Onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness, is caused by infection with the nematode Onchocerca volvulus transmitted through the bites of infected black flies. The larvae spread throughout the body and can cause intense itching, skin lesions, depigmentation, and blindness by infecting the eye. Treatment involves annual doses of ivermectin which kills the parasite and antibiotics which target Wolbachia bacteria within the worms. Prevention focuses on controlling black fly populations through larvicide spraying of rivers.

1. OPTOM FASLU MUHAMMED

2.  Onchocerciasis also known as river blindness
and Robles' disease,
 It is a parasitic disease caused by infection by
Onchocerca volvulus, a nematode (roundworm).

3.  it is the world's second-leading infectious cause of
blindness
 The parasite is transmitted to humans through
the bite of a black fly of the genus Simulium

4.  The larval nematodes spread throughout the
body

5. CAUSES
 That the disease is caused by filaria of O.
Volvulus

6. LIFE CYCLE OF O. VOLVULUS
 A Simulium female black fly takes a blood meal
on an infected human host, and ingests
microfilaria
 microfilaria enter the gut and thoracic flight
muscles of the black fly

7.  progressing into the first larval stage
 The larvae mature into the second larval stage
 move to the proboscis and into the saliva in its
third larval stage

8.  Maturation takes about 7 days.
1. After maturing, adult male worms mate with
female worms in the subcutaneous tissue to
produce between 700 and 1,500 microfilaria
per day.

9.  the black flies only feed in the day

10. SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
 Skin involvement typically consists of intense
itching, swelling, and inflammation.[10]
 Skin atrophy - loss of elasticity, the skin
resembles tissue paper, 'lizard skin' appearance,
and
 Depigmentation -

11. OCULAR INVOLVEMENT
 may involve any part of the eye from conjunctiva
and cornea to uvea and posterior segment,
including the retina and optic nerve
 cornea. Punctate keratitis

12. TREATMENT
 ); infected people can be treated with two
doses of ivermectin,
 six months apart, repeated every three years
 Ivermectin treatment is particularly effective
because it only needs to be taken once or twice a
yea

13.  Antibiotics
 doxycycline is used to kill the Wolbachia
bacteria that live in adult worms. T

14.  Ivermectin
 Ivermectin kills the parasite by interfering
with the nervous system and muscle
function, in particular,

15. PREVENTION
 Various control programs aim to stop
onchocerciasis from being a public health
problem
 larvicide spraying of fast-flowing rivers to control
black fly populations,