infectious diseases
Onchocerciasis (River Blindness)
Key Points
Onchocerciasis is a filarial infection that causes skin lesions, rash, and, more importantly, eye disease, leading to visual impairment and sometimes blindness. Diagnose by slit-lamp examination of the eye and microscopic examination of a skin snip; where available, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing may be helpful. Treat withivermectinto kill microfilaria and reduce the fertility of female worms;ivermectindoes not kill adult worms. Before treatment withivermectin, patients should be assessed for coinfection withLoa loaif they have been in areas of central Africa where both parasites are transmitted. 