Vasconez-Gonzalez Jorge, Miño Camila, Noboa María de Lourdes, Tello-De-la-Torre Andrea, Izquierdo-Condoy Juan S, Ortiz-Prado Esteban
One Health Research Group, Faculty of Health Science, Universidad de Las Americas, Quito, Ecuador.
Doctoral Program in Occupational Safety and Health, The University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2025 May 8;19(5):e0013073. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0013073. eCollection 2025 May.
Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a neglected tropical disease affecting an estimated 882.5 million people at risk of infection. It is caused by the filarial nematodes Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, and Brugia timori, leading to lymphedema, and severe deformation of extremities and resulting in both physical and mental health consequences. Affected individuals often suffer from depression, anxiety, and anger, exacerbated by disability, marginalization, and societal rejection due to their physical disability.
A systematic review of the literature was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines, using the PubMed, Scopus, and Scielo databases without date restrictions, and including articles in both Spanish and English. The quality of selected articles was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale and the JBI critical appraisal checklist. Our protocol was registered in PROSPERO under de code: CRD42024537760.
A total of 23 studies were included in this analysis, which identified the emotional impact of LF. Common symptoms include depression, anxiety, frustration, anger, and feelings of inferiority. Physical disability caused by lymphedema led to societal rejection, contributing to the development of these symptoms. We also found that the severity or advancement of the disease correlated with an increased emotional and social impact.
LF significantly impacts the quality of life due to both its physical and emotional consequences. Psychological support for affected individuals is crucial from diagnosis, and the education of transmission and treatment of LF in endemic communities is essential to prevent discrimination and exclusion.
淋巴丝虫病（LF）是一种被忽视的热带病，估计有8.825亿人面临感染风险。它由丝虫线虫班氏吴策线虫、马来布鲁线虫和帝汶布鲁线虫引起，可导致淋巴水肿、肢体严重变形，并对身心健康造成影响。受影响的个体常患有抑郁症、焦虑症和愤怒情绪，由于身体残疾导致的残疾、边缘化和社会排斥使这些情况更加严重。
按照PRISMA指南对文献进行系统综述，使用PubMed、Scopus和Scielo数据库，无日期限制，纳入西班牙语和英语文章。使用纽卡斯尔-渥太华质量评估量表和JBI批判性评价清单评估所选文章的质量。我们的方案已在PROSPERO注册，注册号为：CRD42024537760。
本分析共纳入23项研究，这些研究确定了淋巴丝虫病的情感影响。常见症状包括抑郁、焦虑、沮丧、愤怒和自卑情绪。淋巴水肿导致的身体残疾引起社会排斥，促使这些症状的发展。我们还发现疾病的严重程度或进展与情感和社会影响的增加相关。
由于其身体和情感方面的后果，淋巴丝虫病对生活质量有显著影响。从诊断开始就为受影响个体提供心理支持至关重要，并且在流行社区开展淋巴丝虫病传播和治疗的教育对于防止歧视和排斥至关重要。
