LocationWuchereria bancrofti is said to be an endemic infection because it occurs in a maintained population without the need of outside inputs. It is found mostly in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, Africa, Pacific Islands, and South and Central America.
Vectors (way of infection) |
|
Epidemiology
Frequent mosquito bites over several months or even years is usually needed to get Lymphatic filariasis. That means, short-term visits or tourist on vacation are at very low risks of contracting the disease unlike the permanent residents of tropical or subtropical areas. In 2012, it was reported that there was approximately 120 million people infected and another 1 billion people at risk of acquiring the infection. Out of all the 120 million people infected, at least 25 million men acquire the genital disease known as hydrocoele and at least 15 million women show the effects of the infection in their legs as lymphedema or elephantiasis. More than 90% of these infections were caused by Wuchereria bancrofti than by any other parasitic worm. India has the highest rate of infection because they account for 40% of the world’s prevalence of Lymphatic filariasis. There is approximately about 66% of the population of South East Asia region and about 33% of the African regions that are at risk of infection. In the Americas, there are currently only 4 known countries with the disease, they are: Haiti, Dominican Republic, Brazil, and Guyana. In those places, it is only known to be an endemic. Currently, in the United States, you cannot get infected because the disease disappeared sometime in the early 20th century and the last known place to have it was in Charleston, South Carolina.