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Introduction Onchocerciasis is the most important cause of blindness in various areas of Africa and Latin America (1). Estimates indicate that more than 95% of onchocerciasis-infected persons, including those with [...], In a forest-savanna mosaic zone of south-eastern Nigeria endemic for onchocerciasis, we identified eye disorders in 65.5% of a randomly selected population sample. Onchocerciasis-related eye disease was present in 13.7% of the study sample and constituted 21% of the total number of eye disorders. A total of 78 (33.2%) of 235 subjects with visual impairment had onchocerciasis-related eye lesions, and of 35 who were blind in both eyes, onchocerciasis-induced eye disease was the cause in 28 (80%). The prevalence of bilateral blindness from all causes in the study area was 4.1%, while that from onchocerciasis-related causes was 3.3%. The commonest onchocerciasis-induced lesions that were responsible for visual impairment and blindness were choroidoretinitis and optic nerve disease. Sclerosing keratitis, an important causative lesion in onchocerciasis-endemic savanna regions, was encountered only once. Eye disease is therefore an important feature of onchocerciasis in the forest-savanna mosaic areas of Nigeria and should be borne in mind when planning and executing control programmes.

Waardenburg syndrome type 2 in a Turkish family: implications for the importance of the pattern of fundus pigmentation EDITOR,--Waardenburg syndrome (WS) is a typical auditory pigmentary syndrome with affected individuals [...]

Leishmaniasis is a protozoan infection transmitted to humans from animals such as rodents, dogs, cats or other humans, through the bite of the female sand fly. Infection usually involves the skin, nose and pharynx. The disease is usually found in tropical and warm climate areas of Central and South America, Africa, the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and India. The most common form of the infection is Oriental sore, an ulcerating, chronic nodular skin lesion. Leishmaniasis of the eyelid is not common; the blinking movements of the eye are thought to prevent the fly from biting the eyelid. Leishmaniasis may be treated by control of any associated infection, and either direct treatment to the lesion or system-wide treatment with antimony and cryotherapy (use of cold to destroy tissue). A case is presented of a 46-year-old white woman who developed a lesion on her upper eyelid while visiting Yemen on the Arabian peninsula. Since her teenage years, the woman had a history of bilateral eyelid drooping with almost total absence of eyelid muscle function. Within four weeks, the eyelid lesion enlarged, the entire eyelid became swollen, and a small ulcer developed. She was treated with antibiotics without result, and was referred to a dermatologist for suspected Oriental sore. Biopsy revealed leishmaniasis. Treatment with sodium stibogluconate was successful, with ulcer healing and resolution of the eyelid edema. Leishmaniasis should be considered a possible diagnosis for patients with eyelid ulcers, abscesses, or nodules if the patient has visited or traveled to areas were this infection common. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)