'Leopard skin' as a rapid diagnostic index for estimating the endemicity of African onchocerciasis.
A study was made in five rural districts of Kwara State, Nigeria to assess the possible use of 'leopard skin' (Ls) as a rapid diagnostic technique for estimating the endemicity of African onchocerciasis. The findings revealed that there is a positive association between the percentage of subjects with skin microfilariae (mf) and the percentage with Ls. The prevalence of Ls less than 1% suggests communities with sporadic infection, 1-6% suggests hypoendemic communities and greater than 6% suggests meso- or hyperendemic communities, using mf rates of less than 10%, 10-39%, 40-69% and 70% or greater as the standard to classify sporadic, hypoendemic, mesoendemic and hyperendemic levels of the infection, respectively. The unique merits of Ls as a potential onchocercal index are presented.
Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.
L D
LD
Edungbola
T O
TO
Alabi
G A
GA
Oni
S O
SO
Asaolu
B O
BO
Ogunbanjo
B D
BD
Parakoyi
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria; D009855:Onchocerciasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D012867:Skin / Q000469:parasitology; D012880:Skin Pigmentation