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Onchocerciasis-associated epilepsy

Guest edited by Robert Colebunders, Robert Ryder, Patrick Suykerbuyk and Richard Idro

An article collection in Infectious Diseases of Poverty.

Infectious Diseases of PovertyNodding syndrome is a devastating epileptic syndrome appearing in previously healthy children between the ages of 5 and 18 years. The syndrome is characterized by head-nodding, an atonic seizure, and is often followed by tonic-clonic seizures, declining cognitive and motor function, psychiatric problems, stunting growth, physical deformities and early death. Until recently the cause of the syndrome was unknown. Therefore, no strategy for prevention and cure was possible. Recent studies have shown that nodding syndrome is only one of several clinical presentations of onchocerciasis-associated epilepsy (OAE) and that this form of epilepsy is present in all regions where onchocerciasis (river blindness) is poorly controlled. This series contains original papers about OAE research done in Uganda, Tanzania, Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and review papers related to onchocerciasis and epilepsy.

  1. Around 2007, a nodding syndrome (NS) epidemic appeared in onchocerciasis-endemic districts of northern Uganda, where ivermectin mass distribution had never been implemented. This study evaluated the effect of ...

    Authors: Nolbert Gumisiriza, Frank Mubiru, Joseph Nelson Siewe Fodjo, Martin Mbonye Kayitale, An Hotterbeekx, Richard Idro, Issa Makumbi, Tom Lakwo, Bernard Opar, Joice Kaducu, Joseph Francis Wamala and Robert Colebunders
    Citation: Infectious Diseases of Poverty 2020 9:12
    Content type: Research Article Published on:

  2. There is accumulating evidence supporting the use of ivermectin as a malaria control tool. Recent findings from the repeat ivermectin mass drug administrations for control of malaria trial demonstrated a reduc...

    Authors: Joseph Nelson Siewe Fodjo, Marina Kugler, An Hotterbeekx, Adam Hendy, Jean-Pierre Van Geertruyden and Robert Colebunders
    Citation: Infectious Diseases of Poverty 2019 8:77
    Content type: Commentary Published on:

  3. Mother to child transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains the most common form of HBV infection in China. Prevention of HBV vertical transmission involves timely administration of the complete hepatitis ...

    Authors: Hui Zheng, Guo-Min Zhang, Po-Lin Chan, Fu-Zhen Wang, Lance Everett Rodewald, Ning Miao, Xiao-Jin Sun, Zun-Dong Yin, Jeffrey Edwards and Hua-Qing Wang
    Citation: Infectious Diseases of Poverty 2019 8:57
    Content type: Research Article Published on:

  4. In a study from the onchocerciasis-endemic area of Mahenge in southern Tanzania, Mmbando et al. [Inf Dis Poverty. 2018;7:64] demonstrate that in four selected villages the overall epilepsy prevalence was high,...

    Authors: Christoph Kaiser, Bruno P. Mmbando, Joseph N. Siewe Fodjo, Patrick Suykerbuyk, Mohamed Mnacho, Advocatus Kakorozya, William Matuja, Adam Hendy, Helena Greter, Williams H. Makunde and Robert Colebunders
    Citation: Infectious Diseases of Poverty 2019 8:35
    Content type: Letter to the Editor Published on:

  5. In onchocerciasis-endemic areas, particularly in those with a sub-optimal onchocerciasis control programme, a high prevalence of epilepsy is observed. Both onchocerciasis and epilepsy are stigmatizing conditio...

    Authors: Sarah O’Neill, Julia Irani, Joseph Nelson Siewe Fodjo, Denis Nono, Catherine Abbo, Yasuaki Sato, Augustine Mugarura, Housseini Dolo, Maya Ronse, Alfred K. Njamnshi and Robert Colebunders
    Citation: Infectious Diseases of Poverty 2019 8:34
    Content type: Scoping Review Published on:

  6. In 2012, the Ugandan Government declared an epidemic of Nodding Syndrome (NS) in the Northern districts of Gulu, Kitgum, Lamwo and Pader. Treatment guidelines were developed and NS treatment centres were estab...

    Authors: Catherine Abbo, Amos Deogratius Mwaka, Bernard Toliva Opar and Richard Idro
    Citation: Infectious Diseases of Poverty 2019 8:30
    Content type: Case Study Published on:

  7. Onchocerciasis-endemic regions are known to have a high epilepsy prevalence. Limited resources in these areas and poor access to healthcare by persons with epilepsy (PWE) result in a wide anti-epileptic treatment...

