Parasites - Onchocerciasis (also known as River Blindness)
It is transmitted through repeated bites by blackflies of the genus Simulium. The disease is called river blindness because the blackfly that transmits the infection lives and breeds near fast-flowing streams and rivers, mostly near remote rural villages.
How does onchocerciasis cause blindness?
You can develop river blindness if you're bitten repeatedly by infected female blackflies. The blackfly passes the larvae of the worm Onchocercidae through the bite. The larvae move to the subcutaneous tissue of your skin, and mature into adult worms over 6 to 12 months.
How does onchocerciasis affect the eyes?
People affected by onchocerciasis (river blindness) develop eye lesions which can lead to visual impairment and permanent blindness.
