Photo by Denys on Unsplash (illustrative)
On 1 October 2024, the World Health Organization announced that Brazil had eliminated lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem. The mosquito-borne parasitic infection can cause chronic, severe swelling of the body, a condition commonly known as elephantiasis.
Key facts
Brazil drew up a national elimination plan in 1997 and ended transmission of the disease in 2017.
It became the 20th country validated by WHO for eliminating lymphatic filariasis.
Brazil is the 53rd country to have eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease.
In 2023, 657 million people in 39 countries still lived in areas needing preventive medicines against the disease.
Why it matters
Lymphatic filariasis causes pain, chronic and severe swelling, serious disability and social stigma. Ending it in a country as large as Brazil shows that mass medicine distribution, mosquito control and strong surveillance can beat it at scale.
Worth noting
Elimination as a public health problem is not the same as eradication, and the parasite still circulates elsewhere. In the Americas, the Dominican Republic, Guyana and Haiti still need mass drug administration to stop transmission.