Ocular onchocerciasis in a hyperendemic village in the rain forest of Liberia.

A sample of 76 persons in a hyperendemic village of onchocerciasis in the rain forest of Liberia was examined ophthalmologically. A reduced visual acuity of less than 6/18 was found in nearly 10%. Punctate keratitis was observed in 36%, microfilariae in the anterior chamber in 46%, proliferative chorioretinitis in 4% and optic atrophy in one person. The overall frequency of ocular onchocerciasis was 62%, but the severity of findings in most individuals was very minimal. The occurrence of microfilariae in the anterior chamber was positively correlated with microfilarial densities in the skin of the hip, outer canthus and blood and the burden of adult O. volvulus isolated from extirpated onchocercomata.