Reducing onchocerciasis-associated morbidity in onchocerciasis-endemic foci with high ongoing transmission: a focus on the children.

Abstract

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Tropical parasitic itch in returned travellers and immigrants from endemic areas

“…Colloquially known as ‘river blindness’, onchocerciasis is typically considered a disease of the skin and the eyes but may also cause onchocerciasis‐associated epilepsy and other neurologic conditions, such as nodding syndrome and nakalanga syndrome. Higher microfilarial load in the skin is associated with the risk of developing epilepsy and other neurological disorders in children 33,34 …”

“…Higher microfilarial load in the skin is associated with the risk of developing epilepsy and other neurological disorders in children. 33,34 The first and most common manifestation of onchocerciasis is an intense generalized pruritus, which is sometimes accompanied by a rash but often manifests as pruritus without eruption. Therefore, the diagnosis should be considered in patients with severe generalized pruritus who have lived in or visited endemic areas, regardless of rash presence.…”

Epilepsy and nodding syndrome in association with an Onchocerca volvulus infection drive distinct immune profile patterns

“…OAE seems to start without any obvious cause, in previously healthy children, between the ages of 3-18 years. Cases are reported in areas of high ongoing or past onchocerciasis transmission in various regions of sub-Saharan Africa including Uganda, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, Cameroon and South Sudan [2][3][4][5]. OAE has public health implications in endemic regions; with more than 381,000 people estimated to be affected in 2015 [6].…”

“…OAE has public health implications in endemic regions; with more than 381,000 people estimated to be affected in 2015 [6]. Nodding syndrome, an epilepsy disorder that is characterised by head nodding seizures (repeated, involuntary forward bobbing), has also been associated with the presence of O. volvulus infections [4,[7][8][9][10]. The disease may be accompanied by stunting, wasting, physical deformities, delayed sexual development, and psychiatric disorders in addition to neurological deterioration [11][12][13][14].…”

Status of epilepsy in the tropics: An overlooked perspective

“…Currently, there are several studies on PWE. Researchers have taken different approaches, such as focusing on patients with different cultural and family backgrounds, [5][6][7] different ages, [8][9][10][11][12][13] region-specific, [14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22] and inter-environmental. [23][24][25] Some studies have focused on the treatment gap, [26][27][28][29][30] special etiology, [31][32][33][34][35][36] and disease burden [37][38][39][40] in the tropics, aiming to formulate appropriate policies [41][42][43][44] for PWE.…”