Onchocerciasis is a leading cause of blindness in the world. It may be seen in temperate climates of the United States and Europe in immigrants and travelers from endemic regions, often linked to poverty and war. One should be aware of an incubation period that can be up to 15 months.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFYemen is a country that has been treating severe cases of oncho-dermatitis since 1992 and is now moving to a program aimed at the elimination of the transmission of . It is important to ensure that the currently acceptable tools used in epidemiological assessment of onchocerciasis in Africa and Latin America also apply to Yemen. Five hundred and ten blood samples from three known -endemic areas, locations that have never been under a mass treatment program, were tested for the presence of antibodies against a panel of -specific antigens using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Ov16) and luciferase immunoprecipitation system (Ov-FAR-1 and Ov-MSA-1) assays.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe onchocerciasis focus in Yemen has been known for many years as an endemic area with unique characteristics, notably the atypical and most severe form of onchodermatitis, known as sowda or reactive onchodermatitis (ROD). The national effort to control the disease began in 1992 as an individual case treatment program by administering ivermectin to those presenting with ROD. The challenging geography of the endemic area and the current political and military unrest both underscore a need for special approaches when attempting to eliminate onchocerciasis from this country.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLeprosy is a chronic human disease caused by the yet-uncultured pathogen Mycobacterium leprae. Although readily curable with multidrug therapy (MDT), over 200,000 new cases are still reported annually. Here, we obtain M.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe diagnosis of leishmaniasis can be challenging because it mimics both infectious and malignant conditions. A misdiagnosis may lead to an unfavorable outcome. Using culture, histologic, and/or polymerase chain reaction study results, a diagnosis of leishmaniasis can be established and treatment initiated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLeishmaniasis is endemic in 98 countries and territories, with 1.2 million new cases per year, making it a worldwide concern. The deadly visceral form is a leading cause of death from tropical parasitic infections, second only to malaria.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPyogenic granuloma (PG) is a benign vascular neoplasm most often evident as a rapidly developing solitary, sessile, or polypoid vascular nodule or tumor prone to ulceration or hemorrhage. Bleeding may be episodic, copious, and refractory to pressure, mandating treatment, particularly when on the lip. We describe a 14-year-old adolescent with a PG of the lower lip that responded to carbon dioxide slush cryosurgery, an option that may be of considerable value in a resource-poor country.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLeishmaniasis is a widespread parasitic disease seen most often in children and young adults, although it may occur at any age. In Yemen, up until now, specific treatment for cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) has been challenging. Available chemotherapy is expensive and replete with significant side effects.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlthough the prevalence rate of leprosy in the Republic of Yemen has dropped below the WHO elimination level of less than one case per 10,000 of the population, it is still regarded as a serious public health problem calling for continued vigilance, notably in the detection and treatment of hidden and undiagnosed cases. In the past, religious misinterpretation has generated adverse behaviour patterns towards people affected by leprosy, characterized by aggression, negligence and isolation. Until about 1982, following a visit of a leprologist (Dr S.
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