Life Cycle of Filariasis

Brazil, India and many countries in Africa and Southeast Asia tend to be affected by filariasis. Between one hundred million and a two hundred million people have a lymph form of filarial infection, which can cause unsightly enlargement of limbs, discomfort and even loss of livelihood. Because of its difficulty to treat, scientists have studied the falarial life cycle to better understand how to eradicate it.

Hosts

• Filariasis is a nematode or roundworm infection caused by the bite of an insect. Filariasis worms mate and reproduce inside the body, making hundreds of thousands of larvae that move around in the blood stream. When an insect bites an infected body, the larvae can be spread to other people by transmission through this intermediate insect host.

Larvae

• For example, when inside the mosquito, the microscopic lymphatic filariasis larvae develops into a third level larvae. At this point, they are ready to enter the primary host, and they enter the mouth of the mosquito where they slip into the body when the mosquito bites its skin. After entering the host, the mature filaria may live up to a decade, while mating and producing larvae that go on to produce the next generation. (In addition to the human lymph falaria, dog heartworm is also caused by a falarial nematode.)

Damage

• In those suffering from the lymphatic form of filariasis, the adult filarial worms live in their lymphatic systems. Even before lymphatic filiariasis causes outward symptoms, it may cause unnoticed harm in the renal system. Filarial infection may also cause recurring fevers.

Symptoms of Mosquito Borne Filariasis

• Filariasis infections can be transmitted by several different types of insects. Three separate lymphatic strains of filaria are all caused by mosquitoes. Mosquito borne falarial infection can cause elephantiasis. Elephantiasis causes debilitating swelling and enlargement of the arms, legs and genitalia.

Types

• There are three types of filariasis that affect humans: falaria may attack the lymph nodes, falaria may cause infection under the skin and falaria may reside in the body cavity. In addition to mosquitoes-- which cause lymphatic falariasis-- blackflies, redflies and midges make filarial infections under the skin. Midges can also carry nematodes that create infections in the body cavity.