How do you get rid of onchocerciasis?
Table of Contents
How do you get rid of onchocerciasis?
Mass treatment with ivermectin is a proven strategy for controlling and eliminating onchocerciasis as a public health problem.
What is the symptoms of Onchocerca volvulus?
Onchocerciasis, commonly known as “river blindness”, is caused by the parasitic worm Onchocerca volvulus. Symptoms include severe itching, disfiguring skin conditions, and visual impairment, including permanent blindness.
How is onchocerciasis controlled?
The best prevention efforts include personal protection measures against biting insects. This includes wearing insect repellant such as N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET) on exposed skin, wearing long sleeves and long pants during the day when blackflies bite, and wearing permethrin- treated clothing.
How do you prevent Onchocerca volvulus?
volvulus. The best prevention efforts include personal protection measures against biting insects. This includes wearing insect repellant such as N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET) on exposed skin, wearing long sleeves and long pants during the day when blackflies bite, and wearing permethrin- treated clothing.
How is Onchocerca volvulus transmitted?
Onchocerciasis is an infection caused by the parasitic worm Onchocerca volvulus, spread by the bite of an infected Simulium blackfly. It is also called river blindness because the fly that transmits infection breeds in rapidly flowing streams, mostly near remote rural villages, and the disease that is caused by O.
Is there a vaccine for river blindness?
River blindness is typically treated with the anti-parasite medication ivermectin, and the World Health Organization (WHO) notes that in the absence of a vaccine to prevent these infections, the disease has been largely mitigated or eliminated through insecticide spraying and other methods.
What are the complication of onchocerciasis?
Ocular complications of onchocerciasis include blindness secondary to keratitis, pannus formation, and corneal fibrosis. Posterior segment complications include chorioretinitis, intraretinal deposits, open-angle glaucoma, and optic atrophy.
What is the life cycle of Onchocerca volvulus?
The larvae develop into adult worms in the nodules. Adult females may live up to about 15 years in these nodules. 4. After mating, mature female worms produce eggs, which develop into immature forms of the worm called microfilariae.
Can ivermectin cure blindness?
It is believed that ivermectin (a microfilaricide) could prevent blindness due to onchocerciasis. However, when given to everyone in communities where onchocerciasis is common, the effects of ivermectin on lesions affecting the eye are uncertain and data on whether the drug prevents visual loss are unclear.
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.
Does ivermectin affect the kidneys?
Conclusion: The repeated administration of ivermectin did not affect some liver function such as AST and ALT but induced significant changes in kidney function such as serum creatinine(Scr) and urea levels.
