Clinical manifestations of loiasis in an endemic area in the Congo

Abstract

The functional symptomatology of loiasis was studied in 101 Congolese subjects living in a village in a highly endemic area. 27.7% of them were carriers of Loa loa microfilariae. 5.9% were infected with Mansonella perstans. No subjects were found to have dermal microfilariae. In anamnesis, 51.5% of them reported episodes of Calabar swellings, 69.3% history of eyeworm and 10.9% episodes of subcutaneous migration of worms during the last 12 months. Pruritus and secondary dermal lesions were frequently demonstrated in 64.4% and 56.4% of the individuals respectively. Asymptomatic amicrofilaraemic subjects only accounted for 11.9% of the adult population. The study of the life-time risk of eyeworm, also conducted in the Pygmy and Bantu populations of another village, was shown to be useful in epidemiological evaluations.