    Authors: Joseph Nelson Siewe Fodjo, Marieke C. J. Dekker, Richard Idro, Michel Ndahura Mandro, Pierre-Marie Preux, Alfred K. Njamnshi and Robert Colebunders
    Citation: Infectious Diseases of Poverty 2019 8:11
    Content type: Scoping Review Published on:

  8. High epilepsy prevalence and incidence have been reported in areas with high onchocerciasis transmission. Recent findings suggest that proper community-directed treatment with ivermectin (CDTI) is potentially ...

    Authors: Joseph N. F. Siewe, Chinyere N. Ukaga, Ernest O. Nwazor, Murphy O. Nwoke, Modebelu C. Nwokeji, Blessing C. Onuoha, Simon O. Nwanjor, Joel Okeke, Kate Osahor, Lilian Chimechefulam, Ann I. Ogomaka, Augustine A. Amaechi, Chika I. Ezenwa, Monika N. Ezike, Chidimma Ikpeama, Ogechi Nwachukwu…
    Citation: Infectious Diseases of Poverty 2019 8:8
    Content type: Research Article Published on:

  9. A recent study in the Logo and Rethy health zones in the Ituri Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) reported that the majority of the persons with epilepsy (PWE) had not been treated with anti-ep...

    Authors: Housseini Dolo, Michel Mandro, Deogratias Wonya’Rossi, Francoise Ngave, Jessica Fraeyman, Joseph N. Siewe, Patrick Suykerbuyk and Robert Colebunders
    Citation: Infectious Diseases of Poverty 2018 7:115
    Content type: Research Article Published on:

  10. Nodding syndrome (NS) is a devastating epileptic illness of unknown aetiology mainly affecting children 5–15 years of age. Head nodding distinguishes NS from other forms of epilepsy. Other manifestations of th...

    Authors: Gasim Abd-Elfarag, Makoy Yibi Logora, Jane Y. Carter, Morrish Ojok, Jackson Songok, Sonia Menon, Ferdinand Wit, Richard Lako and Robert Colebunders
    Citation: Infectious Diseases of Poverty 2018 7:112
    Content type: Study Protocol Published on:

  11. A high prevalence of epilepsy has been observed in onchocerciasis endemic areas in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). With this study we aimed to investigate whether Onchocerca volvulus infection is a risk f...

    Authors: Michel Mandro, Patrick Suykerbuyk, Floribert Tepage, Degratias Rossy, Francoise Ngave, Mirza Nazmul Hasan, An Hotterbeekx, Germain Mambandu, Jean Marie Kashama, Anne Laudisoit and Robert Colebunders
    Citation: Infectious Diseases of Poverty 2018 7:79
    Content type: Case study Published on:

  12. Since the 1990s, evidence has accumulated of an increased prevalence of epilepsy in onchocerciasis-endemic areas in Africa as compared to onchocerciasis-free areas. Although the causal relationship between onc...

    Authors: Natalie V. S. Vinkeles Melchers, Sarah Mollenkopf, Robert Colebunders, Michael Edlinger, Luc E. Coffeng, Julia Irani, Trésor Zola, Joseph N. Siewe, Sake J. de Vlas, Andrea S. Winkler and Wilma A. Stolk
    Citation: Infectious Diseases of Poverty 2018 7:101
    Content type: Scoping Review Published on:

  13. Epilepsy is a neurological disorder with a multitude of underlying causes, which may include infection with Onchocerca volvulus, the parasitic worm that causes human onchocerciasis. A survey carried out in 1989 r...

    Authors: Bruno P. Mmbando, Patrick Suykerbuyk, Mohamed Mnacho, Advocatus Kakorozya, William Matuja, Adam Hendy, Helena Greter, Williams H. Makunde and Robert Colebunders
    Citation: Infectious Diseases of Poverty 2018 7:64
    Content type: Research Article Published on:

  14. Recently, several epidemiological studies performed in Onchocerca volvulus-endemic regions have suggested that onchocerciasis-associated epilepsy (OAE) may constitute an important but neglected public health prob...

    Authors: Robert Colebunders, Michel Mandro, Alfred K. Njamnshi, Michel Boussinesq, An Hotterbeekx, Joseph Kamgno, Sarah O’Neill, Adrian Hopkins, Patrick Suykerbuyk, Maria-Gloria Basáñez, Rory J. Post, Belén Pedrique, Pierre-Marie Preux, Wilma A. Stolk, Thomas B. Nutman and Richard Idro
    Citation: Infectious Diseases of Poverty 2018 7:23
    Content type: Editorial Published on: