Diseases

Ocular Onchocerciasis

Filarial infection of the eyes transmitted from person to person by bites of Onchocerca volvulus-infected black flies. The microfilariae of Onchocerca are thus deposited beneath the skin. They migrate through various tissues including the eye. Those persons infected have impaired vision and up to 20% are blind. The incidence of eye lesions has been reported to be as high as 30% in Central America and parts of Africa.

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

Filarial infection of the eyes transmitted from person to person by bites of Onchocerca volvulus-infected black flies. The microfilariae of Onchocerca are thus deposited beneath the skin. They migrate through various tissues including the eye. Those persons infected have impaired vision and up to 20% are blind. The incidence of eye lesions has been reported to be as high as 30% in Central America and parts of Africa.

MeSH Record

Classification

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MeSH Record

Synonyms

5 entry terms
  • Onchocerciasis, Ocular
  • River Blindness
  • Blindness, River
  • Ocular Onchocerciases
  • Onchocerciases, Ocular

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

36 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings blood, cerebrospinal fluid, chemically induced, classification, complications, congenital, diagnosis, diagnostic imaging, diet therapy, drug therapy, economics, embryology, enzymology, epidemiology, ethnology, etiology, genetics, history, immunology, metabolism, microbiology, mortality, nursing, parasitology, pathology, physiopathology, prevention & control, psychology, radiotherapy, rehabilitation, surgery, therapy, transmission, urine, veterinary, virology.

MeSH Record

Indexing Annotation

coordinate with NEGLECTED DISEASES if pertinent

MeSH Record

History Note

90

MeSH Record

Previous Indexing

  • Eye Diseases or specifics (1966-1989)
  • Microfilaria (1967-1989)
  • Onchocerca (1966-1989)
  • Onchocerciasis (1966-1989)

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Numbers

MeSH Record

NLM Classification

WW 160

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Ocular Onchocerciasis. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D015827. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D015827
  2. Ocular Onchocerciasis. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q18966873