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When we were kids, we could not hear enough about illnesses, horrid medical conditions or weird diseases. Not much has changed since then. When we hear about an outbreak of a flesh-eating bacteria or some other rare sickness, we're fascinated. But now we're also terrified. Some rare diseases are very real and if you catch them, you're a goner. Here's a list with 10 of the most rare diseases out there.Lymphatic filariasis, also known as elephantiasis, is best known from dramatic photos of people with grossly enlarged or swollen arms and legs. The disease is caused by parasitic worms, including Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, and B. timori, all transmitted by mosquitoes. Lymphatic filariasis currently affects 120 million people worldwide, and 40 million of these people are seriously diseased. When an infected female mosquito bites a person, she may inject the worm larvae, called microfilariae, into the blood. The microfilariae reproduce and spread throughout the bloodstream, where they can live for many years. Often disease symptoms do not appear until years after infection. As the parasites accumulate in the blood vessels, they can restrict circulation and cause fluid to build up in surrounding tissues. The most common, visible signs of infection are excessively enlarged arms, legs, genitalia, and breast.

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