Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Onchocerciasis

  • Published:
International Ophthalmology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Onchocerciasis is a devastating blinding disease caused by the parasite Onchocerca volvulus that infects about 80 million people, causing blindness and visual impairment in 1–2 million people. In hyperendemic areas, more than half of the population will become blind from onchocerciasis before they die. Blindness is the most important effect of the disease and results, in part, from direct invasion of the eye by microfilariae. The recent development of ivermectin has revolutionized our ability to treat this disease. An annual oral dose of only 150 mg/kg completely suppresses the disease manifestations. Programs for the community-based mass distribution of ivermectin are now being conducted and promise to control this major blinding scourge.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Albiez EJ, Walter G, Kaiser A, Ranque P, Newland HS, White AT, Greene BM, Taylor HR, Buttner DW. Histological examination of onchocercomata after therapy with ivermectin. Trop Med Parasitol 1988; 39: 93–9.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Awadzi K, Dadzie KY, Schulz-Key H, Gilles HM, Fulford AJ, Aziz MA. The chemotherapy of onchocerciasis. XI. A double-blind comparative study of ivermectin, diethylcarbamazine and placebo in human onchocerciasis in Northern Ghana. Ann Trop Med Parasitol 1986; 80: 433–42.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Aziz MA, Diop IM, Diallo S, Lariviere M, Porta M. Efficacy and tolerance of ivermectin in human onchocerciasis. Lancet 1982; 2: 171–3.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Bird AC, Anderson J, Fuglsang H. Morphology of posterior segment lesions of the eye in patients with onchocerciasis. Br J Ophthalmol 1976; 60: 2–20.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Bland J. A decade of oncho control. World Health 1985; October: 1–27.

  6. Buck AA. Onchocerciasis: Symptomatology, pathology, diagnosis. Geneva, World Health Organization, 1974.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Campbell WC, Fisher MH, Stapley EO, Albers-Schonberg G, Jacob TA. Ivermectin: a potent new antiparasitic agent. Science 1983; 221: 823–8.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Connor DH, Gibson DW, Taylor HR, Mackenzie CD, Meyers WM, Neafie RD. Onchocerciasis, Chapter 82.7. In: Strickland G. ed. Hunter's Tropical Medicine, 6th Edition. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Co., 1984; 667–80.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Cupp EW, Bernardo MJ, Kixzewski AE, Collins RC, Taylor HR, Aziz MA, Greene BM. The effects of ivermectin on transmission of Onchocerca volvulus. Science 1986; 231: 740–2.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Dadzie KY, Bird AC, Awadzi K, Schulz-Key H, Gilles HM, Aziz MA. Ocular findings in a double-blind study of ivermectin versus diethylcarbamazine versus placebo in the treatment of onchocerciasis. Br J Ophthalmol 1987; 71: 78–85.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Greene BM, Taylor HR, Cupp EW, Murphy RP, White AT, Aziz MA, Schulz-Key H, D'Anna SA, Newland HS, Goldschmidt LP, Auer C, Hanson AP, Freeman SV, Reber EW, Williams PN. Comparison of ivermectin and diethylcarbamazine in the treatment of onchocerciasis. N Eng J Med 1985; 313: 133–8.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Lariviere M, Aziz M, Weimann D, Ginoux J, Gaxotte P, Vingtain P, Beauvais B, Derouin F, Schulz-Key H, Basset D, Sarfati C. Double-blind study of ivermectin and diethylcarbamazine in African onchocerciasis patients with ocular involvement. Lancet 1985; 2: 174–7.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Lariviere PM, Beauvais B, Aziz M, Garin YJ-F, Abeloos J, Derouin F, Bamba M, Ferly-Therizol M, Sarfate C, Basset D, Basset A, Toure Y, Song D, Goxotte P. Etude en Cote-d'Ivorie (1985–1987) de l'efficatite and de la tolerance de l'ivermectine (Mectizan) dans l'onchocercose humaine. II. Evaluation, en vue do campagnes de masse, des effects de l'administration annualle ou semestrielle de doses uniques orales de 100, 150, ou 200 mcg/kg. Bull Soc Path Ex 1989; 82: 48–57.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Newland HS, White AT, Greene BM, D'Anna SA, Key-van-Larijani E, Aziz MA, Williams PN, Taylor HR. The effect of single dose ivermectin therapy on human Onchocerca volvulus infection with onchocercal ocular involvement. J Ophthalmol 1988; 72: 561–9.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Pacqué MC, Dukuly Z, Greene BM, Muñoz B, Keyvan-Larijani E, Williams PN, Taylor HR. Community-based treatment of onchocerciasis with ivermectin. Bull WHO (in press).

