Filariasis

The World Health Organization estimates that 123 §million people live where river blindness is §endemic and that 17.7 million people are infected §with Onchocerca volvulus. Lymphatic filariasis is a §painful and profoundly disfiguring disease which has §major social and economic impacts. Currently World §Health Organization and World Bank have an African §Program for Onchocerciasis Control and a global §program for elimination of lymphatic filariasis. §Epidemiological and parasitological study was §conducted in Anfilo Woreda to determine the §prevalence and distribution of Onchocerciasis and §Lymphatic filariasis.The study included 1114 §inhabitants. Onchocerciasis was found in all study §areas with an overall prevalence of 74.8%. The §overall prevalence of Onchocercal Skin Disease §was found to be 26.4%. The new prevalence of §lymphatic filariasis was found to be 7.5%. §Onchocercal skin disease was found to affect §considerable number of population. Therefore, the §currently commenced community directed treatment §with ivermectin should be enhanced. Moreover, there §should also be health education on transmission of §the disease and control of vector.