Onchocerciasis and the African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (apoc)
نویسنده
چکیده
Introduction Onchocerciasis, or ‘river-blindness’, is a disease caused by infection with the filarial worm, Onchocerca volvulus. The parasite is transmitted to human hosts by infected female ‘blackflies’, Simulium spp., as they feed on the host’s blood. Whilst feeding, the fly secretes saliva containing infective larvae. These larvae enter the host’s subcutaneous tissue, migrate, and form nodules in which they mature into adults. The smaller, male worms migrate between nodules and mate with females. After mating, the adult females, which live for up to 15 years, may produce and release 1000 or more microfilariae per day. It is these microfilariae which cause the debilitating effects of the disease as they migrate through the skin causing intense itching,
منابع مشابه
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