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Onchocerciasis

Onchocerciasis. (River Blindness). River Blindness, a parasitic disease, is the second leading infectious cause of blindness. . A Short History. 1975 : Fungus that produces chemical toxic to parasitic worms discovered in Japanese soil sample, from which scientists develop avermectins.

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Onchocerciasis

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  1. Onchocerciasis (River Blindness)

  2. River Blindness, a parasitic disease, is the second leading infectious cause of blindness .

  3. A Short History 1975: Fungus that produces chemical toxic to parasitic worms discovered in Japanese soil sample, from which scientists develop avermectins 2009: First evidence that Onchocerciasis can be eliminated with Ivermectin published in the journal Neglected Tropical Diseases 1893: Rudolf Leuckhart describes morphology of adult worms in subcutaneous nodules 1995: WHO establishes The African Program for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC) 1875: John O’Neill first reports the presence of microfilaria in Onchocerciasis patients in Ghana 1917: Rodolfo Robles publishes findings on a “new disease” which includes subcutaneous nodules, anterior ocular lesions, dermatitis, and microfilariae 1987: Merck & Co agrees to donate Ivermectin to all countries where River Blindness is endemic

  4. River blindness is caused by a round worm, Onchocerca volvulus -

  5. River blindness is transmitted to humans by the blackfly.

  6. Life Cycle

  7. Symptoms • Rashes • Lesions • Intense itching • Depigmentation of the skin • Lymphadenitis • General debilitation • Serious visual impairment • Blindness

  8. River Blindness primarily affects the tropics of Africa and the Americas

  9. 99 percent of River Blindness cases occur in Africa • 120 million people at risk • 96 percent in Africa • Estimated 18 million infected • 99 percent in Africa • 36 countries • 29 in sub-Saharan Africa • 6 in Latin America • Yemen

  10. Ivermectin is a broad-spectrum antiparasitic that can be used to treat River Blindness

  11. Ivermectin doesn’t kill adult worms, but prevents them from producing additional offspring • Drug binds to and activates glutamate-gated chloride channels • By activating channels, drug causes inhibitory postsynaptic potential • Microfilaria experience paralysis and then death

  12. What is Being Done Mectizan Donation Program (1987) IDP: Ivermectin Distribution Program (1989-1994) APOC: African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (1995) The Carter Center (1996)

  13. APOC countries: Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

  14. http://www.who.int/blindness/partnerships/onchocerciasis_disease_information/en/index.htmlhttp://www.who.int/blindness/partnerships/onchocerciasis_disease_information/en/index.html http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/217776-overview http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?id=285 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6753003.stm http://www.stanford.edu/class/humbio103/ParaSites2006/Onchocerciasis/history%20of%20discovery.html http://www.cartercenter.org/health/river_blindness/index.html http://www.cartercenter.org/health/river_blindness/index.html http://www.mectizan.org/onchocerciasis-maps http://www.dpd.cdc.gov/dpdx/html/frames/af/filariasis/body_Filariasis_o_volvulus.htm http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/224309-overview

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