'Leopard skin' as a rapid diagnostic index for estimating the endemicity of African onchocerciasis

A study was made in five rural districts of Kwara State, Nigeria to assess the possible use of 'leopard skin' (Ls) as a rapid diagnostic technique for estimating the endemicity of African onchocerciasis. The findings revealed that there is a positive association between the percentage of s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inInternational journal of epidemiology Vol. 16; no. 4; p. 590
Main Authors Edungbola, L D, Alabi, T O, Oni, G A, Asaolu, S O, Ogunbanjo, B O, Parakoyi, B D
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England 01.12.1987
Subjects
Female
Humans
Male
Nigeria
Onchocerciasis - diagnosis
Onchocerciasis - epidemiology
Onchocerciasis - parasitology
Onchocerciasis - pathology
Skin - parasitology
Skin Pigmentation
Nigeria
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Summary:A study was made in five rural districts of Kwara State, Nigeria to assess the possible use of 'leopard skin' (Ls) as a rapid diagnostic technique for estimating the endemicity of African onchocerciasis. The findings revealed that there is a positive association between the percentage of subjects with skin microfilariae (mf) and the percentage with Ls. The prevalence of Ls less than 1% suggests communities with sporadic infection, 1-6% suggests hypoendemic communities and greater than 6% suggests meso- or hyperendemic communities, using mf rates of less than 10%, 10-39%, 40-69% and 70% or greater as the standard to classify sporadic, hypoendemic, mesoendemic and hyperendemic levels of the infection, respectively. The unique merits of Ls as a potential onchocercal index are presented.
ISSN:0300-5771
1464-3685
DOI:10.1093/ije/16.4.590