LYMPHATIC FILARIASIS - UGANDA: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
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A ProMED-mail post
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http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
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http://www.isid.org>
Date: Tue 10 May 2011
Source: Uganda Health News, Ultimate Media [edited]
<
http://www.ugpulse.com/articles/daily/n ... +&ID=19385>
Elephantiasis in Nakasongola and parts of Masindi district
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Elephantiasis [lymphatic filariasis] has hit the people of
Nakasongola and some parts of Masindi district.
Elephantiasis is one of the neglected diseases in the world. The
disease is transmitted to humans by filarial worms [filariasis is
transmitted by mosquitoes]. Elephantiasis is common in African because
most Africans are poor and they don't visit hospitals.
Of every 100 people in Nakasongola, at least 2-4 have elephantiasis
according Rose Nambi, a medical practitioner in Nakasongola. In
different parts of Uganda, there are many neglected cases of
elephantiasis.
The symptoms of elephantiasis are swelling of legs, breasts, and
genitalia. Other symptoms are white urinary discharge, pain in
testicles, and swollen liver. Some Ugandans blame elephantiasis on
witchcraft.
[Byline: Walakira Nyanzi]
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Communicated by:
HealthMap Alerts via ProMED-mail
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promed@promedmail.org>
[Elephantiasis is caused by long lasting, chronic infection with
_Brugia malayi_ or _Wuchereria bancrofti_, the latter being the main
pathogen in Uganda. A sudden outbreak of elephantiasis is therefore
difficult to explain, but from the news article it is uncertain
whether it describes a longstanding high prevalence, or something
new.
Lymphatic filariasis is endemic in Uganda. It is primarily located in
the northern parts of the country where one study found that between
0.4 percent and 30.7 percent of schoolchildren were positive using an
_W. bancrofti_-specific circulating filarial antigens (CFA) capture
test. The study estimated that approximately 35 percent of the
population (8.7 million people) live in areas with a prevalence of _W.
bancrofti_ of over 1 percent (Onapa AW et al: Rapid assessment of the
geographical distribution of lymphatic filariasis in Uganda, by
screening of schoolchildren for circulating filarial antigens. Ann
Trop Med Parasitol. 2005; 99(2):141-53; abstract available at
<
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15814033>).
Nakasongola and Masindi districts can be located on the map of Uganda
at <
http://molg.go.ug/Content/images/uganda_2010.gif>. The
HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Uganda is available at
<
http://healthmap.org/r/0Q3_>. - Mod.EP]