ArticleInfectious diseases of poverty2020
Prevalence and incidence of nodding syndrome and other forms of epilepsy in onchocerciasis-endemic areas in northern Uganda after the implementation of onchocerciasis control measures.
Article in Infectious diseases of poverty, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 45 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
45 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 81 citations in OpenAlex.
- 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
- 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
- Important entomological events in the history of onchocerciasis ('river blindness').International health · 2026Review
- Article
- 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
- Modelling the effects of immigration on the re-introduction of onchocerciasis.Parasites & vectors · 2026Article
- Prevalence of Epilepsy across 25 Sub-Counties in Three Districts of Northern Uganda.Neuroepidemiology · 2026Article
- Evaluation of the nutritional quality of food composites developed from local ingredients to target the needs of persons experiencing nodding syndrome in Northern Uganda.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- 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
- High epilepsy prevalence and excess mortality in onchocerciasis-endemic counties of South Sudan: A call for integrated interventions.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2025Article
- 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
- Zoonotic filariasis and its public health significance: a comprehensive literature review.Frontiers in microbiology · 2025Review
- Epidemiology of epilepsy in Wulu County, an onchocerciasis-endemic area in South Sudan.Heliyon · 2024Article
- Onchocerciasis-associated epilepsy and biomarkers.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
- Integration of onchocerciasis morbidity management and disability prevention services in the healthcare system in Tanzania: a call for action and recommendations.Tropical diseases, travel medicine and vaccines · 2024Article
- Health Risks from Intake and Contact with Toxic Metal-Contaminated Water from Pager River, Uganda.Journal of xenobiotics · 2023Article
- 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
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
12 authors at 5 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundAround 2007, a nodding syndrome (NS) epidemic appeared in onchocerciasis-endemic districts of northern Uganda, where ivermectin mass distribution had never been implemented. This study evaluated the effect of community-directed treatment with ivermectin (CDTI) and ground larviciding of rivers initiated after 2009 and 2012 respectively, on the epidemiology of NS and other forms of epilepsy (OFE) in some districts of northern Uganda.
methodsIn 2012, a population-based community survey of NS/epilepsy was carried out by the Ugandan Ministry of Health in Kitgum and Pader districts. In August 2017, we conducted a new survey in selected villages of these districts and compared our findings with the 2012 data. In addition, two villages in Moyo district (where CDTI was ongoing since 1993) served as comparative onchocerciasis-endemic sites in which larviciding had never been implemented. The comparison between 2012 and 2017 prevalence and cumulative incidence were done using the Fisher's and Pearson's Chi-square tests at 95% level of significance.
resultsA total of 2138 individuals in 390 households were interviewed. In the selected villages of Kitgum and Pader, there was no significant decrease in prevalence of NS and OFE between 2012 and 2017. However, the cumulative incidence of all forms of epilepsy decreased from 1165 to 130 per 100 000 persons per year (P = 0.002); that of NS decreased from 490 to 43 per 100 000 persons per year (P = 0.037); and for OFE from 675 to 87 per 100 000 persons per year (P = 0.024). The median age of affected persons (NS and OFE) shifted from 13.5 (IQR: 11.0-15.0) years in 2012 to 18.0 (IQR: 15.0-20.3) years in 2017; P < 0.001. The age-standardized prevalence of OFE in Moyo in 2017 was 4.6%, similar to 4.5% in Kitgum and Pader.
conclusionsOur findings support the growing evidence of a relationship between infection by Onchocerca volvulus and some types of childhood epilepsy, and suggest that a combination of bi-annual mass distribution of ivermectin and ground larviciding of rivers is an effective strategy to prevent NS and OFE in onchocerciasis-hyperendemic areas.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
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.