What are the signs and symptoms of onchocerciasis?

Symptoms

skin rashes.
extreme itching.
bumps under the skin.
loss of skin elasticity, which can make skin appear thin and brittle.
itching of the eyes.
changes to skin pigmentation.
enlarged groin.
cataracts.

How does onchocerciasis affect the eyes?

River blindness is transmitted to humans through the blackfly that lives along fertile riverbanks. Once a person is infected, the parasite migrates to all internal tissue of the eye except the lens, causing eye inflammation, bleeding, and other complications that lead to blindness.

What are ocular onchocerciasis infections commonly known as?

Parasites – Onchocerciasis (also known as River Blindness) The disease is called river blindness because the blackfly that transmits the infection lives and breeds near fast-flowing streams and rivers, mostly near remote rural villages. The infection can result in visual impairment and sometimes blindness.

What is trachoma of the eyes?

Trachoma (truh-KOH-muh) is a bacterial infection that affects your eyes. It’s caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. Trachoma is contagious, spreading through contact with the eyes, eyelids, and nose or throat secretions of infected people.

What is Calabar swelling?

Medical Definition of Calabar swelling : a transient subcutaneous swelling marking the migratory course through the tissues of the adult filarial eye worm of the genus Loa (L. loa) — compare loaiasis.

How do you get chlamydia in your eye?

You can catch chlamydia of the eye when you rub fluids which contain the bacteria into your eye. This can happen if you have chlamydia and touch your eye after touching your genitals or those of an infected partner.

Is trachoma an STD?

Trachoma is caused by certain subtypes of Chlamydia trachomatis, a bacterium that can also cause the sexually transmitted infection chlamydia. Trachoma spreads through contact with discharge from the eyes or nose of an infected person.

Why do Africans get trachoma?

Poverty, poor sanitation habits and overcrowded areas are common factors that encourage the spread of the disease. Young people are most susceptible to the disease. A study out of northern Cameroon showed a higher prevalence in participants younger than nine than in participants older than 15.

Is Loa loa fatal?

If treated with diethylcarbamazine or ivermectin, people with ≥ 8000 Loa loa microfilariae/mL blood are at risk of potentially fatal encephalopathy, caused by the release of antigens from dying microfilariae.