What is the parasite that causes blindness?
Onchocerciasis, or river blindness, is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) caused by the parasitic worm Onchocerca volvulus. It is transmitted through repeated bites by blackflies of the genus Simulium.
Which filarial parasite is associated with river blindness?
Onchocerciasis – or “river blindness” – is a parasitic disease caused by the filarial worm Onchocerca volvulus transmitted by repeated bites of infected blackflies (Simulium spp.).
How long has ivermectin been used for river blindness?
Ivermectin has been widely used for 30 years to combat onchocerciasis and is rightly considered a wonder drug.
Is river blindness fatal?
Unlike malaria, river blindness is not fatal, but it causes a “miserable life,” said Moses Katabarwa, senior epidemiologist for the Atlanta-based Carter Center’s River Blindness Program, which has been leading an effort to eliminate the disease in the Americas and several African countries.
Is river blindness reversible?
It can’t cure it – but if taken every year it can reduce the number of worm larvae in people’s bloodstreams, preventing blindness if taken regularly.
How is guinea worm disease contracted?
How does Guinea worm disease spread? People become infected with Guinea worms by drinking unfiltered water from ponds and other stagnant water containing copepods (tiny “water fleas” too small to be clearly seen without a magnifying glass).
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.
How do filarial worms cause blindness?
People are infected with river blindness (also known as onchocerciasis) by repeated exposure to blackflies that breed in fast-flowing rivers. The flies transmit worms that can cause severe itching and disfiguring skin lesions, and repeated infection can lead to blindness.