[Apropos of 5 new cases of onchocerciasis edema]

We report 5 cases of onchocerciasis presenting as limb's swelling collected in the tropical disease unit of a parisian hospital between 1982 and 1993. They are 5 men which have lived between 3 weeks and 4 years in forested areas of Cameroon in four cases and Côte d'Ivoire in one case. The incubation period varied from 5 months to 2 years. The limb oedema was always located to one arm. It was associated with a blood eosinophilia above 2000/mm3 in 4 of 5 patients. The skin detection of microfilaria of Onchocerca volvulus was positive in every case. The serodiagnostic tests were negative for indirect immunoflurescent assay and immunoelectrophoresis with exception of one patient. These patients were cured with ivermectine and/or diethylcarbamazine. In addition, 26 other cases described in the literature are discussed.