Back Элефантыяз Byelorussian Elefantiáza Czech Elefantiasis Danish Napɔntimtimli DAG Ελεφαντίαση Greek Elefantiasis Spanish Pakidermia Basque الفانتیازیس Persian Elefanttitauti Finnish Éléphantiasis French
| Elephantiasis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Elephantiasis of the legs due to filariasis. | |
| Specialty | Infectious disease, general surgery |
| Symptoms | Swelling of the skin |
Elephantiasis, often incorrectly called elephantitis, is the enlargement and hardening of limbs or body parts due to tissue swelling (edema).[1][2] It is characterised by edema, hypertrophy, and fibrosis of skin and subcutaneous tissues, due to obstruction of lymphatic vessels (lymphedema).[2] It may affect the genitalia.[2] The term elephantiasis is often used in reference to (symptoms caused by) parasitic worm infections,[1][2] but may refer to a variety of diseases that swell parts of the subject's body to exceptionally massive proportions.[2]
- ^ a b "Definition of ELEPHANTIASIS". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2018-06-28.
- ^ a b c d e "elephantiasis", The Free Dictionary, retrieved 2018-06-28