Elephantiasis is caused by obstruction of the lymphatic system. This results in the build up a fluid known as lymph in the affected areas. The most common cause of Elephantiasis is a parasitic disease known as Lymphatic Filariasis. The damage associated with this disease has other causes as well, such as certain sexually transmitted diseases. Parasites causing Elephantiasis are known as Wuchereria Bancrofti, Brugia Maiayi, or Brugiatimori, but the most common is the Wuchereria

Bancrofti parasite. These parasites or worms are carried by species of mosquitoes including culex, aides, and anopheles. The way the mosquitoes transmit the infection is when they bite a person they introduce the larval nematode. Then the infection travels into the lymphatic system in which it grows into a adult. The parasite can reach from one to four inches and lives for an average of seven years.(in one case living for forty yrs.) A male and female mosquito mate and produce millions of parasites. The infection moves through the blood stream. Then another mosquito bites the infected person and transports the infection to another person, this meaning the persons getting infected.