Nematode - Onchocerca volvulus

Onchocerca volvulus

Microfilariae are transmitted by black flies.
In the host, adults become encapsulated in deep subcutaneous nodules.
Larval offspring escape the nodules and migrate to other body tissues.
Itching is common.
Lymphatic flow can be obstructed by the worms.

– As a result of lymphatic obstruction, swellings often develop in the inguinal and femoral regions; due to their location, the swellings produce a condition known as "hanging groin." Parasitized by Wolbachia* bacteria; when the worms die, the bacteria are released in the human host. Microfilariae and Wolbachia bacteria can cause various ocular infections and lead to blindness; this is often called "River blindness" because the parasites and vector are associated with rivers and streams. – Onchocerca is a significant cause of blindness worldwide, and is most common in areas of Africa.

"CDC - DPDx - Onchocerciasis," December 14, 2017. https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/onchocerciasis/index.html.

Niamba, Pascal, Alain Gaulier, and Alain Taïeb. "Hanging Groin and Persistent Pruritus in a Patient from Burkina Faso." International Journal of Dermatology 46, no. 5 (May 1, 2007): 485–86. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-4632.2007.03100.x.

Nematode - Onchocerca volvulus

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