A 3-YEAR FOLLOW-UP OF OCULAR ONCHOCERCIASIS IN AN AREA OF VECTOR CONTROL

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 58  (1) , 107-112
Abstract
An evaluation of the effects on onchocerciasis of 3 yr of vector [Simulium fly] control was undertaken during 1978 in the Onchocerciasis Control Program area in West Africa. The overall prevalence of ocular onchocerciasis showed only a slight decrease at the follow-up in 1978 but there was significantly less infection among children aged 5-14 yr compared with 1975. There was a total incidence of ocular signs of onchocerciasis of 8.6% over the 3 yr but also a disappearance of those signs in 11.7% of the sample examined. The incidence of severe onchocercal eye manifestations was low compared with similar areas of uncontrolled transmission. The particularly low incidence of sclerosing keratitis may be associated with the finding of a significantly decreased microfilarial load in the cornea, whereas the number of living microfilariae in the anterior chamber of the eye was apparently unchanged. The incidence of blindness due to onchocerciasis was low and confined to individuals who already presented severe eye manifestations of the disease before the beginning of the vector control campaign.