infections
Lymphatic Filariasis
Symptoms of Lymphatic Filariasis
Lymphatic filariasis symptoms are caused by adult worms. Microfilariae do not cause symptoms and gradually disappear from the bloodstream after people leave the affected area. Early in the infection, people may have symptoms for 4 to 7 days. They may have a fever, swollen lymph nodes in the armpits and groin, and pain in the limbs and groin. Pus may collect in a leg and drain to the skin's surface, resulting in a scar. Bacterial infections of the skin and tissues under the skin are more likely because the worms block the lymphatic vessels which makes the Overview of the Immune System less able to defend the skin and adjacent tissues from bacteria. Often, symptoms resolve, then recur. They are more severe when people are exposed to the infection for the first time. After many years of infection, the blocked lymph vessels widen. Most people have no symptoms. But in a few people, the widened lymph vessels cause swelling that gradually becomes permanent (chronic). The legs are affected most often, but the arms, breasts, and genitals may be also. This swelling (called Lymphedema ) develops because The adult worms live in the lymphatic system and reduce the flow of lymph fluid from tissues, causing the fluid to back up in lymph vessels. The worms trigger a response from the immune system that produces inflammation and swelling. The swelling makes the skin spongy. Pressing on the skin leaves an indentation that does not disappear right away (called pitting). Chronic swelling may make the skin hard and thick (called elephantiasis). In men, the scrotum may swell. Bacterial and fungal infections of the skin are common in people with lymphatic filariasis. These infections, along with the inflammation caused by the worms, can cause pain and discomfort. The infections also contribute to the development of elephantiasis of the legs and occasionally arms and sometimes massive swelling in the scrotum. Some people have mild joint pain and blood in the urine. Less commonly, the lungs are affected by microfilariae in the blood stream, resulting in a disorder called tropical pulmonary eosinophilia. People may have a low-grade fever, feel short of breath, cough, or wheeze. If the infection persists, scar tissue (fibrosis) may form in the lungs. 