River Blindness Elimination Program, The Carter Center, Atlanta, Georgia.
River Blindness Elimination Program, The Carter Center, Kampala, Uganda.
Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2024 Jun 25;111(3_Suppl):141-149. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.23-0906. Print 2024 Sep 3.
In Uganda, 15 of 17 foci have interrupted transmission of onchocerciasis (river blindness) and stopped mass drug administration (MDA) of ivermectin. This 2016 study describes the results of a knowledge, attitude, and practices survey regarding river blindness among participants (N = 1,577) 3-5 years after ivermectin MDA was halted in three foci: Imaramagambo halted in 2012, Kashoya-Kitomi in 2013, and Mt. Elgon in 2011. The study showed high levels of composite knowledge (focus-specific range: 66.8-81.2%) related to river blindness transmission, signs, symptoms, and treatment. However, 38.1% of respondents did not know that blackflies transmitted river blindness. Notably, 72.2% claimed they had not been informed why MDA was stopped, 56.3% did not believe river blindness had been eliminated, and 83.1% wanted ivermectin MDA to resume. During the 3-5 year post-treatment surveillance period, only 27.7% (438 of 1,577) reported being informed of what to do once treatments stopped, with the most knowledgeable hailing from the Mt. Elgon focus (47.9%). This study reinforces the need for programs to intensify health education and information dissemination when MDA is stopped. Programs must remind residents that although biting insects may persist, they no longer transmit river blindness. Incorporating messages about the elimination of river blindness into community health education campaigns can help improve the community's perceptions related to the disease's absence and the ending of a long-standing MDA intervention.
在乌干达，17 个流行区中有 15 个已经中断了盘尾丝虫病（河盲症）的传播，并停止了伊维菌素大规模药物治疗（MDA）。这项 2016 年的研究描述了在停止伊维菌素 MDA 后 3-5 年，三个流行区（伊马拉马甘博 2012 年停止，卡绍亚-基托米 2013 年停止，埃尔贡山 2011 年停止）参与者（共 1577 人）关于河盲症的知识、态度和实践调查结果。研究表明，参与者对河盲症传播、症状、体征和治疗等方面的综合知识水平较高（特定流行区范围：66.8-81.2%）。然而，仍有 38.1%的受访者不知道黑蝇传播河盲症。值得注意的是，72.2%的受访者表示他们没有被告知停止 MDA 的原因，56.3%的受访者不相信河盲症已经消除，83.1%的受访者希望恢复伊维菌素 MDA。在治疗后 3-5 年的监测期间，只有 27.7%（1577 人中的 438 人）报告称他们被告知一旦治疗停止该怎么办，而最了解情况的人来自埃尔贡山流行区（47.9%）。这项研究强调了在停止 MDA 时，项目需要加强健康教育和信息传播。项目必须提醒居民，尽管吸血昆虫可能仍然存在，但它们不再传播河盲症。将消除河盲症的信息纳入社区健康教育运动，可以帮助改善社区对该疾病不存在和长期 MDA 干预结束的看法。
