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TWO ON RIVER BLINDNESS

Thursday, 13th of March 2014

TWO ON RIVER BLINDNESS

SITREP ON ONCHOCERCIASIS IN AFRICA

English language conclusions below; full text, in French and English, is at http://www.who.int/wer/2013/wer8850.pdf?ua=1

Conclusions

 

During the year 2012, a total of 99.3 million persons were treated in 24 countries, representing 76.3% therapeutic coverage for onchocerciasis; 47 million people were reached with additional health interventions using the APOC network of with partnerships of trained health workers and CDDs as well as the structure created and managed by the communities. Elimination of onchocerciasis is on the horizon of the African continent, as evidenced in various epidemiological evaluation assessments conducted over several years.

However, the final effort required to achieve the ultimate goal still faces important obstacles which need to be overcome in the next years by communities, endemic countries and partners.

 

SEROSURVEILLANCE TO MONITOR ONCHOCERCIASIS ELIMINATION: THE UGANDAN EXPERIENCE

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2014 Feb;90(2):339-45. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.13-0546. Epub 2013 Dec 16.

 

Oguttu D¹, Byamukama E, Katholi CR, Habomugisha P, Nahabwe C, Ngabirano M, Hassan HK, Lakwo T, Katabarwa M, Richards FO, Unnasch TR.

Author information

Abstract below; full text available to journal subscribers        

Abstract. Uganda is the only African country whose onchocerciasis elimination program uses a two-pronged approach of vector control and mass drug distribution. The Ugandan program relies heavily upon the use of serosurveys of children to monitor progress toward elimination. The program has tested over 39,000 individuals from 11 foci for Onchocerca volvulus exposure, using the Ov16 ELISA test. The data show that the Ov16 ELISA is a useful operational tool to monitor onchocerciasis transmission interruption in Africa at the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended threshold of < 0.1% in children. The Ugandan experience has also resulted in a re-examination of the statistical methods used to estimate the boundary of the upper 95% confidence interval for the WHO prevalence threshold when all samples tested are negative. This has resulted in the development of Bayesian and hypergeometric statistical methods that reduce the number of individuals who must be tested to meet the WHO criterion.