Feasibility of onchocerciasis elimination with ivermectin treatment in endemic foci in Africa: first evidence from studies in Mali and Senegal

Mass treatment with ivermectin is a proven strategy for controlling onchocerciasis as a public health problem, but it is not known if it can also interrupt transmission and eliminate the parasite in endemic foci in Africa where vectors are highly efficient. A longitudinal study was undertaken in thr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PLoS neglected tropical diseases 2009-07, Vol.3 (7), p.e497-e497
Main Authors: Diawara, Lamine, Traoré, Mamadou O, Badji, Alioune, Bissan, Yiriba, Doumbia, Konimba, Goita, Soula F, Konaté, Lassana, Mounkoro, Kalifa, Sarr, Moussa D, Seck, Amadou F, Toé, Laurent, Tourée, Seyni, Remme, Jan H F
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Animals
DNA, Helminth - genetics
DNA, Helminth - isolation & purification
Endemic Diseases - prevention & control
Female
Filaricides - therapeutic use
Humans
Infections
Infectious Diseases/Epidemiology and Control of Infectious Diseases
Ivermectin - therapeutic use
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Mali - epidemiology
Onchocerca volvulus - isolation & purification
Onchocerciasis - drug therapy
Onchocerciasis - epidemiology
Onchocerciasis - prevention & control
Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods
Prevalence
Public health
Senegal - epidemiology
Simuliidae - parasitology
Tropical diseases
Young Adult
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Summary:Mass treatment with ivermectin is a proven strategy for controlling onchocerciasis as a public health problem, but it is not known if it can also interrupt transmission and eliminate the parasite in endemic foci in Africa where vectors are highly efficient. A longitudinal study was undertaken in three hyperendemic foci in Mali and Senegal with 15 to 17 years of annual or six-monthly ivermectin treatment in order to assess residual levels of infection and transmission and test whether ivermectin treatment could be safely stopped in the study areas. Skin snip surveys were undertaken in 126 villages, and 17,801 people were examined. The prevalence of microfilaridermia was
ISSN:1935-2735
1935-2727
1935-2735
DOI:10.1371/journal.pntd.0000497