Elephantiasis Afflicts 120 Million in Africa, Asia

Summary

Lymphatic filariasis, also known as elephantiasis, is a debilitating disease affecting the world's vulnerable populations, particularly in 83 tropical countries. Spread by mosquitoes, it causes severe swelling and deformity. The Global Alliance, in collaboration with the UN World Health Organization and pharmaceutical companies like GlaxoSmithKline and Merck, aims to eradicate the disease by 2020 through mass drug administration. Despite challenges in populous countries, the program is progressing well, offering hope for the elimination of this once-neglected affliction.

Takeaways

• 🐛 Lymphatic filariasis, also known as elephantiasis, is a parasitic disease that affects the human lymphatic system, causing severe swelling and deformity.
• 🌎 The disease is endemic in 83 tropical countries, putting approximately 1.3 billion people, or about a fifth of the global population, at risk.
• 🦟 Mosquitoes are the vectors that spread the parasitic worm responsible for elephantiasis from person to person.
• 🏥 Professor David Molyneux from Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine highlights the risk faced by anyone living in the affected regions.
• 🏘️ Elephantiasis predominantly impacts the rural poor, exacerbating their poverty and social alienation.
• 🌐 The Global Alliance to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis leads the fight against the disease, aiming to eradicate it as a public health threat by 2020.
• 💊 The eradication program involves the mass administration of two drugs: albendazole, donated by GlaxoSmithKline, and Mectizan, donated by Merck.
• 📈 The program is on track to meet its goal, with strong evidence of success and confidence in its effectiveness in most countries.
• 🤝 GlaxoSmithKline has committed to donating its anti-parasitic drug for as long as it takes to eliminate the disease, a commitment that could span over 20 years.
• 📦 Despite progress, logistical challenges remain in populous countries like Nigeria and Indonesia, where nationwide implementation of the program is complex.
• 🏆 Professor Molyneux considers the fight against elephantiasis as one of the most critical public health programs of our time, emphasizing the urgency and importance of intervention.

Q & A

What is lymphatic filariasis commonly known as?

Lymphatic filariasis is more commonly known as elephantiasis.

What causes elephantiasis and how is it transmitted?

Elephantiasis is caused by a parasitic worm that infects the human lymphatic system and is transmitted from person to person by mosquitoes.

How many countries are endemic with elephantiasis according to the script?

The disease is endemic in 83 tropical countries.

What is the estimated number of people at risk of elephantiasis globally?

The World Health Organization estimates that about 1.3 billion people, roughly a fifth of the planet's population, are at risk.

What is the social impact of elephantiasis on affected individuals?

Elephantiasis is highly socially alienating and mainly affects the rural poor, forcing infected individuals further into poverty.

What is the goal of the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis?

The Global Alliance aims to eradicate elephantiasis as a public health threat by 2020.

Which organizations and companies are collaborating to fight elephantiasis?

The Global Alliance has teamed up with the UN World Health Organization and major drug companies such as GlaxoSmithKline and Merck.

What are the two drugs used in the eradication program and who donates them?

The eradication program consists of two drugs: albendazole, donated by GlaxoSmithKline, and Mectizan, donated by Merck.

How long do people in endemic areas need to take the drugs and how often?

Those living in endemic areas take two pills a year for five years.

How do the drugs help in reducing the spread of elephantiasis?

The drugs significantly reduce the number of worm larvae in the blood, meaning fewer mosquitoes carry the infection to those they bite.

What are the challenges faced in implementing the eradication program in populous countries?

Populous countries like Nigeria and Indonesia face logistical problems in delivering and implementing the program nationwide.

What does Professor David Molyneux consider the most important public health program of our generation?

Professor Molyneux views the fight against elephantiasis as the most important public health program of our generation.

