SynthesisPLoS neglected tropical diseases2009
Epilepsy in onchocerciasis endemic areas: systematic review and meta-analysis of population-based surveys.
Synthesis in PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2009. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 95 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
95 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 163 citations in OpenAlex.
- Prevalence of human onchocerciasis in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.African health sciences · 2025Pooled it
- A systematic review and an individual patient data meta-analysis of ivermectin use in children weighing less than fifteen kilograms: Is it time to reconsider the current contraindication?PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2021Pooled it
- Meta-analysis of epilepsy prevalence in West Africa and its relationship with onchocerciasis endemicity and control.International health · 2020Pooled it
- Case-control studies on the relationship between onchocerciasis and epilepsy: systematic review and meta-analysis.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2013Pooled it
- Ivermectin as an adjuvant to anti-epileptic treatment in persons with onchocerciasis-associated epilepsy: A randomized proof-of-concept clinical trial.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2020Trial
- Nodding Syndrome: The Need to Strengthen Epilepsy Care in Onchocerciasis-Endemic Areas and to Investigate the Pathogenesis of Onchocerciasis-Associated Epilepsy.The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene · 2026Article
- Onchocerca volvulus infection prevalence and intensity in Logo and Nyarambe Health Zones in Ituri, Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2010 and in 2021-2023: results of screening for clinical trials of moxidectin versus ivermectin.Parasites & vectors · 2026Article
- Onchocerciasis overview: pathogenesis, clinical spectrum, and therapeutic challenges of a neglected tropical disease.Frontiers in parasitology · 2026Review
- Community-based epilepsy care in an onchocerciasis-endemic area: A 3-year cohort study in Mahenge, Tanzania.Epilepsia · 2025Article
- Status of human onchocerciasis transmission in the Adamaoua region of Cameroon after 20 years of ivermectin mass distribution.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2025Article
- Ivermectin as a promising therapeutic option for onchocerciasis-associated epilepsy.Epilepsia open · 2025Review
- Community awareness and neuroepidemiology of onchocerciasis-associated epilepsy in two rural communities in Cameroon.The Pan African medical journal · 2025Article
- Epidemiology of epilepsy in Wulu County, an onchocerciasis-endemic area in South Sudan.Heliyon · 2024Article
- Attitudes and perceptions towards epilepsy in an onchocerciasis-endemic region of Tanzania: a mixed approach to determine the magnitude and driving factors.BMC public health · 2024Article
- Modelling onchocerciasis-associated epilepsy and the impact of ivermectin treatment on its prevalence and incidence.Nature communications · 2024Article
- Impact of ivermectin and vector control on onchocerciasis transmission in Togo: Assessing the empirical evidence on trends in infection and entomological indicators.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2024Article
- Impact of annual community-directed treatment with ivermectin on the incidence of epilepsy in Mvolo, a two-year prospective study.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2024Article
- Treatment and prevention of epilepsy in onchocerciasis-endemic areas is urgently needed.Infectious diseases of poverty · 2024Article
- Prevalence of epilepsy in the onchocerciasis endemic middle belt of Ghana after 27 years of mass drug administration with ivermectin.Infectious diseases of poverty · 2023Article
- The onchocerciasis hypothesis of nodding syndrome.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2023Article
35 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
11 authors at 4 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveWe sought to evaluate the relationship between onchocerciasis prevalence and that of epilepsy using available data collected at community level.
designWe conducted a systematic review and meta-regression of available data. DATA SOURCES: Electronic and paper records on subject area ever produced up to February 2008. REVIEW
methodsWe searched for population-based studies reporting on the prevalence of epilepsy in communities for which onchocerciasis prevalence was available or could be estimated. Two authors independently assessed eligibility and study quality and extracted data. The estimation of point prevalence of onchocerciasis was standardized across studies using appropriate correction factors. Variation in epilepsy prevalence was then analyzed as a function of onchocerciasis endemicity using random-effect logistic models.
resultsEight studies from west (Benin and Nigeria), central (Cameroon and Central African Republic) and east Africa (Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi) met the criteria for inclusion and analysis. Ninety-one communities with a total population of 79,270 individuals screened for epilepsy were included in the analysis. The prevalence of epilepsy ranged from 0 to 8.7% whereas that of onchocerciasis ranged from 5.2 to 100%. Variation in epilepsy prevalence was consistent with a logistic function of onchocerciasis prevalence, with epilepsy prevalence being increased, on average, by 0.4% for each 10% increase in onchocerciasis prevalence.
conclusionThese results give further evidence that onchocerciasis is associated with epilepsy and that the disease burden of onchocerciasis might have to be re-estimated by taking into account this relationship.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.