Good news regarding onchocerciasis, commonly known as "river blindness." (River blindness is the world's second leading cause of blindness due to infection, and is caused by a parasitic worm.) A regional initiative launched in the 1990s to eliminate the disease in the Americas has significantly reduced the prevalence of the disease in recent years.
The progress reflects the success of the Onchocerciasis Elimination Program for the Americas (OEPA), which promotes health education and twice-yearly administration of a deworming drug to more than 85% of the eligible population of endemic communities in six countries.
Source: American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. River Blindness (Onchocerciasis) Reduced By Nearly One Third In At Risk Populations In Six Countries. Medical News Today, 25 Nov 2009.
