Filariasis

I had taken 5 tablets of DEC (Diethylcarbamazine Citrate) and 1 Albendazole, two days ago in Rural Health Unit of Lezo.  MDA (Mass Drug Administration) is ongoing here in the province of Aklan since October because of the high incidence of Filariasis.  I was shocked when I heard the news that it is already been here in Aklan.  According to the Department of Health (DOH), Aklan province registers the highest number of Filariasis cases in Western Visayas.  The DOH discovered filariasis cases in the hinterlands of Libacao and Madalag.  Those who have asthma and are pregnant mothers, however, are not included for the MDA program for Filariasis by the DOH.

FILARIASIS is a communicable disease caused by a thread-like worm known as "Wuchereria Bancrofti". It is transmitted through the bite of an infected female mosquito about two weeks after it has bitten a person with this disease.

Lymphatic Filariasis also known as “Elephantiasis”, is a chronic parasitic infection that puts at risk more than a billion people in 83 countries. In the Philippines over 25 million people are living in endemic areas for this disease. It is caused by thread-like parasitic filarial worms, which lodge in the nodes and vessels of the lymphatic system. These worms live for about 10 years producing millions of immature microfilariae that circulate in the blood.

The disease is transmitted when a mosquito bites an infected person, and takes blood along with the microfilariae. These microfilariae develop into the infective stage inside the mosquitoes for about three weeks and may be transferred into an uninfected individual during subsequent bites. These larvae lodge in the lymph vessels and lymph glands, which develop into adult male and female worms. These worms (male and female worms) copulate and produce millions of microfilariae. They circulate in the bloodstream and the cycle continues when another mosquito vector gets it during blood feeding and the cycle may be repeated.

Person who took the drugs may experience stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness or temporary hair loss.