‘Leopard Skin’ as a Rapid Diagnostic Index for Estimating the Endemicity of African Onchocerciasis

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Abstract
A study was made in five rural districts of Kwara State, Nigeria to assess the possible use of ‘leopard skin’ (Ls) as a rapid diagnostic technique for estimating the endemicity of African onchocerciasis. The findings revealed that there is a positive association between the percentage of subjects with skin microfilariae (mf) and the percentage with Ls. The prevalence of Ls less than 1% suggests communities with sporadic infection, 1–6% suggests hypoendemic communities and greater than 6% suggests meso-or hyperendemic communities, using mf rates of less than 10%, 10–39%, 40–69% and 70% or greater as the standard to classify sporadic, hypoendemic, mesoendemic and hyperendemic levels of the infection, respectively. The unique merits of Ls as a potential onchocercal index are presented.

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