ArticleInfectious diseases of poverty2018
High prevalence of epilepsy in onchocerciasis endemic health areas in Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Article in Infectious diseases of poverty, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 40 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
40 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 73 citations in OpenAlex.
- Prevalence, incidence, and trends of epilepsy among children and adolescents in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC public health · 2024Pooled it
- Declining Onchocerca volvulus transmission despite limited ivermectin delivery in the Kakoi-Koda focus, Ituri, Democratic Republic of the Congo: An epidemiological, entomological and landscape evidence synthesis.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2026Article
- 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
- Article
- Community-directed treatment with ivermectin in Maridi, South Sudan: Impact of an onchocerciasis awareness campaign and bi-annual treatment on therapeutic coverage.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2025Article
- A Novel BiplexDiagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Pregnant Women, a Potential Reservoir for Onchocerca volvulus? A Cross Sectional Study in Maridi County, South Sudan.Journal of epidemiology and global health · 2025Article
- Epidemiology of epilepsy in Wulu County, an onchocerciasis-endemic area in South Sudan.Heliyon · 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
- Impact of a bi-annual community-directed treatment with ivermectin programme on the incidence of epilepsy in an onchocerciasis-endemic area of Mahenge, Tanzania: A population-based prospective study.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2023Article
- Onchocerciasis-associated epilepsy in Maridi, South Sudan: Modelling and exploring the impact of control measures against river blindness.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2023Article
- Rapid diagnostic testing for onchocerciasis in Maridi (South Sudan) before and after improving elimination strategies: a repeated cross-sectional survey.Open research Europe · 2023Article
- Identification of the onchocerciasis vector in the Kakoi-Koda focus of the Democratic Republic of Congo.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2022Article
- Ivermectin treatment response in two rural villages with a high prevalence of onchocerciasis and epilepsy, Mahenge Tanzania.African health sciences · 2022Article
- Epidemiology of nodding syndrome in the Greater Mundri area, South Sudan: Prevalence, spatial pattern and environmental risk factors.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2022Article
- Prevalence of Epilepsy, Human Cysticercosis, and Porcine Cysticercosis in Western Kenya.The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene · 2022Article
- Surveillance for Onchocerciasis-Associated Epilepsy and OV16 IgG4 Testing of Children 6-10 Years Old Should Be Used to Identify Areas Where Onchocerciasis Elimination Programs Need Strengthening.Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Article
- Nodding Syndrome: A Scoping Review.Tropical medicine and infectious disease · 2021Article
- Serotonin Levels in the Serum of Persons with Onchocerciasis-Associated Epilepsy: A Case-Control Study.Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
11 authors at 5 institutions in 4 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundA high prevalence of epilepsy has been observed in many onchocerciasis endemic regions. This study is to estimate the prevalence of active epilepsy and exposure to Onchocerca volvulus infection in a rural population in Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo.
methodsIn August 2016, a community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in an onchocerciasis endemic area in the rural health zone of Logo, Ituri Province. Households within two neighbouring health areas were randomly sampled. To identify persons with epilepsy, a three-stage approach was used. In the first stage, all individuals of the selected households were screened for epilepsy by non-medical field workers using a validated 5-item questionnaire. In the second and third stage, suspected cases of epilepsy were examined by non-specialist medical doctors, and by a neurologist, respectively. A case of epilepsy was defined according to the 2014 International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) guidelines. Exposure to O. volvulus was assessed by testing for IgG4 antibodies to an O. volvulus antigen (OV16 Rapid Test,) in individuals aged 3 years and older.
resultsOut of 1389 participants included in the survey, 64 were considered to have active epilepsy (prevalence 4.6%) (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.6-5.8). The highest age-specific epilepsy prevalence estimate was observed in those aged 20 to 29 years (8.2%). Median age of epilepsy onset was 10 years, with a peak incidence of epilepsy in the 10 to 15 year-old age group. OV16 test results were available for 912 participants, of whom 30.5% (95% CI, 27.6-33.6) tested positive. The prevalence of OV16 positivity in a village ranged from 8.6 to 68.0%. After adjusting for age, gender and ivermectin use, a significant association between exposure to onchocerciasis and epilepsy was observed (adjusted odds ratio = 3.19, 95% CI: 1.63-5.64) (P < 0.001).
conclusionsA high prevalence of epilepsy and a significant association between epilepsy and exposure to O. volvulus were observed in the population in Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo. There is an urgent need to implement a CDTI programme and to scale up an epilepsy treatment and care programme.
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