Definition

1. Noun:
   • A parasitic disease caused by infection with the filarial worm Onchocerca volvulus, transmitted through the bite of infected black flies. The worms produce larvae (microfilariae) that migrate through the skin and other tissues, often causing severe itching, skin lesions, and visual impairment, including blindness, when they invade the eyes.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Onchocerciasis is a major public health problem in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa.
  • The primary goal of the program is to control and eliminate onchocerciasis through community-directed treatment.
  • River blindness is the common name for onchocerciasis.

Advanced Usage

• "Hyperendemic onchocerciasis": Refers to areas with a very high prevalence and intensity of infection.

  • Mass drug administration is crucial in regions with hyperendemic onchocerciasis.

• "Onchocerciasis-associated morbidity": The disease-related health complications and disabilities.

  • The project aims to reduce onchocerciasis-associated morbidity, particularly skin disease and blindness.

Variants and Related Words

• Onchocercal (adj): Pertaining to or caused by onchocerciasis.

  • Onchocercal skin disease is a common manifestation.

• Onchocercoma (n): A subcutaneous nodule containing adult Onchocerca volvulus worms.

  • Onchocercomas are often found over bony prominences.

Synonyms

• River blindness: The common name for the disease, emphasizing its potential to cause blindness and its association with rivers where black flies breed.

Related Terms (Not Phrasal Verbs)

• Filariasis: A broader category of parasitic diseases caused by thread-like filarial nematodes, of which onchocerciasis is one type.
• Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD): Onchocerciasis is classified as an NTD, a group of infections prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions that receive less global attention.

Noun

1. infestation with slender threadlike roundworms (filaria) deposited under the skin by the bite of black fleas; when the eyes are involved it can result in blindness; common in Africa and tropical America