River blindness (Onchocerciasis)

您如何獲得River blindness (Onchocerciasis)？

Onchocerciasis is transmitted through the bite of an infected female blackfly. These usually bite during the day and are found near rapidly flowing streams and rivers. Onchocerciasis is not transmitted from person to person.

易感性和抵抗力

Everyone is presumed to be susceptible to infection with onchocerciasis, including those who have been treated for the disease in the past. Onchocerciasis increases in severity with repeated infections.

有哪些症狀？

Onchocerciasis is an ongoing and nonfatal infection that causes various symptoms involving the skin, such as the formation of large, hard lumps under the skin, particularly in the head, shoulders, pelvic area and lower extremities. Other symptoms include an itchy, bumpy rash, disfiguring skin lesions and thinning, swelling, and discoloration of the skin. Lesions in the eye can progress to visual impairment and blindness, hence the disease is called “river blindness”.

預防措施

沒有疫苗或藥物可預防這種感染。通過使用個人防護措施防止昆蟲叮咬，避免出現粉蝨棲息地和叮咬。

治療

Onchocerciasis can usually be treated with a single oral dose of an anti-parasitic drug, known as Ivermectin, once or twice per year. However, repeated doses might be required if the adult worms are not killed. Some health care professionals recommend a 3 to 4 week treatment with doxycycline (an antibiotic medication) if there is no risk of re-infection. Doxycycline cannot be used in children less than eight years of age. Research is currently underway in an attempt to find safe and effective drugs that will sterilize or kill the adult worms. 

The large lumps that form under the skin can be easily removed under local anesthesia.

驗證

• 抗寄生蟲藥

通常在哪裡發生？

該病在非洲中部，阿拉伯半島以及中南美洲的25個國家中發生。