title: Seventeen years of annual distribution of ivermectin has not interrupted onchocerciasis transmission in North Region, Cameroon.
abstract: We studied onchocerciasis transmission and impact on ocular morbidity in three health districts in North Region, Cameroon, where annual mass ivermectin treatment has been provided for 12-17 years. The studies, which took place from 2008 to 2010, consisted of skin snips for microfilariae (mf), palpation examinations for nodules, slit lamp examinations for mf in the eye, and Simulium vector dissections for larval infection rates. Adults had mf and nodule rates of 4.8% and 13.5%, respectively, and 5.5% had mf in the anterior chamber of the eye. Strong evidence of ongoing transmission was found in one health district, where despite 17 years of annual treatments, the annual transmission potential was 543 L3/person per year; additionally, children under 10 years of age had a 2.6% mf prevalence. Halting ivermectin treatments in North Cameroon now might risk recrudescence of transmission and ocular disease.
authors.affiliation: The Carter Center, Atlanta, Georgia 30307, USA. mkataba@emory.edu
authors.forename: Moses N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Katabarwa
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eyamba
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nwane
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Enyong
authors.forename: Souleymanou
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yaya
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Baldiagaï
authors.forename: Théodore Kambaba
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Madi
authors.forename: Abdoulaye
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yougouda
authors.forename: Gervais Ondobo
authors.initials: GO
authors.lastname: Andze
authors.forename: Frank O
authors.initials: FO
authors.lastname: Richards
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002163:Cameroon / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005123:Eye / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005369:Filaricides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007559:Ivermectin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017181:Onchocerca volvulus / Q000187:drug effects; D009855:Onchocerciasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*; D015827:Onchocerciasis, Ocular / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D015995:Prevalence; D012843:Simuliidae / Q000469:parasitology; D012867:Skin / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D005369:Filaricides; D007559:Ivermectin