Achievements obtained by the onchocerciasis control programmes should not lead to a relaxation in the biological research on Onchocerco volvulus. Issues such as the Loa loa-related post-ivermectin serious adverse events, the uncertainties as to whether onchocerciasis can be eliminated by ivermectin treatments, and the possible emergence of ivermectin-resistant O. volvulus populations should be ...

In 1987, just before fi rst issue of the Community Eye Health Journal was published, the pharmaceutical Company MSD (known as Merck & Co. Inc. in the USA and Canada) made an unprecedented commitment to donate Mectizan® (ivermectin MSD), for as long as was needed, to control onchocerciasis (river blindness).1 Mass distribution of Mectizan revolutionised the approach to onchocerciasis control at ...

Onchocerciasis is one of the diseases targeted by Vision 2020. It is the world's second leading infectious cause of blindness, responsible for at least one million blind or severely visually disabled people. The Onchocerciasis Control Programme (OCP) in sub-Saharan Africa will be closed down in 2002, after 27 years of operation. This is the clearest indication that the prospects of eliminating ...

The prevalence of skin depigmentation in the pretibial region is closely correlated in the adult Congolese population with conventional indices (microfilarial index, mean microfilarial density, cyst index) for the evaluation of endemic onchocerciasis. Individuals over 15 years of age in endemic villages who had a microfilarial index of 80-90%, had a cystic index of 60-70% and a pretibial depigm...

This review summarises more than a century of research on onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness, and its control. River blindness is an infection caused by the tissue filaria Onchocerca volvulus affecting skin, subcutaneous eyes leading to in minority infected persons. The parasite transmitted intermediate hosts Simulium spp. which breed rivers. Featured are history milestones onchocerc...