ONCHOCERC

A VOLVULUS
PRESENTED BY: ANDREA NICOLE AÑEZ
& RHIO SUMAYLO
INTRODUCTION:

• Parasitic worm that belongs to the

phylum Nematoda
• Second-leading cause of blindness due to
infection worldwide after trachoma
 ONCHOCERCA VOLVULUS

Synonyms Diseases

• Blinding Filarial • River Blindness/

• Convulated Filarial Onchocerciasis
 HOST & HABITAT
Intermediate Host:
FEMALE
BLACKLIES
(Simulium
damnosum)
MICROFILARIA (embryonic larvae)
is found thoracic flight muscles of the
blackfly
 HOST & HABITAT
Definitive Host: MICROFILARIA (embryonic larvae) is
found in various tissues in human:
HUMAN
• Skin
• Lymph vessels
• Lymph nodes
• Blood
• Urine
• Cerebrospinal fluid
• Internal organs (especially the eyes)
 HOST & HABITAT
Definitive Host: ADULT WORMS are found in lumen of
subcutaneous connective tissue/ nodules
HUMAN under the skin.
 MORPHOLOGY
Microfilaria Larva
(offspring of adult female worms). (developmental stage of the parasite)
They are unsheathed (do not have a protective covering)

SHAPE: small, elongated, and thread-like

LENGTH: 220 to 360 µm
WIDTH: 5 to 9 µm
LIFESPAN: 2 years

INFECTIVE STAGE: Larvae introduced

by the blackflies into the humans.
DIAGNOSTIC STAGE: Microfilariae
produced by the adult worms in human
body.
 MORPHOLOGY
Adult
FEMA
LE
SHAPE: epicuticle forms protruberances
LENGTH: 30 to 50 cm
DIAMETER: 270 to 400 µm

MAL
E
SHAPE: epicuticle is wrinkled
LENGTH: 19 to 42 mm
DIAMETER: 130 to 210 µm
LIFE CYCLE
 Epidemiology
• 25 million people are infected with O. volvulus worldwide
• Onchocerciasis mainly found in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America (Yanomami
area of Brazil and Venezuela), and Middle East (Yemen)
• Affects rural communities, especially those lacking healthcare access
• Transmitted to humans through exposure to repeated bites of infected blackflies
of the genus Simulium
RIVER BLINDNESS/ONCHOCERCIASIS

More than 99% of infected people live in 31 African

countries.
Angola Equatorial Guinea Niger
Benin Ethiopia Nigeria
Burkina Faso Gabon Rwanda
Burundi Ghana Senegal
Cameroon Guinea Sierra Leone
Central African Republic Guinea-Bissau South Sudan
Chad Kenya Sudan
Republic of Congo Liberia Togo
Côte d’Ivoire Malawi Uganda
Democratic Republic of the Mali United Republic of Tanzania.
Congo Mozambique
 Pathology
• Onchocerciasis, or river blindness, is caused by infection with the parasitic worm Onchocerca volvulus. It presents with four cardinal manifestations:
dermatitis, subcutaneous nodules, sclerosing lymphadenitis, and eye lesions.

Dermatitis Subcutaneous Nodules Sclerosing Eye Lesions

Inflammation of the
skin. It typically presents
as redness, itching,
swelling, and sometimes
blistering or scaling of
the skin.
Small lumps or bumps that
develop under the skin as a result
of infection with the parasitic
worm Onchocerca volvulus.
These nodules typically contain
adult worms and can cause
itching, inflammation, and
sometimes pain.
Lymphadenitis
A condition where the
lymph nodes become
inflamed and hardened
due to fibrous tissue
formation.
Abnormal areas of tissue damage or
changes in the structures of the eye.
These lesions can manifest in various
forms, including inflammation,
scarring, and damage to the cornea,
retina, or other parts of the eye.
Subcutaneous Nodule Dermatitis Eye lesions
 METHODS & DIAGNOSIS
The diagnosis of onchocerciasis can be difficult in light infections, which are more common in persons
who have travelled to but are not residents of affected areas.

Skin Snip Biopsy (Skin Nodule examination Antibody

shaving) (Biopsies of nodule) tests
Polymerase Chain Slit-lamp Examination
Reaction (PCR)
 Prevention & Treatment
The best prevention efforts include personal protection measures against biting insects.
• Vector Control
• Wearing insect repellant such as N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET) on exposed skin
• Wearing long sleeves and long pants during the day when blackflies bite and permethrin- treated clothing
• Mass Drug Administration (MDA)
• Improving Sanitation and Water Access

The primary treatment for Onchocerca volvulus infection, commonly known as onchocerciasis or river blindness, is the administration
of the medication ivermectin (Mectizan).
• Ivermectin is an antiparasitic medication that effectively kills the microfilariae (larval stage) of Onchocerca volvulus.
• It is usually administered as a single oral dose, typically once or twice a year.
• Ivermectin does not kill the adult worms but significantly reduces the number of circulating microfilariae, thereby preventing disease
progression and reducing transmission to others.
Permethrin Treated Clothing

Bug or Insect repellents

END