Onchocerciasis

Onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness, is a parasitic disease caused by a worm transmitted through repeated bites of infected blackflies that breed near fast-flowing rivers. The worm's larvae migrating through the skin and eyes cause intense itching and skin changes, and repeated infection over years can lead to visual impairment and permanent blindness. It is a leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide, concentrated in parts of sub-Saharan Africa.