Ophthalmic Presentation of Onchocerca Nodules in a Nigerian Community

Abstract

This retrospective study reviewed the clinical and histopathological features of ophthalmic onchocerciasis. The 30-year laboratory records of all the patients of the Igbo ethnic group, whose surgical specimens were received at a Central Pathology Laboratory service in south-eastern Nigeria, West Africa, were reviewed. The cases with the histopathologic diagnosis of onchocerciasis involving ophthalmic tissues were obtained. The data analyzed included age at diagnosis, sex, location and size of specimen, clinical description of lesion and operative diagnosis. There were twenty patients. The male: female ratio was 2.3: 1. The ages ranged from 3 to 50 years, (mean 13 years). The nodule was present from birth in 2 (10.2%_ patients and was acquired in the rest. It occurred most commonly in the eyelid in 6 patients. There was diagnosis also commonly in terms of cyst rather than nodulation. Accordingly, onchocerca should be included in the differential diagnoses of lesions showing ophthalmic presentation even at birth–the time frame being in consonance with transplacental transmission.