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Review
. 2003 Jan 25;326(7382):207-10.
doi: 10.1136/bmj.326.7382.207.

Onchocerciasis

Achim Hoerauf  1 , Dietrich W Büttner, Ohene Adjei, Eric Pearlman
Affiliations
Review

Onchocerciasis

Achim Hoerauf et al. BMJ. .
No abstract available

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Major manifestations of onchocerciasis: chronic lichenification with papular dermatitis (left); sclerosing keratitis (right)
Figure 2
Figure 2
Transverse sections of female Onchocerca volvulus worms showing the effect of doxycycline treatment on Wolbachia endobacteria (visualised by staining with antibodies against bacterial heat shock protein-60) and on worm embryogenesis. (Top) Onchocercoma from an untreated patient with worms containing numerous endobacteria (red, arrow) and intact embryogenesis (o=oocytes; m=morulae; cm=coiled microfilarias; sm=stretched microfilarias) (x90). (Bottom) Onchocercoma from a patient 11 months after treatment for six weeks with doxycycline (100 mg/day); worms without bacteria; embryos (e) are degenerated. The arrowhead depicts staining of mitochondria (smaller than the bacteria, different location) by anti-hsp-60 antibodies (x55)
Figure 3
Figure 3
The role of Wolbachia in the pathogenesis of river blindness (murine model). Subcutaneous immunisation with Onchocerca volvulus antigens, which is a model for chronic infection, stimulates the adaptive arm of the immune system, resulting in a predominant Th2 response, with elevated interleukin-4, interleukin-5, eosinophilia, and parasite-specific antibodies. After injection of parasite antigens into the cornea, production of neutrophil and eosinophil chemokines is upregulated in the cornea, and expression of vascular adhesion molecules (PECAM-1 and ICAM-1) on limbal vessels is elevated. Neutrophils and eosinophils are then recruited to the corneal stroma in a biphasic manner, with neutrophils infiltrating within 24 hours and eosinophils predominating after 72 hours. The physical presence of these cells, combined with degranulation and release of cytotoxic mediators, leads to disruption of normal corneal function, loss of corneal clarity, and visual impairment. Lipopolysaccharide-like molecules from Wolbachia endobacteria seem to induce expression of chemotactic cytokines and vascular adhesion molecules that mediate neutrophil recruitment to the corneal stroma. Adapted from Kaifi et al
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