Abstract
BackgroundLymphatic Filariasis (LF) is a vector-borne neglected tropical disease caused by the filarial nematode parasites that can lead to the disfiguring swelling of the limbs (lymphedema or elephantiasis for late stage) and/or genitalia (hydrocele) in men. Growing evidence suggests that not only are filarial lymphedema patients confronted with huge societal stigma and discrimination, but also experience acute filarial attacks accompanied by swelling of the affected part(s), fever, wounds and peeling of the skin of affected limbs(s). However, the extent to which seasonal variation influence filarial attacks among people with lymphedema was highly speculated without empirical evidence and was thus investigated.MethodsIn light of this, a cross-sectional study where 142 (70.4% females and 29.6% males) lymphedema patients were recruited from 8 established Wuchereria bancrofti endemic communities in the Ahanta West District, Ghana was carried out to investigate the prevalence and seasonal variation (rainy/wet and dry seasons) of acute filarial attacks. Chi-square test was used to test for association between frequency of attacks and seasonality. The STROBE guidelines for reporting cross-sectional studies was adopted.ResultsThe average lymphedema leg stage was 2.37 and 2.33 for left and right legs, respectively, while mossy lesions, sores and ulcers were observed among 33.1% of patients with late stage disease (elephantiasis). It was found that 97 (68.3%) of the study participants experience filarial attacks during the wet season and 36 (25.4%) reported the incidence of filarial attacks during both seasons (wet and dry) while 9 (6.3%) of the study participants did not experience any attack at all.ConclusionsFindings from the present study show compelling evidence that the frequency and the prevalence of filarial attacks is significantly increased during wet seasons compared to the dry season.
Highlights
Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) is a vector-borne neglected tropical disease caused by the filarial nematode parasites that can lead to the disfiguring swelling of the limbs and/or genitalia in men
The disease affects more than 120 million people worldwide and is transmitted by thread-like nematode parasites including Wuchereria bancrofti which accounts for 90% of the infection [2]
It is worth noting that transmission can be targeted with existing microfilaricidal drugs, such as Diethylcarbamazine, Ivermectin, and Abendazole, morbidity associated with LF which affects > 40 million people, cannot be effectively treated by anti-filarial chemotherapy without the complementary activity of the host immune response [3]
Summary
Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) is a vector-borne neglected tropical disease caused by the filarial nematode parasites that can lead to the disfiguring swelling of the limbs (lymphedema or elephantiasis for late stage) and/or genitalia (hydrocele) in men. The disease affects more than 120 million people worldwide and is transmitted by thread-like nematode parasites including Wuchereria bancrofti which accounts for 90% of the infection [2]. This disease manifests overtly as lymphedema (LE) and hydrocele. Does LF lead to disfiguring pathologies and other complications but may result in depressive mental illness due to the social stigmatization against infected individuals [6]
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