Dermatological problems of onchocerciasis in Nebbi District; Uganda

ABSTRACT

A cross-sectional survey of 770 subjects in onchocerciasis hyperendemic villages and 223 subjects from a control community in Nebbi District in the West Nile Region of Uganda revealed a high prevalence of onchocercial skin disease of 48in endemic villages. The most chronic skin problem was troublesome itching (40); and the prevalent skin lesions were chronic popular onchodermatitis (16); depigmentation (4); lichenifield onchodermatitis (2) and acute popular onchodermatitis (1). Other typical varieties of onchocercal skin diseases such as; hanging groin; lymphoedema and marked lymphadenopathy were infrequent; and considered rare. Pityriasis vergicolor was the most common non-onchocercal skin lesion in both control and endemic communities; accounting for 37of all non-onchocercal skin lesions. These skin lesions were associated with a variety of psycho-social and economic impact; and there was a positive correlation between the prevalence of troublesome itching and the prevalence of modules (correlation coefficient r=0.62; p=0.00). Given the prospects of onchorcerciasis control based on mass ivermectin distribution in communities where blindness is less common; but skin disease known to be predominant