[The epidemiological significance of neo-natal parasitism with microfilariae of Onchocerca volvulus (author's transl)]

Abstract

Between April 1977 and June 1978, 214 babies born of 210 mothers infected with Onchocerciasis, were examined at the maternity of Po Hospital (Upper Volta). In four of them (1.9%) dermal microfilariae of Onchocerca volvulus were found during the first week after birth. In two other cases microfilariae were seen in the tissue of the umbilical cord. All specimens from placentas and amniotic fluid gave negative results. The infected babies were reexamined monthly monthly from 2 to 18 months, depending on the cases. One child remained positive until the 6th month follow-up. The base-line examination of 5.757 children less than 2 years old from different villages in the WHO Onchocerciasis Control Programme in the Volta River Basin Area showed that 1% of children less than one year old and 2% of children of 12 to 23 months old were carriers of dermal microfilariae. These results indicate that in meso- or hyperendemic areas children less than one year old and carriers of microfilariae of Onchocerca volbulus may have been infected in utero. The existence of such cases, in an area of vector control, does not prove a residual vector borne transmission.