title: Co-endemicity of loiasis and onchocerciasis in rain forest communities in southwestern Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Loiasis is currently receiving attention as a disease of public health importance because of the possibility of increased risk of developing neurologic serious adverse event following mass ivermectin treatment against onchocerciasis in individual co-infected with Onchocerca volvulus and Loa loa.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rapid assessment procedure for loiasis (RAPLOA) was conducted in 12 communities covering the 3 senatorial districts of Osun State, Nigeria. A total of 960 people were interviewed for history of eye worm using the WHO guidelines for rapid assessment. The survey confirmed the presence of loiasis in all the 12 communities with 4 in Osun East/Ife south senatorial district being at high risk with a prevalence of over 40%. Based on the RAPLOA results, communities within Osun East/Ife south senatorial district were selected for microfilaraemic assessment of L. loa and O. volvulus. A total of 1115 and 1091 individuals were screened for L. loa and O. volvulus microfilaria worms respectively. 160 (14.3%) had L. loa microfilaria detected in their blood with 8 (5.0%) individuals having L. loa loads above 8000 mf/ml. 166 (15.2%) subjects had O. volvulus microfilaria (range 4-504 mf/ml) detected in their skin snip. 30 (2.69%) subjects were co-infected with both L. loa and O. volvulus. There was a significant variation in the prevalence (2.1% to 33.3%) of onchocerciasis in the communities studied (p = 0.001). Five (41.7%) of the studied communities had a prevalence that is equal to or greater than 20%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low prevalence of onchocerciasis and loiasis co-infection in this study suggests that loiasis may not pose a serious epidemiological threat to the continuous distribution and sustainability of ivermectin for the treatment of onchocerciasis. Evaluation of the interruption of onchocerciasis transmissions in this region using all the indicators set forth by WHO is therefore suggested.
authors: Department of Medical Microbiology & Parasitology, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Osogbo, Nigeria.
authors: Olusola
authors: O
authors: Ojurongbe
authors: Department of Medical Microbiology & Parasitology, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Osogbo, Nigeria; Department of Community Medicine, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Osogbo, Nigeria.
authors: Akeem Abiodun
authors: AA
authors: Akindele
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, Osun State University, Osogbo, Nigeria.
authors: Monsuru Adebayo
authors: MA
authors: Adeleke
authors: Department of Medical Microbiology & Parasitology, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Osogbo, Nigeria.
authors: Matthew Oyebode
authors: MO
authors: Oyedeji
authors: Department of Community Medicine, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Osogbo, Nigeria.
authors: Samuel Adeyinka
authors: SA
authors: Adedokun
authors: Department of Medical Microbiology & Parasitology, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Osogbo, Nigeria.
authors: Josephine Folashade
authors: JF
authors: Ojo
authors: Department of Community Medicine, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Osogbo, Nigeria.
authors: Callistus Adewale
authors: CA
authors: Akinleye
authors: Department of Medical Microbiology & Parasitology, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Osogbo, Nigeria.
authors: Oloyede Samuel
authors: OS
authors: Bolaji
authors: Department of Medical Microbiology & Parasitology, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Osogbo, Nigeria.
authors: Olusegun Adelowo
authors: OA
authors: Adefioye
authors: Department of Medical Microbiology & Parasitology, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Osogbo, Nigeria.
authors: Oluwaseyi Adegboyega
authors: OA
authors: Adeyeba
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D060085:Coinfection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005260:Female; D005369:Filaricides / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007559:Ivermectin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008117:Loa / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008118:Loiasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D017181:Onchocerca volvulus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009855:Onchocerciasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011634:Public Health; D065947:Rainforest; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005369:Filaricides; D007559:Ivermectin