Onchocerciasis (Onchocerca volvulus): Difference between revisions

From MicrobeWiki, the student-edited microbiology resource
Line 19: Line 19:


===Transmission===
===Transmission===
[[File:FeedingSimuliumFly.jpeg|350px|thumb|left|A known vector of <i>Onchocerca volvulus</i> the Simulium Blackfly feeds on a human. Courtesy of WHO via the Natural History Museum. http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/species-of-the-day/scientific-advances/disease/simulium-yahense/index.html ]]
[[File:FeedingSimuliumFly.jpeg|250px|thumb|left|A known vector of <i>Onchocerca volvulus</i> the Simulium Blackfly feeds on a human. Courtesy of WHO via the Natural History Museum. http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/species-of-the-day/scientific-advances/disease/simulium-yahense/index.html ]]
 
===Epidemiology===
Onchocerciasis is considered endemic across the tropical areas of Latin America, Africa and Yemen. Usually found near large rivers or wetland areas. The tropical climate is perfectly suited for the blackfly vector's mating habits.
[[File:onchoepi.jpeg|200px|thumb|right|Epidemiology of Onchocerciasis [[#References|[3]]] ]]


===Infectious Dose, Incubation===
===Infectious Dose, Incubation===

Revision as of 11:30, 28 July 2015

University of Oklahoma Study Abroad Microbiology in Arezzo, Italy[1]
Picture of Adult Onchocerca volvulus worms from the World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/apoc/media/adult_worms.JPG

Etiology/Bacteriology

Taxonomy

| Domain = Animalia | Phylum = Nematoda | Class = Secernentea | Order = Spirurida | Family = Onchocecidae | Genus = Onchocerca | species = O. volvulus |NCBI: [2] Genome: [3]|}

Description

Onchocerciasis, also known as “River blindness” is an eye and skin infection caused by the parasitic worm Onchocerca volvulus. It is considered to be among the list of neglected tropical diseases. According to the CDC a neglected tropical diseases are a group of parasitic and bacterial diseases that attribute to substantial illness for more than one billion people globally [1]. The symptoms of onchocerciasis include nodules under the skin, debilitating itching, and eventually blindness. Onchocerciasis alone is believed to currently affect over 25 million worldwide with 300,000 completely blind and another 800,000 with substantial vision impairment [2]. The filarial worm is transmitted to human hosts through the bite of infected black flies from the genus Simulium. These flies tend to live around wetlands and large river basins, hence the common name “River blindness.” The majority of the population affected by the disease (99%) reside in the World Health Organization Africa Region while cases have been documented around the world including Central and South America [3].

Pathogenesis

Transmission

A known vector of Onchocerca volvulus the Simulium Blackfly feeds on a human. Courtesy of WHO via the Natural History Museum. http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/species-of-the-day/scientific-advances/disease/simulium-yahense/index.html

Epidemiology

Onchocerciasis is considered endemic across the tropical areas of Latin America, Africa and Yemen. Usually found near large rivers or wetland areas. The tropical climate is perfectly suited for the blackfly vector's mating habits.

Epidemiology of Onchocerciasis [3]

Infectious Dose, Incubation

Virulent Factors

Clinical Features

Symptoms

Morbidity/Mortality

Diagnosis

Treatment

Traditional

Merck

Prevention

Children lead men affected by Onchocerciasis. Published in the Atlas of Tropical and Extraordinary Diseases via the National Museum of Health and Medicine. https://www.flickr.com/photos/medicalmuseum/3969963699/in/album-72157622366709345/

Host Immune Response

References

Created by Tyler Potter, student of Tyrrell Conway at the University of Oklahoma.

1 Onchocerciasis. CDC.

2 Pearson, Richard D. "Onchocerciasis"

3 Onchocerciasis or River Blindness. USAID.