Onchocerciasis, commonly known as river blindness, is a neglected tropical disease that causes severe itching, disfiguring skin conditions and visual impairment.
It can lead to permanent blindness and there is strong evidence that onchocerciasis directly or indirectly induces epilepsy.
As a neglected tropical disease, river blindness is listed among a diverse group of conditions caused by a variety of pathogens and associated with devastating health, social and economic consequences.
