Most of us go through life complaining how things aren't good enough, or how we always want more. Take time to consider how well off you are, and how unfortunate others may be.
This man is suffering from advanced leprosy. Visual signs are stubbed hands and feet, so much so that their fingers are nonexistance. Skin becomes easily damaged, and does not repair.
Wuchereria bancrofti causes filariasis which is the most common filarial worm infection worldwide. However, North Americans are seldom infected and the few cases seen are usually nationals of endemic areas. Symptoms include recurrent lymphadenitis and lymphangitis of the extremities, fever, chills, malaise, and headaches. After many years of infection, chronic elephantiasis of the limb or scrotum can occur, but it is very rare for an expatriate to develop gross deformities.
Kaposi's Sarcoma evident in the AIDS related form. Kaposi's sarcoma related to HIV infection occurs at a mean age of 38 years and with a striking male predominance. It is seen in 50% of homosexual/bisexual men with AIDS; and with much less frequency in intravenous drugs users with AIDS. These patients commonly present with multcentric reddish purple lesions on the skin or mucosa.
Dracunculus medinensis or guinea worm is a large nematode and is found in scattered regions of Africa, the middle east, Pakistan, India, Burma, Afghanistan and northern South America.
Infection may occur when an individual drinks water containing tiny crustacea such as cyclops which are infected with larvae of medinensis. The ingested larvae are released and then penetrate the intestinal wall where they mature in the hosts's connective ittues. The female worm matures and becomes gravid approximately 1 year after infection. Clinical disease is caused soley by the female worm which meaures up to 1m metre in length. In most 90% of cases the female worm migrates to the skin of the lower extremities, but other sites such as the upper limbs, genetalia, buttocks and orbit may be involved. The worm averages 1 meter in length.