Articles tagged with River Blindness
A study reveals that medical exposure can rapidly change the human microbiome, with gut microbes shifting toward patterns more commonly seen in urban populations. The research found a decline in microbial diversity and a shift towards bacterial groups more common in industrialized societies.
A new study by Sightsavers and GLIDE has found that using worn socks with yeast-generated CO2 is as effective as traditional methods for catching blackflies that spread river blindness. The research could provide an alternative to 'human bait' and reduce the risk of disease transmission, offering communities long-term protection.
A clinical trial found that ivermectin can be safely given to young children weighing as little as 5 kilograms, challenging existing manufacturer restrictions. The study's results could spur progress against diseases like intestinal worms, scabies, and river blindness.
A new drug developed to target lymphatic filariasis (LF) and onchocerciasis has started its first human trial at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. The drug, AWZ1066S, targets Wolbachia, a bacterial symbiont essential for worm survival, offering a novel approach to eliminate these debilitating diseases.
Mass treatment with Ivermectin has halted the spread of river blindness in two Nigerian states, Plateau and Nasarawa, marking a major milestone in disease elimination efforts. Separate studies also show the potential for Ivermectin to reduce West Nile Virus transmission by mixing it into bird feed.
Researchers successfully coordinated MDA to stop onchocerciasis transmission in Sudan and Ethiopia, demonstrating the effectiveness of binational cooperation. The study marked the first known interruption of transmission across international borders.
Researchers at LSTM and University of Buea developed new Loa loa infection models to assess the safety of anti-filarial drugs. These models have enabled the prioritization of drug candidates for preclinical development, targeting onchocerciasis while avoiding loiasis adverse reactions.
Researchers have developed a novel fully synthetic and rationally designed anti-Wolbachia drug, AWZ1066S, which could potentially treat onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis. The compound has shown high specificity and potency against Wolbachia, with the potential to shorten treatment times from weeks to days.
Scientists at Scripps Research have developed a non-invasive urine test to detect the parasitic worm Onchocerca volvulus, causing river blindness. The new lateral flow assay uses a biomarker in human urine to identify active infections, offering a crucial tool for tracking outbreaks and treating current infections.
Researchers from NIAID and University of California, Berkeley develop a cell phone-based videomicroscope that provides fast and effective testing for L. loa parasites in blood samples, allowing dually-infected patients to be protected from ivermectin complications.
Scientists have developed a shorter treatment regimen using rifampicin to target Wolbachia, reducing treatment times for lymphatic filariasis (LF) and onchocerciasis (Oncho) to just 1-2 weeks. This regimen is safe for pregnant women and children, offering a more effective and accessible solution to these debilitating diseases.
Researchers have sequenced the genome of Onchocerca volvulus, the parasite responsible for river blindness, identifying proteins that could be targeted with existing drugs or developed into new treatments. The study also reveals promising areas for developing a preventive vaccine against the disease.
A $7 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation supports research to eliminate river blindness and elephantiasis, two neglected tropical diseases affecting millions. Researchers will conduct field projects in eight countries and resuming a project suspended due to Ebola.
The APOC collection documents the success of the Onchocerciasis Control Program (OCP) and its transition to African Program for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC). The partnership has reached over 100 million people across Africa, controlling river blindness, a debilitating disease that causes disfiguring skin disease and eventual blindness.
A new mobile phone microscope, called CellScope Loa, uses video and automation to detect and quantify infection by parasitic worms in a drop of blood. The device is as accurate as conventional screening methods and can provide critical information for health providers in the field.
Researchers have developed a mobile phone microscope that can quickly detect parasitic worm levels in blood, enabling safe resumption of mass drug administration campaigns. The device can identify people with high levels of microfilariae in under two minutes, reducing errors and increasing efficiency.
A new test accelerates global progress toward eliminating onchocerciasis, the leading cause of preventable blindness in Africa. The SD BIOLINE Onchocerciasis IgG4 rapid test is faster and easier to use than current options, providing results within 20 minutes.
A new theory proposes that blackflies infected with Onchocerca volvulus microfilariae transmit a secondary pathogen causing NS. The study suggests that population displacement and insecticide control measures may limit the spread of NS.
Scientists are developing drugs that target the bacteria Wolbachia to kill parasitic worms causing river blindness and elephantiasis. The new treatment has already shown promise in depleting Wolbachia from infected worms.
Researchers have developed a new rapid diagnostic test for worm infections that provides substantial improvement over the current standard. The test is expected to be more sensitive and easier to use than existing methods, and will help guide public health efforts to eliminate lymphatic filariasis. Lymphatic filariasis affects approxim...
