McMahon J E, Sowa S C, Maude G H, Hudson C M, Kirkwood B R
MRC Laboratory, Bo, Sierra Leone.
Trop Med Parasitol. 1988 Sep;39(3):251-9.
Results are presented for five villages in the forest zone of Sierra Leone in which forest onchocerciasis was considered to be a significant health problem. All five villages were found to be hyperendemic and 85% (682/803) of persons were found to have at least one sign of onchocerciasis. The emergence of microfilariae from skin snips (iliac crest and/or canthus) or the presence of nodules accounted for 96.5% of all persons positive for onchocerciasis. The prevalence of nodules from all body sites was 70.5% and of elephantiasis, hanging groin and skin lesions (moderate and severe) was 0.4%, 0.3% and 5.3% respectively. Analysis of eye lesions (the most serious clinical manifestation of the disease) was restricted to persons aged 30 years and over since this gives a better indication of the public health importance of onchocerciasis than analysis in the overall population. This gave prevalence rates of onchocercal blindness of 4.5% (both eyes) and 2.8% (one eye only). Rates for the four potentially blinding eye lesions were sclerosing keratitis (4.1%), iritis (16.5%), optic atrophy (13.8%) and choroidoretinitis (14.4%). Rates in males were approximately twice as high as those in females.
文中呈现了塞拉利昂森林地区五个村庄的研究结果，在这些村庄中，森林型盘尾丝虫病被认为是一个严重的健康问题。所有五个村庄均为高度流行区，发现85%（682/803）的人至少有盘尾丝虫病的一种体征。皮肤切片（髂嵴和/或眼角）中出现微丝蚴或存在结节，占所有盘尾丝虫病阳性者的96.5%。全身各部位结节的患病率为70.5%，象皮肿、悬垂性腹股沟和皮肤病变（中度和重度）的患病率分别为0.4%、0.3%和5.3%。眼部病变（该病最严重的临床表现）的分析仅限于30岁及以上人群，因为与对全体人群的分析相比，这能更好地表明盘尾丝虫病对公共卫生的重要性。由此得出双眼盘尾丝虫病致盲的患病率为4.5%，单眼致盲的患病率为2.8%。四种潜在致盲性眼部病变的患病率分别为：硬化性角膜炎（4.1%）、虹膜炎（16.5%）、视神经萎缩（13.8%）和脉络膜视网膜炎（14.4%）。男性患病率约为女性的两倍。
