Elephantiasis the Disease Commonly Known as \"Elephantitis\"

Elephantiasis

The disease commonly known as "Elephantitis" is actually scientifically termed Elephantiasis. It is a disease of the skin that is caused by a number of crucial factors which, when working in conjunction with one another, cause human tissue to thicken and swell. This paper will examine Elephantiasis, provide a background of the disease, and describe current methods of treatment.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Elephantiasis cannot occur without the help of a small parasite, which may be passed into the blood stream through contact with mosquito carriers. Such parasites which assist in the onset of Elephantiasis are B. timori, Wuchereria bancrofti, and Brugia malayi ("Lymphatic Filariasis"). Yet, while these parasites help in the onset of the disease, they are not the sole cause. On the contrary, Elephantiasis requires a number of factors before it can actually develop. First, it requires the introduction of the parasite into the bloodstream; then, it requires that the parasite contain a bacterium known as Wolbachia; next, the individual's immune system must be one that is susceptible to the parasite and its bacteria; finally, the disease must go untreated. For these regions, Elephantiasis is mostly found in parts of the world where advanced medicine is difficult to come by -- regions such as parts of Africa and other tropical territories. If the parasite is allowed to live within an individual's lymph nodes, it can cause edema (Saladin 48).

Scientists argue, however, that a form of Elephantiasis may occur when no parasite has been introduced into the bloodstream. In places like Ethiopia, Uganda, and Sudan, the non-parasitic form of Elephantiasis is called Podoconiosis. The cause of the disease is believed to stem from contact with soil that contains very high amounts of sodium/potassium (Price 225).

The first known case of Elephantiasis and its elephant's hide-like characteristics in the affected person's legs is as ancient as the Bible. In fact, some researchers have "speculated" that the soldiers of Alexander the Great actually contracted Elephantiasis as they pushed into India: at the time, the disease was associated with leprosy, but today scientists have a better understanding of Elephantiasis (Hajdu 207). Today, the World Health Organization reports that some 40 million people suffer disfigurement and debilitation as a result of Elephantiasis ("Lymphatic Filariasis").

Treatment

The Carter Center recognizes that treatments for Elephantiasis differ according to region. In some regions (parts of Africa, for instance), albendazole is combined with ivermectin in order to counter the spread of Elephantiasis. Elsewhere, albendazole is combined with diethylcarbamazine ("Lymphatic Filariasis Elimination Program").

These methods are further combined with cleansing rituals. Some studies have shown that by cleansing the affected areas symptoms are lessened. In areas where irritant soil is believed to be the primary cause of Elephantiasis, it is recommended that individuals wear shoes to keep the soles of their feet from coming into too much contact with the irritant.

Swelling as a result of Elephantiasis is among the "most common causes of disability" world-over, according to the Carter Center ("Lymphatic Filariasis Elimination Program"). Nearly 10% of all women in communities where endemic outbreaks are customary suffer from some symptom of Elephantiasis, while nearly 50% of males in these communities are subject to symptoms of genital swelling in these areas ("Lymphatic Filariasis Elimination Program").

The Elephant Man?

One of the most common misunderstandings surrounding Elephantiasis is that it can produce something like that which the so-called "Elephant Man" suffered from. The problem likely originates in the fact that Elephantiasis is commonly known as Elephantitis. But the "Elephant Man" did not have "Elephantitis" or Elephantiasis. He suffered from a genetic disorder that caused severe deformities to his body, most notably to his face.

True Elephantiasis, however, is not a genetic disorder and is usually found in the lower half of the torso -- in the legs, feet and genitals. It can affect the arms and legs, and cause swelling in such places. But it is entirely unrelated to the condition which caused abnormal enlargement and deformation in Joseph Merrick, better known today as the "Elephant Man."