This is Robert Cohen with the VOA Special English DevelopmentReport.
Four years ago, the World HealthOrganization and other groups began a campaign to end lymphaticfilariasis. This disease is a leading cause of disability indeveloping countries. Left untreated, fluid collects in tissue.Lymphatic filariasis can cause severe enlargement of the legs, armsand areas around the sexual organs. The disease is commonly known aselephantiasis.
The cause is a parasite. It is spread to humans through the biteof mosquitoes that carry the organism. Early signs of the disease inchildren include learning problems and reduced growth. Onceinfected, humans can pass the parasite back to other mosquitoes thatbite them.
About one-hundred-twenty-million people in eighty countries areinfected with lymphatic filariasis. Most of these people are inAfrica, Southeast Asia, South America and islands of the PacificOcean. The countries have a total population of more thanone-thousand-million people.
The Global Alliance to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis hasreleased a progress report on the treatment campaign. The group sayseighty-million people have begun treatment against the disease. Twodrug companies, GlaxoSmithKline and Merck, are providing medicinesfor free.
Individuals take two drugs once a year. This combined treatmentstops the spread of elephantiasis. But it will not undo any damagealready caused by the disease.
The first drug is albendazol, made by GlaxoSmithKline. This drugalso kills several other kinds of parasites that can infect theintestines. These include roundworm, whipworm and hookworm.
A second drug commonly given against lymphatic filariasis iscalled ivermectin. The Merck company manufactures it. This drug isalso used to fight river blindness.
The parasite that causes lymphatic filariasis grows slowly. It isnot expected to develop a resistance to the drug treatment. Inaddition, treatment costs are low – between ten cents and twodollars per person per year. Health officials want to put people onfive-year treatment plans. The goal of the campaign is to end thedisease worldwide within twenty years.
This VOA Special English Development Report was written by JillMoss. This is Robert Cohen.