One in the eye for river blindness
It’s one of the greatest success stories in human health – a drug created from a product found in nature and given away freely to those who most need it, saving millions from debilitating blindness. Ian Farrell investigates the marvel of ivermectin
River blindness is a particularly nasty disease that affects some of the world’s poorest people. Also known as onchocerciasis, or Robles disease, it is most commonly found in parts of sub-Saharan Africa and South America and is caused by the nematode worm Onchocerca volvulus.The larvae of the nematode are spread by the bite of a specific type of black fly, but they are not ultimately responsible for the condition. It is actually parasitic bacteria Wolbachia pipientis, which live inside them in a symbiotic relationship, that cause the symptoms.
Fortunately, there is a treatment for river blindness – ivermectin, a drug developed by the pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. Ivermectin is thought to kill the microfilariae very gradually, avoiding the intense inflammatory response that occurs when they die naturally.
Ian Farrell investigates ivermectin, exploring its development and use, and discusses the achievable outcome of eradication of river blindness.
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