Investigating suspected human onchocerciasis endemic foci in Mubi North and Hong Local Government Areas of Adamawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

Preliminary investigations were carried out between November 2005 and March 2006, to verify the suspected prevalence of human onchocerciasis (river blindness) in Mubi North and Hong Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Adamawa State, Nigeria. One Simulium damnosum breeding site was located along River Muvur, six kilometres north of a discovered habitat of the adults along the same river. Most of the dissected adult female S. damnosum caught in two foci along Rivers Muvur and Uba, harboured infective Ochocerca volvulus microfilarae. The results of these studies obtained from the same areas, where suspected hospital cases of human onchocerciasis were earlier observed, could indicate the prevalence of this blinding disease in these LGAs.

Keywords: human onchocarciasis, endemic foci.

Nigerian Journal of Parasitology Vol. 29 (2) 2008: pp. 72-76