title: The case for vaccine development in the strategy to eradicate river blindness (onchocerciasis) from Africa.
abstract: Onchocerciasis or river blindness is a neglected parasitic disease causing severe dermatitis and visual impairment, predominantly in Africa. Historically, onchocerciasis control targeted vector breeding sites, but the current strategy relies on mass administration of a single drug, ivermectin. As programmatic goals shift from reducing public health impact to active elimination, sole reliance on ivermectin is threatened by contraindications in areas coendemic for loiasis, an inability to break transmission in some foci, and the emergence of drug resistance. Here, we argue that prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines would accelerate elimination efforts and safeguard the enormous strides made in onchocerciasis control. These vaccines could be based on one or more of three lead candidates identified by a newly formed transatlantic partnership, The Onchocerciasis Vaccine for Africa Initiative.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Infection & Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Science Park IC2, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF, UK.
authors.forename: Benjamin L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Makepeace
authors.forename: Simon A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Babayan
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lustigman
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055808:Drug Discovery / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D007391:International Cooperation; D015827:Onchocerciasis, Ocular / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy*; D014612:Vaccines / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D014612:Vaccines
keywords: Loa; Onchocerca volvulus; cysteine proteinase inhibitor; filarial nematodes; immunoprophylaxis