Eye lesions and onchocerciasis in a rural farm settlement in Delta State, Nigeria

Between December 1999 and September 2000, an investigation on 326 inhabitants who voluntarily participated in screening for eye lesions and onchocerciasis in a rural farm settlement in Aniocha North local government area of Delta State, Nigeria was carried out. Microfilariae were reported in the skin tissues of 134 (41.1%) inhabitants. Of these, males had more microfiladermia (49.9%) than their female counterparts (33.3%). The percentage prevalence of the clinical signs of onchocerciasis in the farm settlement was hanging groin 14.1%, onchocercal nodules 25.1%, onchocercal dermatitis 27.6% and scrotal enlargement 3.7%. The percentage prevalence of the eye lesions among the onchocerciasis infected inhabitants was cataract 7.4%, glaucoma 3.7%, optic atrophy 0.6% and uveitis 18 (5.5%). Impaired vision occurred among 80 (24.5%) inhabitants and blindness was reported among 2 (0.6%) inhabitants.