Worrisome outbreak of river blindness in northern Uganda

Worrisome outbreak of river blindness in northern Uganda.

CMAJ • JULY 7, 2009 • 181(1-2) © 2009 Canadian Medical Association or its licensors E4 Although the number of cases of onchocerciasis, commonly known as river blindness, is declining in most of Africa, a worrisome upsurge is being recorded in northern Uganda along the southern Sudan border, where conflict has reigned for most of the last 2 decades. Richard Ndyomugyenyi, head of the Ugandan prog...

Onchocerciasis--river blindness.

Onchocerciasis results from infestation by the nematode Onchocerca volvulus and is characterized by troublesome itching, skin lesions, and eye manifestations. Although partially controlled by international mass prevention programs, onchocerciasis remains a major health hazard and is endemic in Africa, Arabia, and the Americas. Onchocerciasis is spread by bites from infested black flies, which t...

Pathogenesis of onchocercal keratitis (River blindness).

Onchocerciasis is a major cause of blindness. Although the World Health Organization has been successful in reducing onchocerciasis as a public health problem in parts of West Africa, there remain an estimated 17 million people infected with Onchocerca volvulus, the parasite that causes this disease. Ocular pathology can be manifested in any part of the eye, although disease manifestations are ...

Cultural Contexts of Ebola in Northern Uganda

guidelines for the control of Ebola hemor-rhagic fever (EHF) indicate that understanding local views and responses to an outbreak is essential. However, few studies with such information exist. Thus, we used qualitative and quantitative methods to determine how local residents of Gulu, Uganda, viewed and responded to the 2000–2001 outbreak of EHF. Results indicated that Acholi people used at le...

Uganda Lessons from Northern Uganda in Addressing Gender Based Violence