Outlines

00:00

😷 The Plight of Lymphatic Filariasis

Lymphatic filariasis, commonly known as elephantiasis, is a debilitating disease affecting the world's vulnerable populations, particularly in tropical regions. It is caused by a parasitic worm spread by mosquitoes, leading to severe swelling and deformity. The World Health Organization estimates that 1.3 billion people in 83 countries are at risk. The condition is not only physically debilitating but also socially alienating, exacerbating poverty among the rural poor. The Global Alliance to eliminate lymphatic filariasis is leading the fight against the disease, with a goal to eradicate it by 2020. The alliance works in collaboration with the UN World Health Organization and pharmaceutical companies like GlaxoSmithKline and Merck, which donate essential drugs to combat the disease.

Keywords

💡Lymphatic Filariasis

Lymphatic Filariasis, commonly known as Elephantiasis, is a parasitic infection that affects the human lymphatic system, leading to swelling and deformity of the limbs and other body parts. It is a significant public health issue in tropical regions, as it is endemic in 83 countries and puts approximately 1.3 billion people at risk, as mentioned by Professor David Molyneux. The disease is a central theme of the video, highlighting the efforts to eradicate it.

💡Elephantiasis

Elephantiasis is a colloquial term for Lymphatic Filariasis, characterized by the severe swelling of body parts, particularly the limbs. The term is used in the script to describe the physical manifestation of the disease, which is both a health issue and a social stigma for those affected, as it often leads to social alienation and further poverty.

💡Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are the vectors responsible for spreading the parasitic worm that causes Elephantiasis from person to person. The script emphasizes their role in the transmission of the disease, which is crucial for understanding the epidemiology and the strategies needed for its control and eradication.

💡World Health Organization (WHO)

The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. In the script, WHO is mentioned as a key partner in the global effort to eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis, working alongside the Global Alliance and pharmaceutical companies to develop and implement eradication programs.

💡Global Alliance

The Global Alliance to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis is an organization at the forefront of the fight against the disease. The script highlights its goal to eradicate Elephantiasis as a public health threat by 2020, showcasing its collaboration with the UN WHO and major drug companies in this endeavor.

💡Albendazole

Albendazole is an anti-parasitic drug donated by GlaxoSmithKline as part of the eradication program. The script explains that it is one of the two drugs used in the program, which, when taken annually for five years, significantly reduces the number of worm larvae in the blood, thereby decreasing transmission.

💡Mectizan

Mectizan is another anti-parasitic drug donated by Merck, used in conjunction with Albendazole in the eradication program. The script mentions it as a critical component of the treatment regimen for people living in endemic areas, working synergistically with Albendazole to combat the disease.

💡Endemic

Endemic refers to a disease that is constantly present in a particular geographic region. In the context of the script, Lymphatic Filariasis is described as endemic in 83 tropical countries, emphasizing the widespread nature of the disease and the need for targeted public health interventions.

💡Logistical Problems

Logistical problems refer to the challenges in the delivery and implementation of the eradication program on a national scale, particularly in populous countries like Nigeria and Indonesia. The script points out these difficulties as one of the hurdles in achieving the goal of eradicating Lymphatic Filariasis by 2020.

💡Public Health Program

A public health program is an organized effort to prevent disease, promote health, and improve the overall well-being of the population. In the script, Professor Molyneux emphasizes the importance of the Lymphatic Filariasis eradication program as the most significant public health initiative of the current generation, highlighting its potential impact on global health.

💡Eradication

Eradication in the context of the script refers to the complete elimination of a disease as a public health problem. The goal of the Global Alliance and its partners is to eradicate Lymphatic Filariasis by 2020, as indicated by the script, which underscores the urgency and ambition of the program.

Highlights

Lymphatic filariasis, commonly known as elephantiasis, is a disease that affects vulnerable communities worldwide.

The disease is caused by a parasitic worm spread by mosquitoes, which infects the human lymphatic system.

Elephantiasis can cause severe swelling and deformity of the limbs and other body parts.

