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Editorial

The case for vaccine development in the strategy to eradicate river blindness (onchocerciasis) from Africa

, , &
Pages 1163-1165 | Published online: 19 Jun 2015
 

Abstract

Onchocerciasis or river blindness is a neglected parasitic disease causing severe dermatitis and visual impairment, predominantly in Africa. Historically, onchocerciasis control targeted vector breeding sites, but the current strategy relies on mass administration of a single drug, ivermectin. As programmatic goals shift from reducing public health impact to active elimination, sole reliance on ivermectin is threatened by contraindications in areas coendemic for loiasis, an inability to break transmission in some foci, and the emergence of drug resistance. Here, we argue that prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines would accelerate elimination efforts and safeguard the enormous strides made in onchocerciasis control. These vaccines could be based on one or more of three lead candidates identified by a newly formed transatlantic partnership, The Onchocerciasis Vaccine for Africa Initiative.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors were supported by grants from the European Commission (grant ID, HEALTH-F3-2010-242131) and National Institutes of Health (grant ID, 1R01AI078314). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

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