ArticleInfectious diseases of poverty2016
Progress towards onchocerciasis elimination in the participating countries of the African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control: epidemiological evaluation results.
Article in Infectious diseases of poverty, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 109 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
109 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Human Filariasis in Africa (2000-2025): Changing epidemiology, uneven diagnostic progress, and persistent neglect.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2026Pooled it
- Elimination of transmission of onchocerciasis (river blindness) with long-term ivermectin mass drug administration with or without vector control in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.The Lancet. Global health · 2024Pooled it
- Filarial worms: a systematic review and meta-analysis of diversity in animals from Iran with emphasis on human cases.Parasitology · 2020Pooled it
- The primary prevention of epilepsy: A report of the Prevention Task Force of the International League Against Epilepsy.Epilepsia · 2018Pooled it
- Trial
- Safety and Efficacy of Levamisole in Loiasis: A Randomized, Placebo-controlled, Double-blind Clinical Trial.Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America · 2022Trial
- Effect of a single dose of 8 mg moxidectin or 150 μg/kg ivermectin on O. volvulus skin microfilariae in a randomized trial: Differences between areas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia and Ghana and impact of intensity of infection.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2022Trial
- Pharmacokinetics of oral moxidectin in individuals with Onchocerca volvulus infection.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2022Trial
- Single dose moxidectin versus ivermectin for Onchocerca volvulus infection in Ghana, Liberia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo: a randomised, controlled, double-blind phase 3 trial.Lancet (London, England) · 2018Trial
- Macrofilaricidal Efficacy of Repeated Doses of Ivermectin for the Treatment of River Blindness.Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America · 2017Trial
- Comparison of Doxycycline, Minocycline, Doxycycline plus Albendazole and Albendazole Alone in Their Efficacy against Onchocerciasis in a Randomized, Open-Label, Pilot Trial.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2017Trial
- Perceived barriers and opportunities to the continuous distribution of ivermectin in the Cameroon primary health care system: an exploratory study of major stakeholders.BMC health services research · 2026Article
- Article
- 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
- Article
- Neglected tropical diseases elimination in Africa: lessons from regional control programmes.Tropical medicine and health · 2025Review
- Rebound in prevalence and intensity of Onchocerca volvulus infection five years after cessation of alternative treatment strategies in the Massangam Health District, West Region, Cameroon: need for coordinated and sustained efforts.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2025Article
- Anti-onchocerca activity, toxicity and induced biochemical changes ofJournal of parasitic diseases : official organ of the Indian Society for Parasitology · 2025Article
- Changes in cytoforms of Simulium damnosum sensu lato (Diptera: Simuliidae) and onchocerciasis transmission zones in northern Cameroon with possible implications for onchocerciasis transmission elimination.Journal of medical entomology · 2025Article
- Genetic structuring and estimation of reproductive adults in Onchocerca volvulus: A genome-wide analysis across hosts and regions.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2025Article
49 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
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC) was created in 1995 to establish community-directed treatment with ivermectin (CDTi) in order to control onchocerciasis as a public health problem in 20 African countries that had 80 % of the global disease burden. When research showed that CDTi may ultimately eliminate onchocerciasis infection, APOC was given in 2008 the additional objective to determine when and where treatment can be safely stopped. We report the results of epidemiological evaluations undertaken from 2008 to 2014 to assess progress towards elimination in CDTi areas with ≥6 years treatment.
methodsSkin snip surveys were undertaken in samples of first-line villages to determine the prevalence of O. volvulus microfilariae. There were two evaluation phases. The decline in prevalence was evaluated in phase 1A. Observed and model-predicted prevalences were compared after correcting for endemicity level and treatment coverage. Bayesian statistics and Monte Carlo simulation were used to classify the decline in prevalence as faster than predicted, on track or delayed. Where the prevalence approached elimination levels, phase 1B was launched to determine if treatment could be safely stopped. Village sampling was extended to the whole CDTi area. Survey data were analysed within a Bayesian framework to determine if stopping criteria (overall prevalence <1.4 % and maximum stratum prevalence <5 %) were met.
resultsIn phase 1A 127 665 people from 639 villages in 54 areas were examined. The prevalence had fallen dramatically. The decline in prevalence was faster than predicted in 23 areas, on track in another 23 and delayed in eight areas. In phase 1B 108 636 people in 392 villages were examined in 22 areas of which 13 met the epidemiological criteria for stopping treatment. Overall, 32 areas (25.4 million people) had reached or were close to elimination, 18 areas (17.4 million) were on track but required more years treatment, and in eight areas (10.4 million) progress was unsatisfactory.
conclusionsOnchocerciasis has been largely controlled as a public health problem. Great progress has been made towards elimination which already appears to have been achieved for millions of people. For most APOC countries, nationwide onchocerciasis elimination is within reach.
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