Elephantiasis C h r i s t i a n H e s s N u t r i t i o n 1 0 2 0 R o n V e r n o n 11-29-11
Elephantiasis Elephantiasis or Lymphatic Filariasis is defined by The Journal of Veterinary Medicine Series, as a diffuse fibrotic thickening of skin and subcutaneous tissues and according to WHO (World Health Organization) is caused by the parasite Wuchereria bancrofti; in rural areas this is transmitted to humans by bites from Anopheles sp. mosquitoes, which also transmit malaria. In most cases, the area of the body that is largely affected by this disease is the lower half of the body and in many cases the genitilia. Swelling occurs in those areas affected by the disease due to Lymphoedema which is accumulation of high-protein fluid in the interstitial space (The Journal of Veterinary Medicine Series). And we get Lymphoedema as the result of an imbalance in the Lymphatic System. The rural areas that you will see a higher concentration of Lymphatic Filariasis is in tropical and subtropical areas of the world, a lot of which are in either Africa, South America and the lower parts of Asia near the equator. WHO estimates that in 2010 alone, 120 million people in 72 different countries were infected with Lymphatic Filariasis and 1.39 billion live in rural areas where it is an endemic (WHO). WHO also estimates that 1.1 billion (18%of the world populations) are at risk of contracting this disease. Roughly around 40 million infected people suffer from this stigmatizing and disabling disease, 15 million of which have
Lymphoedema and 25 million men who have urogenital swelling which is basically scrotal hydrocele (WHO). Death due to this disease is very rare and is hardly ever seen, however many people who do contract this disease lose most of their ability to continue in their normal everyday activities due to swelling which prohibits them from physically being able to participate in them anymore. 53 of the 72 countries, which have been labeled as an endemic, have now instigated a MDA (Mass Drug Administration) to stop the spread of Lymphatic Filariasis. During the last ten years approximately 3.4 million doses of medicine have been given to 897 million people in an effort to treat them. They were given a combination of two medicines, diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) plus albendazole, or ivermectin plus albendazole (WHO). The Global Program to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF) has a goal set to eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis as a public health concern by the year 2020 and in doing so has been one the main forces behind this movement to treat it in these countries in which it is prevalent. Although, GPELF realizes this goal will probably not be met, they are still pushing on in pursuit of it. According to Girme s Wheatgrass Food Supplement a 55 yr. old man whose legs, hands and stomach were swollen and enlarged a great deal due to Elephantiasis. He had been on medication for a year and a half and didn t see any change and so he decided to try out
naturopathy. Girme s Wheatgrass Food Supplement states that this man was given Wheat Grass Juice Therapy long with the naturopathy diet consisting mostly juices of carrots, snake gourd, cucumber, vegetable soups, tulsikada, etc. Slowly the swelling began to reduce and on the 16th day from the day starting the Wheat Grass Therapy the swelling was completely gone. He continued the therapy for 3 months and got cured (Girme s Wheatgrass Food Supplement). It goes to show that medication isn t the only choice for treatment of Elephantiasis and isn t always the thing that will cure. Out of the jungles and tropics this disease is borne, and just so it can be cured through the intake of a steady diet of fruits and vegetables containing the essential nutrients our immune system and body are lacking.
Bibliography Food, Girme's Wheatgrass Supplement. Girme's Wheatgrass Supplement Food. n.d. 29 November 2011 <http://www.girmeswheatgrass.com/product_testimonials.htm#top>. Kvist, P. H.,Jensen, E. S.,Aalbaek, B.,Jensen, H. E. "Evaluation of the Pathology, Pathogenesis and Aetiology of Auricular Elephantiasis in Slaughter Pigs." Journal of Veterinary Medicine Series (2002): 517-522. Rithea Leang1, Duong Socheat1, Boravong Bin1, Tol Bunkea1 and Peter Odermatt. "Assessment of disease and infection of lymphatic filariasis." Tropical Medicine and International Health October 2004: 1115-11120. WHO. "Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis: progress report on mass drug administration, 2010." Weekly Epidemiological Record 26 August 2011: 378-388.. "Meeting of the International Task Force for Disease Eradication." Weekly Epidemiological Record 5 August 2011: 341-351.