Elimination of onchocerciasis in Ecuador: findings of post-treatment surveillance.

Background: The Esmeraldas focus of onchocerciasis in Ecuador expanded geographically during the 1980s and was associated with severe ocular and skin disease. Mass drug administration (MDA) with ivermectin started in 1991, initially once but later twice a year, in the principle endemic focus followed by all satellite foci. Treatment was stopped in 2009 when entomological assessments determined that transmission of Onchocerca volvulus had been interrupted.

Impact of long-term treatment of onchocerciasis with ivermectin in Ecuador: potential for elimination of infection.

Background: Onchocerciasis is a leading cause of blindness worldwide, hence elimination of the infection is an important health priority. Community-based treatment programs with ivermectin form the basis of control programs for the disease in Latin America. The long-term administration of ivermectin could eliminate Onchocerca volvulus infection from endemic areas in Latin America.

Comparison of two single-day regimens of triclabendazole for the treatment of human pulmonary paragonimiasis.

A well-tolerated single-day treatment regimen is required for the community-based treatment of pulmonary paragonimiasis. To identify an optimal single-day treatment regimen, an open clinical trial was performed to compare the efficacy of 2 single-day regimens of triclabendazole. From 1991 to 1993, a total of 154 Ecuadorian patients were allocated to receive either a single dose or 2 doses of 10 mg/kg triclabendazole.

Association of transient dermal mastocytosis and elevated plasma tryptase levels with development of adverse reactions after treatment of onchocerciasis with ivermectin.

To investigate the role of mast cells in treatment-associated adverse reactions in patients with onchocerciasis, changes in plasma tryptase levels and skin mast cell counts were examined in 2 groups of Onchocerca volvulus-infected subjects after ivermectin treatment. After treatment, an increase in tryptase levels was observed concurrent with the onset of blood eosinopenia and preceding the appearance of plasma eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN) and interleukin-5. Tryptase levels were correlated with development of peripheral eosinopenia and markers of eosinophil activation and degranulation.

Onchocerca volvulus glycolytic enzyme fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase as a target for a protective immune response in humans.

To identify potential vaccine candidates for the prevention of infection with the filarial nematode Onchocerca volvulus, we screened an O. volvulus L3 stage cDNA library with sera from putatively immune (PI) subjects, and a prominent immunogenic clone of 1,184 nucleotides was identified. It contained an open reading frame of 363 amino acids encoding the glycolytic enzyme fructose 1,6 bisphosphate aldolase (Ov-fba-1).