Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0235394 (wasting)
 8,040 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

In many areas of Africa where human onchocerciasis is endemic there are now programmes for mass treatment with ivermectin (Mectizan), to eliminate the disease as a public-health problem. To determine whether those with epilepsy and/or growth-retardation syndromes (GRS) should be excluded from such mass drug administrations, literature searches of the standard biomedical databases were performed for all relevant articles published in English or French before January 2003. Cross-referencing and the retrieving of articles recommended by experts completed the search. The literature review revealed that there is insufficient evidence for an association between onchocerciasis and epilepsy or GRS. Since ivermectin does not normally cross the blood-brain barrier, the drug is unlikely to have direct pro- or anti-convulsive activity. Furthermore, an estimated 1-2 million epileptics in Africa have been treated with ivermectin, in onchocerciasis-control programmes, without any reports of serious adverse events (SAE) to the passive surveillance system for such events. As there are few data on the prevalence of GRS in Africa, it is difficult to estimate the number of GRS cases who have been treated with ivermectin or the incidence of ivermectin-related SAE among such cases. Epileptics should not be excluded from mass treatments with ivermectin unless they are actively seizing or postictal. Although those with GRS associated with chronic wasting, with or without epilepsy, should be excluded, they should be eligible for clinic-based treatment if the diagnosis of onchocerciasis is confirmed and the benefits of treatment are deemed to outweigh any potential risks.
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PMID:Mass treatment of onchocerciasis with ivermectin: should people with epilepsy and/or growth-retardation syndromes be excluded? 1503 20

Nodding Syndrome (NS) is a childhood neurological disorder characterized by atonic seizures, cognitive decline, school dropout, muscle weakness, thermal dysfunction, wasting and stunted growth. There are recent published information suggesting associations between Nodding Syndrome (NS) with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) VGKC antibodies and serum leiomidin-1 antibody cross reacting with Onchocerca Volvulus (OV). These findings suggest a neuro-inflammatory cause of NS and they are important findings in the search for the cause of Nodding Syndrome. These observations perhaps provide further, the unique explanation for the association between Nodding Syndrome and Onchocerca Volvulus. Many clinical and epidemiological studies had shown a significant correlation between NS and infestation with a nematode, Onchocerca volvulus which causes a disease, Onchocerciasis, some of which when left untreated can develop visual defect ("River Blindness"). While these studies conducted in Northern Uganda and Southern Sudan indicate a statistically significant association with (OV infection (using positive skin snips), we observe that (OV is generally endemic in many parts of Sub Saharan Africa and Latin America and that to date, no NS cases have been recorded in those regions. This letter to the Editor is to provide additional information on the current view about the relationship between Nodding Syndrome and Onchocerca Volvulus as seen in Northern Uganda.
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PMID:Nodding syndrome (NS) and Onchocerca Volvulus (OV) in Northern Uganda. 2913 47