Review of Onchocerciasis and Its Public Health Importance in Ethiopia

Abstract

Zoonotic filariasis-human infections with animal filariae occur all around the world. Over a century ago, it was first mentioned in the current literature. Filaria immitis, Dracunculus medinensis, and onchocerciasis are only a few of the many diverse species of filariae that have been found as agents of infection. The most zoonotic of these filariases, onchocerciasis, was the subject of attention in this study. Onchocerca volvulus is to blame for this. It can spread by biting a black fly of the genus Simulium that is afflicted. Residents who live close to rivers or streams where Simulium black flies are abundant are more at risk of contracting onchocerciasis. This condition is known as “river blindness” because these flies breed in swift-moving streams and rivers. This covers Ethiopian regions, which are primarily located in the country’s north, west, and south. The diagnosis can be established via a number of methods, including polymerase chain reaction and antibody testing. However, skin snipping is the most widely used diagnostic technique. A one- to two-milligram shave or biopsy is performed to detect the larvae that emerge from the skin when it is placed in physiological solutions such as normal saline. Ivermectin is the usual course of treatment for onchocerciasis. Vector control, public education, and eventual elimination as part of our schedule are the methods to manage and prevent this illness.

Keywords: Onchocercosis, Public health importance, Ethiopia