The disease is endemic in 83 tropical countries, putting approximately 1.3 billion people at risk.

Professor David Molyneux from Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine discusses the widespread risk of the disease.

Elephantiasis primarily affects the rural poor, exacerbating poverty and social alienation.

The Global Alliance to eliminate lymphatic filariasis is leading the fight against the disease.

The eradication program aims to eliminate elephantiasis as a public health threat by 2020.

GlaxoSmithKline and Merck are partnering with the Global Alliance to donate drugs for treatment.

Albendazole and Mectizan are the two drugs used in the eradication program, reducing worm larvae in the blood.

The program requires individuals in endemic areas to take medication annually for five years.

GlaxoSmithKline has committed to donating their drug until the disease is eradicated, a commitment expected to last over 20 years.

Despite progress, logistical challenges remain in populous countries like Nigeria and Indonesia.

Professor Molyneux emphasizes the importance of the program as a critical public health initiative.

Elephantiasis was once neglected, but current efforts aim to change that and eradicate the disease by 2020.

The fight against lymphatic filariasis is viewed as one of the most significant public health programs of the current generation.

Transcripts

[Music]

[Music]

lymphatic filariasis more commonly known

as elephantiasis afflicts many of the

world's most vulnerable communities a

parasite that infects the human

lymphatic system is responsible for the

condition which causes swelling and

deformity of the limbs and other body

parts mosquitoes spread the tiny

parasitic worm that causes elephantiasis

from person to person the disease is

endemic in 83 tropical countries and

professor David Molyneux of Britain's

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

says anyone living in those places is at

risk the total numbers of people which

have been estimated by the World Health

Organization to be at risk in these 83

countries is about 1.3 billion people so

let's say a fifth of the planet is at

risk there are few conditions in the

world more socially alienating the

global alliance to eliminate lymphatic

filariasis has been at the forefront of

those fighting the disease as the

group's video shows elephantiasis mainly

affects the rural poor forcing infected

people like this man from Uganda further

into poverty made from the cinema you

know some world come on you got some on

a myth from the devil cartoony grandma

saw my dad enormous eaten washing

infected limbs can help ease the

suffering but it does not cure or stop

the spread of the condition this man

comes from a village in Tanzania where

elephantiasis is endemic bull run by

survivor silky again mad agree bit by

one who more bully sit up nine years ago

the Global Alliance aims to eradicate

elephantiasis as a public health threat

by 2020 the group has teamed up with the

UN World Health Organization and major

drug companies such as GlaxoSmithKline

and

and he right heads up GlaxoSmithKline

elephantiasis program when the program

started there was a goggle plan produced

by the whao for how you could achieve

this goal within 20 years and progress

against that plan is very much on target

so there's a lot of very strong evidence

that the program is succeeding and a lot

of confidence that in the vast majority

of the countries it will be successful

before 2020 the eradication program

consists of two drugs albendazole

donated by GlaxoSmithKline and Mectizan

donated by merck those living in endemic

areas take two pills a year for five

years the drugs significantly reduced

the number of worm larvae in the blood

which means far fewer mosquitoes carry

the infection to those they bite we made

an agreement with the World Health

Organization to donate one of our

anti-parasitic drugs help and dissolve

to every country that needs it until the

disease is eliminated and that's an

enormous commitment that will take 20

years or more and will involve billions

of our anti-parasitic albendazole

despite these efforts there is much more

to do in the fight to eradicate

lymphatic filariasis populous countries

such as Nigeria and Indonesia and others

face logistical problems in delivering

and implementing the program nationwide

professor Molyneux says it should be

viewed as the most important Public

Health Program of our generation if we

can't afford to implement that

intervention within existing health

financing environments I don't believe

we could afford to do anything in public

health

elephantiasis was once considered one of

the world's most neglected afflictions

but those fighting it hoped that by 2020

the disease will be gone

Rachel Smalley VOA news London