What is the elephantiasis worm? | Health Wealth, Ep 86

In conversation with Dr N K Ganguly, Former Director General, ICMR Can a worm live inside of you undetected for decades? And what sort of disease only turns up at positive when the blood is collected in the dead of the night? Elephantiasis, or lymphatic filariasis, is a diseased caused by a parasitic worm. The worm spreads through mosquito bites and upon reaching an adult stage blocks vital lymph nodes in the human body leading to the swelling up on limbs, disfigurement and immense pain. In this episode, we talk about diseases which are hardly ever talked about. Commonly known as Neglected Tropical Diseases, they receive far less attention than other diseases even though the disease itself might be as life-compromising as any other. Dr Ganguly shares his decades of experiences on this topic, preventive measures that are still lagging and how a single mosquito bite can change a person’s life forever. Tune in to hear from one of the most seasoned doctors in this country and learn why we need to be aware of even the not-so-popular-diseases. Produced by Prateek Lidhoo Sound mix Suraj Singh