Lymphatic Filariasis

Lymphatic Filariasis

News: Climate change, a major threat to global health, has had the most vulnerable effects on lymphatic filariasis (LF).

What is LF?
• LF is a mosquito-borne disease that causes chronic swelling of the limbs, known as elephantiasis. It is a major cause of disability and disfigurement, and can also lead to social exclusion.
• LF is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in India, affecting about 670 million people in 336 districts.

How does Climate change affect LF?
• Rising temperatures will allow mosquitoes to expand their range to higher altitudes and latitudes. This will put more people at risk of infection, as well as increase the transmission season in some areas.
• Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, such as floods and droughts. These events can damage mosquito breeding sites and disrupt vector control efforts, leading to outbreaks of LF.
• Climate change is also expected to lead to changes in rainfall patterns, which could affect the availability of breeding sites for mosquitoes. This could make it more difficult to control LF transmission in some areas.

Where is it prevalent most in India? What steps have been taken to prevent LF?
• Lymphatic filariasis is endemic in India and is seen most commonly in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
• The Indian government has taken several steps to control the disease. The National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme under the Ministry of Health is running an elimination programme for lymphatic filariasis with the World Health Organization, Gates Foundation and other partner NGOs.
• Mass drug administration campaigns provide an annual dose of anti-filarial drugs to those in endemic zones. The treatment is a few pills taken once a year for five years.
• The triple drug therapy that administers a single dose of three anti-filarial drugs: Ivermectin, Diethylcarbamazine and Albendazole (IDA), is a radical step towards intensifying LF prevention efforts and the Government of India is committed to scale-up these efforts across the country in 21 of 37 endemic states and UTs.
Source – India Today