Cutaneous Onchocerciasis

Maso, Martha J.; Kapila, Rajendra; Schwartz, Roberta A.; Wiltz, H.; Kaminski, Zigmund C.; Lambert, W. Clark

doi:10.1111/j.1365-4362.1987.tb02313.x

Cited by 11 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Ivermectin is a modified avermectin, and a broad‐spectrum antiparasitic agent derived from the mycelia of the actinomycete Streptomyces avermitillis. 2 Ivermectin impairs neuromuscular function, thereby causing nematode paralysis. lvermectin can prevent ocular disease as well as improve and eliminate skin lesions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Of these, 500,000 have severe visual impairment and 270,000 are blind 1 . Onchocerciasis is caused by the nematode Onchocerca volvulus, which is transmitted by the bite of a black fly (genus Simulium ) near freely flowing waterways 2 . The microfilariae enter the skin and develop into adult forms in the subdermal connective tissue 3 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…More severe disease is characterized by dermatitis, ulcerations, epidermal atrophy, femoral and inguinal lymphadenitis, and generalized wasting. Ocular involvement of the cornea, chorioretinal zone, anterior uveal tract, or optic nerve can also occur 2 . Subcutaneous nodules filled with bundles of worms called onchocercomas can be seen anywhere on the body 4 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Subcutaneous nodules filled with bundles of worms called onchocercomas can be seen anywhere on the body 4 . In general, the immune response mounted by the host against the parasite is responsible for the ocular and dermatologic complications of the disease 2 . The traditional diagnosis of onchocerciasis has been made by collecting skin snips from an infected area, immersing them in saline, and directly observing microfilariae 4 …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Cutaneous onchocercoma

et al. 2004

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Onchocerciasis is a common, chronic multisystem disease with dermatologic, ocular, and systemic manifestations. Although the disease is endemic in Africa, Latin America, and Yemen, imported cases have been described in the United States. The causative organism, Onchocerca volvulus, is transmitted by the bite of a black fly of the genus Simulium. There are a number of cutaneous manifestations of the disease, including onchocercomas, which are subcutaneous bundles of worms. The antiparasitic agent ivermectin is the drug of choice for both prophylaxis and treatment of active disease.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Cutaneous onchocercoma

et al. 2004

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“…There are smaller foci in Latin America and only one country in Asia, which is Yemen. There is spillover into the United States and Europe, often as a result of poverty and war. Yet, it is often first and persistently evident in the skin as a dermatitis, a finding first described in present‐day Ghana in 1895 by British surgeon John O'Neill .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Onchocerciasis (river blindness): larva‐induced eczema (onchodermatitis) from an important oculocutaneous tropical disease spilling over into North America and Europe

et al. 2019

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Onchocerciasis is a leading cause of blindness in the world. It may be seen in temperate climates of the United States and Europe in immigrants and travelers from endemic regions, often linked to poverty and war. One should be aware of an incubation period that can be up to 15 months. In its early stage and throughout its course, onchocerciasis has noteworthy skin findings, facilitating diagnosis, as onchodermatitis resembles common eczema with variable degrees of papular, lichenoid, atrophic, and pigmentary alterations, features not suggestive if one is unaware of an individual's immigration and travel history. The same concept applies for the encysted worms (onchocercomas), as they tend to appear as common skin cysts and benign neoplasms. New methods can be employed to increase diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. Ivermectin is the gold standard of therapy, the use of which has almost miraculously eliminated this disease from large areas of the earth. However, its effect remains isolated to microfilariae and can be devastating in those coinfected with Loa loa. Recently, the symbiotic relationship between adult worms and Wolbachia bacteria has been discovered and, with it, the possibility of adding doxycycline as a treatment option. We also discuss coinfection with HIV and other diseases.

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