The key difference between cellulitis and filariasis is that cellulitis is a condition of acute inflammation of subcutaneous cellular tissue by bacteria such as Streptococci or Staphylococci, while filariasis is a condition of acute inflammation of lymphatics and adjacent tissues by filarial nematodes.
When the body encounters an offending foreign agent or suffers from an injury, it activates the immune system. The immune system sends out inflammatory cells and cytokines to respond to these foreign agents. This process results in inflammation. Inflammation can be short-term (acute) or long-term (chronic). Cellulitis and filariasis are two medical conditions due to acute inflammation of the body tissues.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Cellulitis
3. What is Filariasis
4. Similarities – Cellulitis and Filariasis
5. Cellulitis vs Filariasis in Tabular Form
6. FAQ – Cellulitis and Filariasis
7. Summary – Cellulitis vs Filariasis
What is Cellulitis?
Cellulitis is a condition due to bacterial infection of the skin and the tissues underneath the skin. It can normally affect lower body parts of the body, such as legs, feet, and toes. Cellulitis is a common condition and affects 14 million people in the United States annually. The symptoms of this condition include pain, tenderness, edema, warmth, discoloration, fluid-like blisters, lumpy or pitted skin surface, fever, chills, and fatigue. Cellulitis is mainly caused by bacteria such as Streptococcus and Staphylococcus.
Figure 01: Cellulitis
Cellulitis can be diagnosed through physical examination, blood test, skin test, and bacterial culture. Treatment options for cellulitis are oral antibiotics (dicloxacillin and cephalexin), intravenous antibiotics, warm compress, elevation, compression, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
What is Filariasis?
Filariasis is a parasitic infection that is due to filarial nematodes that spread through specific mosquitoes. Approximately 58 filariasis hospital admissions are reported in the United States every year. Filariasis can be caused by different types of roundworms, such as Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, and Brugia timori. The symptoms of filariasis are thickening of the skin, inflammation or swelling of arms, calves, legs, breasts, and female genitals (vulva), fluid buildup in the lymphatic system, and hydrocele.
Figure 02: Filariasis
Filariasis can be diagnosed through physical examination, microscopic testing, and antibody testing. Furthermore, treatment options for filariasis may include anti-parasitic medications such as ivermectin and albendazole, surgery, and recommended strategies to manage swelling, such as elevation or compression garments.
What are the Similarities Between Cellulitis and Filariasis?
- Cellulitis and filariasis are two medical conditions due to acute inflammation of the body tissues.
- Infections of different pathogens trigger both conditions.
- They can cause complications.
- Both conditions can be diagnosed through physical examination and blood tests.
- They can be treated through specific medications and recommended strategies.
What is the Difference Between Cellulitis and Filariasis?
Cellulitis is a condition due to the acute inflammation of subcutaneous cellular tissue caused by Streptococci or Staphylococci bacteria, while filariasis is a condition due to the acute inflammation of lymphatics and adjacent tissues caused by filarial nematodes. Thus, this is the key difference between cellulitis and filariasis. Furthermore, cellulitis spreads through openings in the skin, like an injury or surgical wound, while filariasis spreads through mosquito bites.
The infographic below presents the differences between cellulitis and filariasis in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
FAQ: Cellulitis and Filariasis?
Can filariasis cause cellulitis?
In filariasis, the accumulation of fluid and swelling in the limbs can create an ideal environment for bacterial infections like cellulitis to develop. When the skin barrier is compromised due to swelling, bacteria can enter, causing cellulitis.
Why is it called filariasis?
The term “filariasis” is derived from the name of the parasitic worms that cause the disease, known as filarial worms. These worms belong to the family Filarioidea, and various species within this family can cause different forms of the disease.
What is the best treatment for cellulitis?
Antibiotics are the main treatment for cellulitis.
Summary – Cellulitis vs. Filariasis
Cellulitis and filariasis are two medical conditions due to acute inflammation of the body tissues. Acute inflammation is an immediate, adaptive response by the immune system to harmful foreign agents. Cellulitis refers to an acute inflammation of subcutaneous cellular tissue due to a bacterial infection. Filariasis is a disease due to the acute inflammation of lymphatics and adjacent tissues by filarial nematodes such as Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, and Brugia timori. So, this summarizes the difference between cellulitis and filariasis.
Reference:
1. “Cellulitis.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.
2. “Filariasis.” StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Cellulitis 2” By Emergency Medicine Clinic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 DEED) via Flickr
2. “Lymphatic filariasis can cause pain, disability, and disfigurement” By RTI Fights NTDs (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 DEED) via Flickr