Impact of long-term treatment of onchocerciasis with ivermectin in Ecuador: potential for elimination of infection

Table 3 Changes in the epidemiology of O. volvulus infection in the sentinel communities

Community	1989 survey		2000 survey		2004 survey
	Prevalence (%)	MMFL	Prevalence (%)	MMFL	Prevalence (%)	MMFL
Corriente Grande	96.3	34.8	4.8	0.045	0.6	0.003
El Tigre	94.2	59.3	14.0	0.131	2.1	0.007
San Miguel	96.3	57.4	5.1	0.582	1.3	0.007
Playa del Oro	66.6	23.6	0	0	0	0
Guayabal	63.6	28.4	0	0	0	0
Angostura	80.6	34.7	0	0	0	0
Naranjal	53.3	21.2	0.3	0.001	0	0

The prevalence of infection and microfilarial load with O. volvulus in the sentinel communities is shown. Surveys were conducted in the seven sentinel communities before ivermectin treatment in 1989 and in 2000 and 2004 after the start of treatment. MMFL, Mean Microfilarial Load (geometric mean mf/mg skin).

ISSN: 1741-7015