filariasis... subsubcutaneous and lymphatic

[Janice]

I would like invite any one who would like to explore the idea of this parasite to this thread. I find it fasinating.



There are 9 known filarial nematodes which use humans as the definitive host. These are divided into 3 groups according to the niche within the body that they occupy: Lymphatic Filariasis, Subcutaneous Filariasis, and Serous Cavity Filariasis. Lymphatic Filariasis is caused by the worms Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, and Brugia timori. These worms occupy the lymphatic system, including the lymph nodes, and in chronic cases these worms lead to the disease Elephantiasis. Subcutaneous Filariasis is caused by Loa loa (the African eye worm), Mansonella streptocerca, Onchocerca volvulus, and Dracunculus medinensis (the guinea worm). These worms occupy the subcutaneous layer of the skin, the fat layer. Serous Cavity Filariasis is caused by the worms Mansonella perstans and Mansonella ozzardi, which occupy the serous cavity of the abdomen. In all cases, the transmitting vectors are either blood sucking insects (fly or mosquito) or Copepod crustaceans in the case of Dracunculus medinensis.

Human filarial nematode worms have a complicated life cycle, which primarily consists of five stages. After the male and female worm mate, the female gives birth to live microfilariae by the thousands. The microfilariae are taken up by the vector insect (intermediate host) during a blood meal. In the intermediate host, the microfilariae molt and develop into 3rd stage (infective) larvae. Upon taking another blood meal the vector insect injects the infectious larvae into the dermis layer of our skin. After approximately one year the larvae molt through 2 more stages, maturing into the adult worm.

[Janice]

How is lymphatic filariasis spread?
The disease spreads from person to person by mosquito bites. When a mosquito bites a person who has lymphatic filariasis, microscopic worms circulating in the person's blood enter and infect the mosquito. People get lymphatic filariasis from the bite of an infected mosquito. The microscopic worms pass from the mosquito through the skin, and travel to the lymph vessels. In the lymph vessels they grow into adults. An adult worm lives for about 5-7 years. The adult worms mate and release millions of microscopic worms, called microfilariae, into the blood. People with the worms in their blood can give the infection to others through mosquitoes.

[Janice]

he subcutaneous worms present with skin rashes, urticarial papules, and arthritis, as well as hyper- and hypopigmentation macules. Onchocerca volvulus manifests itself in the eyes causing "river blindness" (onchocerciasis), the 2nd leading cause of blindness in the world[citation needed]. Serous cavity filariasis presents with symptoms similar to subcutaneous filariasis, in addition to abdominal pain because these worms are also deep tissue dwellers.

[Janice]

Subjects in an disease-endemic area in Orissa, India concomitantly infected with filariasis and intestinal helminths had significantly lower intensity of filarial infection in comparison with those who were infected only with filariasis.


Administration of albendazole resulted in a significant decrease in the prevalence of filarial antigenemia in subjects concomitantly infected with intestinal helminths, but produced little change in this infection measure in subjects infected only with Wuchereria bancrofti.

These results indicate that intestinal helminths could play a role in the anti-filarial activity of albendazole, most probably by depressing filarial infection intensity in co-infected individuals. Confirmation of these findings in a larger cohort may yield important new insights regarding the role of using albendazole in the ongoing intervention programs for the control of lymphatic filariasis.

[Janice]

how to diagnose


(PCR) and antigenic assays are also available for making the diagnosis. The latter are particularly useful in amicrofilaraemic cases. Spot tests for antigen [1] are far more sensitive can ensure that the test is done any time rather in the late hours Lymph Node aspirate, Chylus fluid may also yield Microfilariae. Imaging like CT,MRI may reveal "Filarial Dance Sign" in Chylus fluid. X-ray can show calcified adult worm in lymphatics. DEC provokation test is performed to obtain satisfying number of parasite in day-time samples. Circulating Filarial Antigen (CFA) may be detected by PCR.

[Janice]

Onchoceriasis or river blindness is the world's second leading infectious cause of blindness. It is caused by Onchocerca volvulus, a parasitic worm, that breeds in water and that can live for up to fourteen years in the human body.
Controlling insect breeding sites in rivers is one of the pillars of prevention. The disease is transmitted from one person to another through the bite of a black fly (Simulium).

Symptoms of the disease in a person usually begin to show 1-3 years after infection. Each adult female worm, which can be more than half a meter in length, produces millions of microscopic young worms (microfilaria). The microfilaria migrate through the skin and, upon death, cause intense itching and depigmentation of the skin (leopard skin), lymphadenitis resulting in hanging groins and elephantiasis of the genitals, serious visual impairment and blindness when they reach the eye.

Onchoceriasis is found in 36 countries in Africa as well as in Guatemala, southern Mexico, some areas of Venezuela, small areas in Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador, and in the Arabian peninsula. A total of 18 million people are affected worldwide.

I added some info on the black fly simuliam


black flies, Simulium spp.

Read more: Water related diseases, onchocerciasis or river blindness - Lenntech

[Janice]

Once you are infected with a lymphatic parasite you are going to be vunerable to just about every thing... including more parasites, bugs, enviro issues, fugus ect. What do you guys think. Could all this have started with a mosquito bite?
The CDC plainly states you can't catch filariasis in the united states.

CDC stand on this....

What is lymphatic filariasis?

Lymphatic filariasis is a parasitic disease caused by microscopic, thread-like worms. The adult worms only live in the human lymph system. The lymph system maintains the body's fluid balance and fights infections.

Lymphatic filariasis affects over 120 million people in 80 countries throughout the tropics and sub-tropics of Asia, Africa, the Western Pacific, and parts of the Caribbean and South America. You cannot get infected with the worms in the United States.



LF Fact Sheet | CDC DPD

[KiraErikson]

Fascinating research, Janice. Thanks for the info. Don't think I have the exact filarial nematodes mentioned, but perhaps Morgellons operates in a similar manner. I do recall having a couple of mosquito bites that got infected, but I originally had seven bites. I only scratched the two bites that became infected with Morgellons.

The infection probably came from having pesticide dumped on my scalp by an over flying plane which (ironically) was spraying to irradicate mosquitoes. I put my hand on my scalp as the liquid felt weird. I then developed a massive infection on my scalp and later in the only two bites I scratched at that time. I also got a springtail infection on my head several weeks later. I felt the springtail eggs were in the "pesticide solution" at the same time as the Morgellons to help spread the Morgellons organism.

[Janice]

Thank you for your input! It is some weird and crazy stuff these parasites.



Thought I would add another bit of info on the subject...




Until very recently, diagnosing lymphatic filariasis had been extremely difficult, since parasites had to be detected microscopically in the blood, and in most parts of the world, the parasites have a "nocturnal periodicity" that restricts their appearance in the blood to only the hours around midnight. The new development of a very sensitive, very specific simple "card test" to detect circulating parasite antigens without the need for laboratory facilities and using only finger-prick blood droplets taken anytime of the day has completely transformed the approach to diagnosis. With this and other new diagnostic tools, it will now be possible both to improve our understanding of where the infection actually occurs and to monitor more easily the effectiveness of treatment and control programmes.
Treatment

[Janice]

I have been based all over the world including India. I have seen elaphantitus with my own eyes. This is bad stuff if it goes too long undetected.

You may say, "but, I have not traveled any where out of the USA" but your next door neigbor, or the people down the street have and they may have been bitten by a mosquito and infected and then bitten when they arrive home and your on the hit list for the same little vector.
It could be from people that are here on business from developing coutries, immigrants, so on and so forth.

This is why the statement posted earlier by the CDC is so unbelievable, This is a very stupid (and I might add suspect) statement for some very bright people to make.