A father is begging for help after a mosquito bite left him with ‘elephant disease’ – causing his leg to swell to four times the size.
Chetan Pithadia, 53, from India, noticed his left leg was getting bigger four years ago and doctors gave him medication that did not help.
His leg continued to bulge to weigh an estimated 25kg and his foot can now barely be seen because of huge folds and lumps.
The condition, known as elephantitis, is caused by parasitic filarial worms carried by mosquitoes which enter the body when victims are bitten.
The former garment worker – who had to give up work – is now appealing for help to raise £3,500 he needs for treatment.
Father-of-two Chetan Pathidia hopes an appeal for funds towards medical costs can save him
Once his leg became too large employment became unrealistic for the garment worker
The father-of-two, from Jamnagar, a city on the western coast of the country, said: ‘My condition is getting worse by the day.
‘It’s a condition where the patient can only find relief to a certain extent.
‘I have recently discovered a probable cure at a hospital in Kerala.
‘But the process requires admitting me to hospital for a month three times, and I will need medicines for around two years.’
Condition can be fatal
Chetan, who lives with his wife, son and daughter, said he initially thought the swelling was temporary.
He travelled nearly 1,000kms to the Municipal Hospital in central Mumbai where doctors gave him the tablets which had no effect.
Later, a doctor in his hometown diagnosed him with lymphatic filariasis – known as elephant leg disease.
Chetan’s swollen left leg is four times the size of his right and weighs 25 kilograms
If the swelling spreads from the legs to the abdomen, the condition can be fatal.
Elephantiasis affects around 120 million people globally.
It is characterised by the massive enlargement of an area of the body due to obstruction of the lymphatic system.
This results in the accumulation of fluids in the affected part of the body.
Last month experts revealed he could be cured by treatment available at the Institute of Applied Dermatology in Kerala, nearly 2,000 kilometres south of his home.
To donate to his cause visit here.