Onchocerciasis, or river blindness is prevalent in
Kenya
. This often occurs following a bite by a blackfly. Over 37 million people are infected and 99 per cent of cases are found in poor African communities.
How common is river blindness in Africa?
About 15.5 million people are infected with river blindness.
Approximately 0.8 million
have some amount of loss of vision from the infection. Most infections occur in sub-Saharan Africa, although cases have also been reported in Yemen and isolated areas of Central and South America.
What countries have river blindness?
The disease is commonly known as “river blindness” because the larvae of the blackfly vectors breed in fast flowing rivers. Onchocerciasis is endemic in Africa, and in 13 foci in six countries of the Americas (
Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, Ecuador, and Venezuela
), where it was introduced through the slave trade.
Is river blindness in America?
Treating the Community
Today, 99% of river blindness cases occur in Africa. In the Americas,
transmission has been stopped in Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico and Guatemala
, and occurs only in small, isolated areas of Venezuela and Brazil. Countless rivers and streams nourish the fertile valleys of Africa and Latin America.
Who is most at risk for river blindness?
You’re at increased risk for onchocerciasis if you live near fast-running streams or rivers in intertropical areas. That’s because
blackflies
live and breed in these areas. Ninety percent of cases are in Africa, but cases have also been identified in Yemen and in six countries in Latin America.
Can river blindness be cured?
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved
moxidectin
as the first new treatment for river blindness in 20 years, adding new ammunition to the fight to eliminate this disabling disease.
Is river blindness reversible?
It
can’t cure it
– but if taken every year it can reduce the number of worm larvae in people’s bloodstreams, preventing blindness if taken regularly.
How do humans get river blindness?
Parasites – Onchocerciasis (also known as River Blindness)
It is
transmitted through repeated bites by blackflies of the genus Simulium
. The disease is called river blindness because the blackfly that transmits the infection lives and breeds near fast-flowing streams and rivers, mostly near remote rural villages.
Is river blindness a vector borne disease?
Onchocerciasis (also known as river blindness) is a
vector-borne disease
that is transmitted from person to person via the bites of infected blackflies. The disease is caused by the parasitic filarial worm Onchocerca volvulus.
What is the deadliest parasite in the world?
- Brain-eating amoeba, Naegleria fowleri. …
- Castrator of Crabs, Sacculina. …
- Tissue eating Parasite, Cochliomyia. …
- Lung worm, Cryptostrongylus pulmonic. …
- Eye dwelling parasite, Loa loa. …
- Spirometra erinaceieuropae. …
- Dragon worm, Dracunculus.
What is the incubation period of river blindness?
Onchocerciasis may remain asymptomatic, or progress to various clinical manifestations. Incubation period is
1-2 years on average
, but can be as long as 4 years.
How does river blindness affect the eye?
People affected by onchocerciasis (river blindness)
develop eye lesions
which can lead to visual impairment and permanent blindness.
How can we prevent river blindness?
Preventive Methods
Personal Protection: The best way to prevent river blindness is to
avoid blackfly bites
. This means wearing bug spray with DEET, as well as long sleeves and long pants treated with permethrin during the day when the flies are most likely to bite.
How do you test for river blindness?
Diagnosis. The gold standard test for the diagnosis of onchocerciasis remains the
skin snip biopsy
. The biopsy is performed using a sclerocorneal biopsy punch or by elevating a small cone of skin (3 mm in diameter) with a needle and shaving it off with a scalpel.
Which is a helminth disease?
Helminths are
parasitic worms
. They are the most common infectious agents of humans in developing countries and produce a global burden of disease that exceeds better-known conditions, including malaria and tuberculosis.
What causes filariasis?
Lymphatic filariasis is caused by
infection with parasites classified as nematodes (roundworms) of the family Filariodidea
. There are 3 types of these thread-like filarial worms: Wuchereria bancrofti, which is responsible for 90% of the cases. Brugia malayi, which causes most of the remainder of the cases.
