Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentCoping
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Coping
Caitlin M. Worrell, MPH/CDC/CDC Connects
Most cases of lymphatic filariasis infection don’t have any symptoms at all. Those infected with the microscopic worms likely aren’t aware that they are infected, but they can still pass on the parasite to others.
When symptoms do occur (often years later), they can lead to extensive disfigurement and disability. These symptoms are permanent and can be so debilitating that they keep people from working. The three most visible and concerning manifestations of lymphatic filariasis are lymphedema, elephantiasis, and hydrocele.
Lymphedema
An estimated 15 million people currently live with lymphedema worldwide, and the majority of those who develop this condition do so years after first becoming infected with the parasite.
Elephantiasis
Elephantiasis is when the skin and underlying tissues become abnormally thick. This is often the result of secondary bacterial infections that happen because the body’s lymphatic system is damaged and their immune system is suppressed due to the parasite.
Hydrocele
Some men infected with the parasite develop swelling in their scrotum. An estimated 25 million men worldwide are believed to have hydrocele as a result of lymphatic filariasis.
Tropical Pulmonary Eosinophilia Syndrome
This complication is generally found in infected individuals living in Asia, and consists of shortness of breath, coughing, and wheezing.
Dr_Microbe / Getty Images
Transmission
Much like malaria, these roundworms spread from person to person through mosquito bites. Several different kinds of mosquito species can transmit the parasite, includingAnopheles(which also transmit malaria) andAedes(which can transmit viruses like dengue andZika).
Mosquitoes aren’t just carriers, they’re also an important part of the worm’s life cycle. When the insects bite someone who is infected, they take in the immature larvae of the parasite (called microfilariae). For one to two weeks, the larvae go through a transformation inside the mosquito, and when the bug bites someone else, the now-infective larvae get transferred to the skin and make their way into the body.
How the Parasite Affects the Body
The reason the worms can be so destructive in the human body is because they make their home in the lymphatic system. This complex network of organs and tissues is responsible for, among other things, protecting the body from disease and regulating fluid in your tissues.
There are two primary ways lymphatic filariasis is typically diagnosed: blood smears or assays.
Because many people don’t present symptoms until years after they’re infected, tests might come back negative even if their condition is the result of the parasite.
Lymphatic filariasis can be treated and controlled in a number of ways, including medications and vector control.
Medications
To prevent the spread of lymphatic filariasis, a combination of medications are often given routinely and proactively to everyone in a given area—regardless of whether they have been diagnosed with the condition.
Side effects of the drugs can sometimes be worse if an individual has co-infections with other diseases, so different regions are recommended to receive different treatment combinations. These include:
For those already infected with the parasite, DEC or Ivermectin (in areas with onchocerciasis), can be taken to kill the parasite’s microfilariae and some—though likely not all—adult worms.
Vector Control
While this likely won’t eliminate lymphatic filariasis entirely, it can help reduce the chances someone becomes infected with the parasite.
The symptoms associated with lymphatic filariasis can often be excruciating, but they can be managed (or prevented entirely) with a few basic strategies:
Cancer centers often offer therapy for lymphedema that involves specialized wraps and massages.
