1. Onchocerca volvulus
David Meyer

2. Brief Review… Helminthes worm Commonly called river blindness
Blackfly vector

3. Life Cycle Quickie

4. Historical Accounts
Microfilariae of a river blindness mentioned in ancient Egyptian text. 2nd millennium BC.
Also mentioned in African account of river blindness in 1st millennium BC.

5. The Road to Discovery John O’Neill in 1874 (microfilaria)
“I was induced to bestow much time on its microscopic examination, and succeeded length in discovering a filaria which I believe to be the immediate cause of the complaint.”
Unnamed German Doctor in 1890 (adult worm)
Leuckart in 1890 (adult worm)
Robles in 1917 (blackfly vector)
Donald Blacklock in 1923 (transmission)

6. Cultural Practices Farming techniques in Africa (Nigeria)
Living near open running water
Cultural fishing practices
Clothing options

7. Human Migrations
Migration of population after village becomes infected with Onchocerciasis
Blackfly migration
Bantu Expansion/Nomadic tribes
Prevalence: 35 countries total. 28 in tropical Africa where 99% of infected people live.
17.7 million infected

8. Infrastructure Lack of knowledge/education
Location of communities close to blackfly breeding grounds
Poor medical attention for those who are infected
Agricultural/Cultural practices expose humans to vector

9. Response of Health Care
Treatments
Ivermectin
Albendazole
Corticosteroids
Control
Using protective netting
Pesticides

10. Anthropogenic Changes
Deforestation
Economic Development
Education

11. Resources www.dpd.cdc.gov www.who.int/tdr/diseases/oncho/
ucdnema.ucdavis.edu/imagemap/nemmap/ent156html/nemas/onchocercavolvulus
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onchocerciasis