title: Clinical manifestations of loiasis in an endemic area in the Congo.
abstract: The functional symptomatology of loiasis was studied in 101 Congolese subjects living in a village in a highly endemic area. 27.7% of them were carriers of Loa loa microfilariae. 5.9% were infected with Mansonella perstans. No subjects were found to have dermal microfilariae. In anamnesis, 51.5% of them reported episodes of Calabar swellings, 69.3% history of eyeworm and 10.9% episodes of subcutaneous migration of worms during the last 12 months. Pruritus and secondary dermal lesions were frequently demonstrated in 64.4% and 56.4% of the individuals respectively. Asymptomatic amicrofilaraemic subjects only accounted for 11.9% of the adult population. The study of the life-time risk of eyeworm, also conducted in the Pygmy and Bantu populations of another village, was shown to be useful in epidemiological evaluations.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Entomologie Médicale et de Parasitologie, ORSTOM, Brazzaville, Congo.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Noireau
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Apembet
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nzoulani
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Carme
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D003223:Congo / Q000453:epidemiology; D015822:Eye Infections, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005368:Filariasis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008117:Loa / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008118:Loiasis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008842:Microfilariae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D012876:Skin Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology