Skip to content
Research Article Open access CC BY 4.0

Study on the Prevalence of Onchocerca volvulus Infection among the Inhabitants of Awgu and Oji-River Local Government Areas of Enugu State, Nigeria

A. U. Ikpo, J. l. Mbanugo, C. A. Anukwuorji, I. K. Ugwuanyi

International Journal of TROPICAL DISEASE & Health · pp. 1–9 · Published 20 Jul 2016

10.9734/IJTDH/2016/27369

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Onchocerciasis among the inhabitants of Awgu and Oji River Local Government Areas from October 2012 to March 2013. Simple random sampling method was used to select three communities in each Local Government Area. The prevalence of O. volvulusinfection was determined by microscopic examination of skin snip samples for O. volvulus microfilaria. The subjects were selected from the communities by systematic random sampling method. Seven hundred and eighty six samples were collected and 250 (31.38%) were positive. Two hundred and ninety-five (295) individuals were sampled in Awgu Local Government Area and 36 (12.20%) of them were positive. In Oji River Local Government Area, 491 individuals were sampled and 214 (43.58%) were positive for O. volvulus. Higher prevalence of Onchocerciasis was observed in males {108(48.43%)} compared to females {106(39.55%)} in Oji river Local Government Area. In Awgu Local Government Area, females had a higher prevalence of 19 (13.38%) as against 17 (11.11%) by the males. The highest prevalence of onchocerciasis was seen among the age group 41-50 years in both Local Government Areas. Farmers had the highest prevalence in both Awgu (15.49%) and Oji River (50.43%) Local Government Areas. The highest prevalence was seen among the illiterates in Awgu (16.87%) and Oji River (54.66%) Local Government Areas. Despite efforts aimed at controlling Onchocerciasis infection in the two Local Government Areas of Enugu state, the infection is still hypoendemic (<40%) in Awgu and mesoendemic (>40% but less than <60%) in Oji River Local Government Area.

Oji-River Awgu Onchocerca volvulus prevalence

References (14)

  1. 1 Determining Sample Size for Research Activities [DOI]
  2. 2 River Blindness: A Success Story under Threat? [DOI]
  3. 3 Pathogenesis of Onchocercal Keratitis (River Blindness) [DOI]
  4. 4 Research for control: the onchocerciasis experience* [DOI]
  5. 5 Cost-effectiveness of triple drug administration (TDA) with praziquantel, ivermectin and albendazole for the prevention of neglected tropical diseases in Nigeria [DOI]
  6. 6 Additional health and development activities for community‐directed distributors of ivermectin: threat or opportunity for onchocerciasis control? [DOI]
  7. 7 Epidemiology and psycho-social aspects of onchocercal skin diseases in northeastern Nigeria [DOI]
  8. 8 Hyperendemic onchocerciasis in the Taraba river valley of Gongola state (Old Adamawa Province), Nigeria [DOI]
  9. 9 Onchocerciasis in the Benue State of Nigeria [DOI]
  10. 10 Onchocerciasis in Plateau State; Nigeria: ecological background, local disease perception & treatment; and vector/parasite dynamics.
  11. 11 Human onchocerciasis in the lower Jos Plateau, Central Nigeria: the prevalence, geographical distribution and epidemiology in Akwanga and Lafia Local Government Areas [DOI]
  12. 12 World Health Organization [DOI]
  13. 13 West Africa - defeating riverblindness: success in scaling up and lessons learned
  14. 14 Social and psychological aspects of onchocercal skin disease in Nkwelle-Ezunaka, Anambra State, Nigeria [DOI]

Cited by 8

ASSESSMENT OF THE PRESENCE OF SIMULIUM SPP BLACKFLIES AND ONCHOCERCIASIS IN SELECTED COMMUNITIES AROUND AWHUM WATERFALLS, A TOURIST SITE IN UDI LGA OF ENUGU STATE, NIGERIA

C. I. Chikezie, Ngozi Blessing Uzoka, C. V. Dalla · FUDMA JOURNAL OF SCIENCES · 2025

Prevalence of Onchocerca volvulus among apparently healthy population in Adamawa-north senatorial zone

Ahmed Usman, Tanko Mohammed, Seni Barka · Cellular, Molecular and Biomedical Reports · 2024

Prevalence of Onchocerciasis and Associated Factors among Adults Aged ≥ 15 Years in Semen Bench District, Bench Maji Zone, Southwest Ethiopia: Community Based Cross-Sectional Study

Bedilu Kifle, Kifle Woldemichael, Mamo Nigatu · Advances in Public Health · 2019

Point prevalence mapping reveals hotspot for onchocerciasis transmission in the Ndikinimeki Health District, Centre Region, Cameroon

René Afor Aza’ah, Laurentine Sumo, Ngum Helen Ntonifor · Parasites & Vectors · 2020

Showing 4 of 8 known citations — external sources report more than can currently be individually listed.

Related research

Article metrics

Real usage data collected on this platform.

29

Page views

0

PDF downloads

4

Outbound clicks

8

Citations

Views over time

Views by country

Approximate, from request IP at view time — not citizenship or institution. Countries with fewer than 5 views are grouped as "Other".

Traffic sources

Referring site, by host.

Views and downloads exclude known bots/crawlers. Citations combines this platform's own DOI-resolved index with each external source's own reported total — see Cited by above for individually listed citing works. Last refreshed 0 seconds ago.