Published: Mar 12, 2021
Onchocerciasis is caused by the infection of a specific type of parasitic worm inside the human body. The parasite is almost always transferred to the human body by black flies through biting. Global statistics show that onchocerciasis is the second-highest infection-based cause of blindness in the world, second only to trachoma. Common symptoms of onchocerciasis include bumps under the skin, excessive itching, and finally blindness. Studies show that a patient needs to be bitten for a large number of times to contract onchocerciasis.
There are, unfortunately, no vaccines present that can eradicate onchocerciasis. The most common form of cure for onchocerciasis is prevention, which is largely done using insect repellents or fully protective clothing near or inside rivers. Additional research and development is also being made towards the use of specialized insecticides that can help eliminate black flies, while from a medical perspective, the people living close to rivers can be given protective treatments twice a year. Common treatment includes the administration of a drug named ivermectin once every six to twelve months. However, it should be noted that ivermectin only destroys the larva without killing the adults. They can be weakened using doxycycline, an antibiotic that kills the bacteria associated with the adults. Additionally, surgical treatment may be recommended to patients in order to remove the lumps under their skins. The WHO lists onchocerciasis as a neglected tropical disease, and approximately 15.5 mn people are known to be suffering from it.