Abstract
The Onchocerciasis Vaccine for Africa--TOVA--Initiative.
Highlights
New supportive health intervention technologies, including a vaccine, may be required in order to achieve onchocerciasis (river blindness) elimination targets
Turner et al have recently pointed out that success in achieving onchocerciasis elimination would require irreversible reductions in O. volvulus microfilariae production by 30–35% following each annual round of ivermectin [9]
The development and implementation of new tools may be required if we are to ensure onchocerciasis elimination. Such products could be used to potentiate or enhance the efficiency of ivermectin treatments and address the identified deficiencies of current mass drug administration (MDA) programming. Examples of such products include the use of moxidectin in MDA programmes inasmuch as its effect in suppressing microfilaria production for prolonged periods [11]; the development of a macrofilaricidal drug or an antibiotic that targets adult parasite bacterial endosymbionts [12]; the development of a new diagnostic for loiasis infection with improved sensitivity and specificity; and the development of a prophylactic and/or therapeutic onchocerciasis vaccine [13]
Summary
New supportive health intervention technologies, including a vaccine, may be required in order to achieve onchocerciasis (river blindness) elimination targets. A new transatlantic partnership has been established to develop and test an onchocerciasis vaccine for Africa.
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