  16. Prost A. The burden of blindness in adult males in the savanna villages of West Africa exposed to onchocerciasis. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 1986; 80: 525–7.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Remme J, Baker RHA, DeSole G, Dadzie KY, Walsh JF, Adams MA, Alley ES, Avissey HSK. A community trial of ivermectin in the onchocerciasis focus of Asubende, Ghana. I. Effect on the microfilarial reservoir and the transmission of Onchocerca volvulus. Trop Med Parasitol 1989; 40: 367–74.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Schulz-Key H, Greene BM, Awadzi K, Lariviere M, Klager S, Dadzie Y, Aziz MA. Efficacy of ivermectin on the reproductivity of female Onchocerca volvulus. Proceedings from the Wellcome Filariasis Seminar. Trop Med Parasitol 1986; 37: 89.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Soboslay PT, Newland HS, White AT, Erttmann KD, Albiez EJ, Taylor HR, Greene BM. Ivermectin effect on microfilariae of Onchocerca volvulus after a single oral dose in humans. Trop Med Parasitol 1987; 38: 8–10.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Taylor HR, Semba RD, Newland HS, Keyvan-Larijani E, White A, Dukuly Z, Greene BM. Ivermectin treatment for patients with severe ocular onchocerciasis. Am J Trop Med Hyg 1989; 40: 494–500.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Taylor HR, Greene BM. The status of ivermectin in the treatment of human onchocerciasis. Am J Trop Med Hyg 1989; 41: 460–6.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Taylor HR, Murphy RP, Newland HS, White AT, D'Anna SA, Keyvan-Larijani E, Aziz MA, Cupp EW, Greene BM. Comparison of the treatment of ocular onchocerciasis with ivermectin and diethylcarbamazine. Arch Ophthalmol 1986; 104: 863–70.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Taylor HR. Recent developments in the treatment of onchocerciasis. Bull WHO 1984; 62: 687–93.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Taylor HR. Onchocerciasis, Chapter 62. In: Duane TD, ed. Clinical Ophthalmology, Vol. 5. Hagerstown, Harper and Row, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Trpis M, Childs JE, Fryauff DJ, Greene BM, Williams PN, Muñoz BE, Pacqué MC, Taylor HR. Effect of mass treatment of a human population with ivermectin on transmission of Onchocerca volvulus by Simulium yahense in Liberia, West Africa. Am J Trop Med Hyg (in press).

  26. Vingtain P, Pichard E, Ginoux J, Coulibaly SM, Bissan Y, Ranque P, Thillaye B. Ivermectin and human onchocerciasis. A study of 234 onchocerciasis patients in the Republic of Mali. Bull Soc Pathol Exot Filiales 1988; 81: 260–70.

    Google Scholar 

  27. White AT, Newland HS, Taylor HR, Erttmann KD, Key-van-Larijani E, Nara A, Aziz A, D'Anna SA, Williams PN, Greene BM. Controlled trial and dose-finding study of ivermectin for treatment of onchocerciasis. J Infect Dis 1987; 156: 463–70.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Whitworth JA, Morgan D, Maude GH, Taylor DW. Community-based treatment with ivermectin (letter). Lancet 1988; 2: 97–8.

    Google Scholar 

  29. World Health Organization. WHO Expert Committee on onchocerciasis. Third report. Geneva: World Health Organization, Technical Report Series 752 1987; 1–167.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dana Center for Preventive Ophthalmology, The Wilmer Institute, Johns Hopkins University, 21205, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

    Hugh R. Taylor Dr.

Authors
  1. Hugh R. Taylor Dr.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Support was provided by funds from UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases(ID 870096).

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Taylor, H.R. Onchocerciasis. Int Ophthalmol 14, 189–194 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00158317

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00158317

Key words

Search

Navigation