The most significant symptom of<unk>  is elephantiasis, a stage 3 lymphedema with thickening of the skin and underlying tissues. This was the first mosquito-borne disease to be discovered. Elephantiasis results when the parasites lodge in the<unk>  system and cause blockages to the flow of lymph. Infections usually begin in childhood. The skin condition the disease causes is called "elephantiasis tropica" (also known as "elephantiasis arabum"). Elephantiasis mainly affects the lower limbs and various species of filarial worms tend to affect different parts of the body: Wuchereria bancrofti can affect the arms, breasts, legs, scrotum, and vulva (causing hydrocele formation), while Brugia timori rarely affects the genitals. Those who develop the chronic stages of elephantiasis are usually amicrofilaraemic and often have adverse immunological reactions to the microfilariae as well as the adult worms. The subcutaneous worms present with skin rashes, urticarial papules, and arthritis, as well as hyper- and hypopigmentation macules. The related Onchocerca volvulus manifests itself in the eyes, causing "river blindness" (onchocerciasis), one of the leading causes of blindness in the world. Serous cavity<unk>  presents with symptoms similar to subcutaneous<unk> ; it may also be associated with ascites following the severe inflammatory reaction in the<unk> s. Elephantiasis leads to marked swelling of the lower half of the body and thickening of the skin, making it look like that of an elephant, a term called "pachyderm". Image:Elephantitus.Drawn from the collection at the National Museum of Health and Medicine and shows the effect of elephantiasis in an historic context. Anatomical items: Left Leg, Scrotum.
Lymphatic filariasis
Isosporiasis
Loa loa filariasis
Leishmaniasis
Onchocerciasis
Paragonimiasis
Toxocariasis
Cyclosporiasis