Scripps Research is developing a new diagnostic test for Onchocerciasis, or river blindness, using a biomarker detectable in urine. The test aims to provide accurate and painless diagnosis, guiding treatment decisions and helping global health leaders eradicate the disease.
Scientists at Scripps Research Institute have found a telltale molecular marker for Onchocerciasis in patients' urine, detectable during active infections. The biomarker could form the basis of a non-invasive, portable test with significant advantages over current diagnostic methods.
The African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control has had a major health impact, reducing blindness and itching cases by millions, while costing only $250 million. The program saved an estimated 8 million healthy years of life, at a cost of just $30 per year.
William Foege, a renowned epidemiologist and physician, received the Dean's Medal from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health for his pioneering work in eradicating smallpox and controlling river blindness. The award recognizes Foege's tireless efforts to save millions of lives worldwide.
Researchers at the University of Georgia discovered a protein in black fly saliva that inhibits clotting and reduces inflammation. This finding has potential applications for treating patients recovering from heart attacks and developing a vaccine against river blindness.
Scientists have discovered how ivermectin kills parasitic worms that cause river blindness and elephantiasis, enabling the development of new treatment avenues. The drug works by blocking parasite secretions, allowing the host's immune system to attack and kill the parasites.
Researchers discovered an alternative form of evolution that helps Drosophila flies defend against nematode parasites. This finding has significant implications for developing treatments for serious human diseases like river blindness.
Researchers at Scripps Research Institute have discovered that the old drug closantel may be useful in combating river blindness by inhibiting the molting process of the parasite. This finding holds tremendous potential for the treatment of this neglected tropical disease, which affects over 37 million people.
MSU researcher Charles Mackenzie is working on reformulating flubendazole, a drug that targets adult parasitic worms causing elephantiasis and river blindness. The goal is to develop a safe administration method to eradicate filarial diseases globally by 2020.
Current policies for NTD mapping, monitoring, and surveillance need improvement; efficient methods are necessary to plan implementation and track progress. Successful strategies include rapid epidemiological mapping and combined surveys.
Researchers have successfully interrupted the transmission of river blindness in Escuintla, Guatemala, one of the largest endemic areas in the Western Hemisphere. This achievement marks an important victory in the campaign to eliminate the devastating disease, with eight out of 13 endemic study areas having already ended transmission.
Travelers to tropical regions are at risk of contracting neglected tropical diseases, including filarial infections that can cause elephantiasis and river blindness. The GeoSentinel Surveillance Network collected data on traveler diagnoses, revealing immigrants from endemic regions were most likely to acquire these infections.
The three diseases - lymphatic filariasis, schistosomiasis, and onchocerciasis - were brought to the Americas through forced migration from Africa, but tools now exist to eliminate them. A coordinated effort is needed to dedicate financial and technical resources.
A new study found that repeated ivermectin treatment selects for genetic changes in the parasite that cause river blindness, potentially leading to drug resistance. The research has implications for ongoing onchocerciasis control programs.
A study found that drug resistance in the Onchocerca volvulus parasite, which causes river blindness, is emerging and could lead to a resurgence of the disease. Despite ivermectin treatment clearing most microfilariae, four communities showed significant repopulation of skin with microfilariae, allowing transmission of the disease.
A global health expert argues that up to seven neglected tropical diseases, including river blindness and trachoma, can be brought under control with increased coverage of existing programs. This could lead to the elimination of infections in some cases and improved health outcomes for millions of people in Africa.
Researchers from Hospital Clínic de Barcelona found that a 8-year Ivermectin treatment reduced onchocerciasis prevalence by 38.4%, while incidence of disease decreased by 2.6 times in children aged 0-4. The study, financed by the Spanish Agency and WHO, marks a significant step forward in combating river blindness.
A new mathematical model developed by researchers at Imperial College London can help reduce the numbers affected by river blindness. The model measures exposure by analyzing how often people were bitten by flies carrying the parasite, providing a better understanding of the role of exposure in the fight against the disease.
The Mectizan Donation Program has demonstrated significant success in combating river blindness through a public-private partnership between Merck and the World Health Organization. The program has resulted in nearly 50 million treatments approved since its inception, with minimal costs to participating organizations.
Researchers found that more frequent ivermectin treatment reduced the number of female worms responsible for the disease by one third. Higher doses or frequency did not provide additional benefits, but were associated with some visual disturbances in patients.
Recent studies suggest that treating river blindness with antibiotics like doxycycline could be effective in reducing the severity of symptoms. The bacteria Wolbachia is found in the parasitic worm Onchocerca volvulus and is believed to play a major role in the development of the disease.