Navigating Filariasis in Adolescence: A Case Report of 16-Year-Old with Lymphatic Involvement

Filariasis is a parasitic infection caused by thread-like nematodes transmitted to humans through mosquito bites. It primarily affects the lymphatic system leading to conditions like lymphatic filariasis (commonly known as elephantiasis), which can cause severe swelling in the limbs, genitalia, or other body parts. It affects 120 million people in 72 countries worldwide, mostly in the tropical and subtropical climates of Asia, Africa, Western Pacific, South America, and Caribbean. Half of the patients infected are in their 30s and 40s, and there is a 10:1 predilection for men and women. The global program to eliminate lymphatic filariasis is providing mass drug administration to eradicate this disease. We present here a case of 16-year-old female diagnosed to have filariasis due to Wuchereria bancrofti with acute upper respiratory infection.