Individual exposure to Simulium bites and intensity of Onchocerca volvulus infection.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Onchocerca volvulus, the causative agent of river blindness, is transmitted through the black fly Simulium damnosum s.l., which breeds in turbulent river waters. To date, the number of flies attacking humans has only been determined by standard fly collectors near the river or the village. In our study, we counted the actual number of attacking and successfully feeding S. damnosum s.l. flies landing on individual villagers during their routine day-time activities in two villages of the Sudan-savannah and rainforest of Cameroon. We compared these numbers to the number of flies caught by a standard vector-collector, one positioned near the particular villager during his/her daily activity and the other sitting at the nearest Simulium breeding site.

Results

Using the

SUBMITTER: Jacobi CA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2910011 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature