2008/04/29 by Judith E. Allen, Ohene Adjei, Odile Bain +8 · 1 citation
Environmental Science · Immunology and Microbiology · Medicine · #Biology #Blindness #Context (archaeology) #Disease #Immunology #Ivermectin #Medicine #Onchocerca volvulus #Onchocerciasis #Optometry #Parasite Biology and Host Interactions #Parasites and Host Interactions #Parasitic Diseases Research and Treatment #Pathology #Zoology
paper · pdf · doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0000217
openalex publication_date 2008/04/29 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04
River blindness is a seriously debilitating disease caused by the filarial parasite Onchocerca volvulus, which infects millions in Africa as well as in South and Central America. Research has been hampered by a lack of good animal models, as the parasite can only develop fully in humans and some primates. This review highlights the development of two animal model systems that have allowed significant advances in recent years and hold promise for the future. Experimental findings with Litomosoides sigmodontis in mice and Onchocerca ochengi in cattle are placed in the context of how these models can advance our ability to control the human disease.