

8. MODE OF TRANSMISSION
• The disease is transmitted through the bite of various species of mosquitoes
belonging to the genera Anopheles, Culex, and Aedes.
• When an infected mosquito takes a blood meal from a human host, it
introduces the microscopic larvae (microfilariae) into the bloodstream, where
they mature into adult worms.
• This parasitic disease categorized on the basis of which body part is affected:
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10. Cont.
1. Lymphatic filariasis: As the name suggests, this type
affects the
lymphatic system.
2. Subcutneous filariasis: In this case,the bottom layer
of the skin
and white part of the eyes are infected by the worms.
3. Serous cavity filariasis: In the case of this disorder,
the serous
cavity of the abdomen is infected.
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12. FILARIASIS SYMPTOMS
• Lymphatic filariasis infection involves asymptomatic,
acute and chronic conditions.
• The majority of infections are asymptomatic, showing
no external signs of infection while contributing the
transmission of the parasite.
• These asymptomatic infections still cause damage to the
lymphatic system and the kidneys and alter the body's
immune system.
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13. CONT.
• Lymphatic filariasis develops into chronic conditions.
• It leads to lymphoedema (tissue swelling) or elephantiasis
(skin/tissue thickening) of limbs and hydrocele (scrotal
• Involvement of breasts and genital organs is common.
• The socioeconomic burdens of isolation and poverty are immense.
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14. CONT.
• Acute episodes of local inflammation involving skin,
lymph nodes and lymphatic vessels often accompany
chronic lymphoedema or elephantiasis.
• Some of these episodes are caused by the body's
immune response to the parasite.
• Most are the result of secondary bacterial skin infection
where normal defenses have been partially lost due to
underlying lymphatic damage.
• These acute attacks are debilitating, may last for weeks.
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16. DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT
• Diagnosing filariasis typically involves identifying
microfilariae in blood samples or detecting adult worms
through imaging techniques like ultrasound.
• Treatment usually consists of antiparasitic medications
such as diethylcarbamazine (DEC) or ivermectin,
often administered in combination with albendazole.
• Mass drug administration programs have been
instrumental in reducing the burden of filariasis in
endemic areas.
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Filariasis laboratory finding

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19. PREVENTION AND CONTROL
• Preventive measures for filariasis focus on vector control
strategies to reduce mosquito populations and prevent
transmission to humans.
• This includes using insecticide-treated bed nets, indoor
residual spraying, and community-based interventions.
• Use personal protective measures such as wearing
long-sleeved clothing.
• Using insect repellents can help minimize exposure to
mosquito bites.
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20. THANK YOU