Abstract
To quantify the sensitivity of skin snips for the diagnosis of onchocerciasis, data collected over a 2 year period from 261 Liberians, 12-60 years of age, were examined. The overall sensitivity of 6 snips per person was estimated to be 91.6%. When the microfilariae density was greater than or equal to 3.5 microfilariae/mg skin, there were no false negatives. At lower microfilaria densities, the sensitivity declined markedly. Furthermore, it was found that smaller and lighter snips were more likely to be classified as being falsely negative. The load of infection at the community level may be reduced after intervention strategies, such as vector control or community-based chemotherapy. Interpretation of the impact of these programs on the prevalence of infection should take into account the lower sensitivity of the skin snips at lower levels of infection.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
