Neglected Tropical Diseases

The NTD Initiative

	Source: Andrea Peterson

Lymphatic filariasis (LF), a mosquito-borne disease, is caused by an infection of parasitic nematodes: Wuchereria bancrofti (W. bancrofti), Brugia malayi (B. malayi), or Brugia timori (B. timori). Because the burden of the disease is determined by the intensity and the chronicity of the infection, the greater impact of LF is on older age groups. People with the disease can suffer from disfigurement and permanent disabilities due to lymphedema (swelling from fluid build-up caused by improper functioning of the lymph system). Elephantiasis is a crippling condition in which limbs or other parts of the body are grotesquely swollen or enlarged; in men, swelling of the scrotum is called hydrocele. In addition, people with the disease suffer from hidden internal damage to the kidneys and lymphatic system caused by the filariae. Furthermore, the psychological and social stigma associated with the disease is significant and can adversely affect productivity and quality of life.¹