title: Current status of onchocerciasis in Colombia.
abstract: To assess the current epidemiologic status of onchocerciasis in Colombia two surveys were undertaken in 1995 in a suspected new focus on the border between Colombia and Ecuador and in the known focus located on the Micay River. No new focus was found along the Colombia-Ecuador border. In the known focus, communities along the upper Micay River and its tributaries were surveyed; 655 adults underwent physical examinations and skin biopsies. Infected individuals were found almost exclusively in the community of Naiciona, where prevalence of infection was 40% (36 of 91). Polymerase chain reaction detection of onchocercal DNA in skin snips correlated with the skin-snip biopsy results. The prevalence of punctate keratitis, the only ocular manifestation found, was 33%. A rapid entomologic assessment demonstrated Simulium exiguum infected with Onchocerca volvulus. This is the first finding in Colombia of naturally infected black flies and confirms S. exiguum as a vector species. These data will be used for implementing a control program using periodic ivermectin distribution.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Salud en el Tropico, Universidad Nacional, Bogota, Colombia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Corredor
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Nicholls
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Duque
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Munoz de Hoyos
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Guderian
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.forename: G I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Palma
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D003105:Colombia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017181:Onchocerca volvulus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009855:Onchocerciasis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012843:Simuliidae / Q000469:parasitology