A Word From Verywell
9 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Parasites- lymphatic filariasis epidemiology & risk factors.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Parasites - lymphatic filariasis frequently asked questions.World Health Organization.Lymphatic filariasis.Babu S, Nutman TB.Immunology of lymphatic filariasis.Parasite Immunol. 2014;36(8):338-46. doi:10.1111/pim.12081Santeliz J.Tropical Pulmonary Eosinophilia: An Epidemiological and Clinical Review.International Journal of Respiratory and Pulmonary Medicine. 2019;6(1). doi:10.23937/2378-3516/1410102Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Lymphatic filariasis diagnosis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Parasites - Lymphatic filariasis treatment.Tan K, Faierstein GB, Xu P, Barbosa RMR, Buss GK, Leal WS.A popular Indian clove-based mosquito repellent is less effective against Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes aegypti than DEET.PLoS ONE. 2019;14(11):e0224810. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0224810Chakraborty S, Gurusamy M, Zawieja DC, Muthuchamy M.Lymphatic filariasis: perspectives on lymphatic remodeling and contractile dysfunction in filarial disease pathogenesis.Microcirculation. 2013;20(5):349-64. doi:10.1111/micc.12031
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Parasites- lymphatic filariasis epidemiology & risk factors.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Parasites - lymphatic filariasis frequently asked questions.World Health Organization.Lymphatic filariasis.Babu S, Nutman TB.Immunology of lymphatic filariasis.Parasite Immunol. 2014;36(8):338-46. doi:10.1111/pim.12081Santeliz J.Tropical Pulmonary Eosinophilia: An Epidemiological and Clinical Review.International Journal of Respiratory and Pulmonary Medicine. 2019;6(1). doi:10.23937/2378-3516/1410102Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Lymphatic filariasis diagnosis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Parasites - Lymphatic filariasis treatment.Tan K, Faierstein GB, Xu P, Barbosa RMR, Buss GK, Leal WS.A popular Indian clove-based mosquito repellent is less effective against Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes aegypti than DEET.PLoS ONE. 2019;14(11):e0224810. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0224810Chakraborty S, Gurusamy M, Zawieja DC, Muthuchamy M.Lymphatic filariasis: perspectives on lymphatic remodeling and contractile dysfunction in filarial disease pathogenesis.Microcirculation. 2013;20(5):349-64. doi:10.1111/micc.12031
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Parasites- lymphatic filariasis epidemiology & risk factors.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Parasites - lymphatic filariasis frequently asked questions.World Health Organization.Lymphatic filariasis.Babu S, Nutman TB.Immunology of lymphatic filariasis.Parasite Immunol. 2014;36(8):338-46. doi:10.1111/pim.12081Santeliz J.Tropical Pulmonary Eosinophilia: An Epidemiological and Clinical Review.International Journal of Respiratory and Pulmonary Medicine. 2019;6(1). doi:10.23937/2378-3516/1410102Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Lymphatic filariasis diagnosis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Parasites - Lymphatic filariasis treatment.Tan K, Faierstein GB, Xu P, Barbosa RMR, Buss GK, Leal WS.A popular Indian clove-based mosquito repellent is less effective against Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes aegypti than DEET.PLoS ONE. 2019;14(11):e0224810. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0224810Chakraborty S, Gurusamy M, Zawieja DC, Muthuchamy M.Lymphatic filariasis: perspectives on lymphatic remodeling and contractile dysfunction in filarial disease pathogenesis.Microcirculation. 2013;20(5):349-64. doi:10.1111/micc.12031
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Parasites- lymphatic filariasis epidemiology & risk factors.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Parasites - lymphatic filariasis frequently asked questions.
World Health Organization.Lymphatic filariasis.
Babu S, Nutman TB.Immunology of lymphatic filariasis.Parasite Immunol. 2014;36(8):338-46. doi:10.1111/pim.12081
Santeliz J.Tropical Pulmonary Eosinophilia: An Epidemiological and Clinical Review.International Journal of Respiratory and Pulmonary Medicine. 2019;6(1). doi:10.23937/2378-3516/1410102
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Lymphatic filariasis diagnosis.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Parasites - Lymphatic filariasis treatment.
Tan K, Faierstein GB, Xu P, Barbosa RMR, Buss GK, Leal WS.A popular Indian clove-based mosquito repellent is less effective against Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes aegypti than DEET.PLoS ONE. 2019;14(11):e0224810. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0224810
Chakraborty S, Gurusamy M, Zawieja DC, Muthuchamy M.Lymphatic filariasis: perspectives on lymphatic remodeling and contractile dysfunction in filarial disease pathogenesis.Microcirculation. 2013;20(5):349-64. doi:10.1111/micc.12031
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