Conclusion

Although lymphatic filariasis is geographically limited to the tropical and endemic areas of Africa, I think it can be prevented. The nonfilarial disease, podoconiosis, can easily be prevented through the use of proper footwear and avoidance of continual direct contact with the red soil. But the filarial variety, like a countless number of diseases in Africa, is transferred through mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are naturally attracted to tropical areas because of the humidity and high rate of standing water. But there are many tropical nations around the world, and they all have either little or none of the diseases found in Africa. So other factors to dwell on that possibly maintain the existence of elephantiasis may be poverty and sanitation, or lack thereof. If there were more adequate precautions for sanitation and if the debate over poverty came to a desirable end(easier said than done, obviously), the natives of Africa would be able to take one step closer to reducing, and even eliminating, the various diseases caused by mosquitoes.