Onchocerca volvulus blindness

Onchocerciasis (River blindness) Onchocerca volvulus Suramin,- Diethylcarbamazine, or Ivermectin-... 

Nematode parasites present a serious problem for most animals and for humans in developing countries. These parasites produce various symptoms including ill thrift, poor growth, diarrhoea and, in around 1 % of cases, loss of life. The economic forces are such that new drugs for the treatment of nematode parasites have been developed first for animal use and only later for human use. A recent example is the development of the antibiotic anthelmintic, ivermectin, which was introduced first for the treatment of cattle nematode parasites and has subsequently been used to control river blindness , an eye condition seen in west Africa caused by farvae of Onchocerca volvulus. 

A fortunate fallout of the avermectin work was the finding that Ivermectin has activity against the black fly vector of human onchocerciasis ( river blindness ). It interferes with transmission of the filarial nematode. Onchocerca volvulus, to the human population. Since 40 million people are affected by this disease, the decision by Merck to supply ivermectin free of charge to the World Health Organization, for use in humans in the tropics, was met with great enthusiasm and hope for conquering this parasitic disease. 

Onchocerca volvulus Plathelmintes Trematodes (flukes) Onchocerciasis (river blindness) 18... 

Onchocerca volvulus River blindness (not in United Kingdom) Ivermectin... 

River blindness (Onchocerciacis) Onchocerca volvulus S. Africa 39 ... 

Various filariases— elephantiasis, river blindness (Wuchereria spp..Onchocerca volvulus), and others... 

Together with the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Tuebingen one of us (J. Schibel) is studying "The epidemiology and molecular biology of Onchocerca volvulus (Nematoda Filarioidea) in North Cameroon (CEC-Project by Dr. A. Renz and G. Wahl). This parasite is causing human onchocerciasis or river blindness, which occurs mainly in the tropical Afiica. 

Onchocerciasis is a blinding disease caused by infection with the filarial nematode parasite. Onchocerca volvulus. This disease is endemic in many parts of the tropics, particularly... 

Onchocerciasis Worm (Onchocerca volvulus) Disease is transmitted by blackflies. Human hosts have chronic eye and skin conditions, blindness. 

Onchocerciasis Ana eye disease caused by the filarial larvae of the nematode Onchocerca volvulus, transmitted by blackflies, common in Africa and Central America. Known also as river blindness. 

Neglected tropical diseases affect a substantial proportion of the world population. Estimates show that around 1.2 billion people are infected with Ascaris lum-bricoides (roundworm) 795 million with Trichuris trichi-ura (whipworm) 740 million with Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale (hookworm) 200 million with Schistosoma mansoni, S. haematobium, or S. japonicum (bilharzia) 120 million with lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis) and 25 million with Onchocerca volvulus (river blindness or onchocerciasis). 

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