Of mice, cattle, and humans: the immunology and treatment of river blindness.

River blindness is a seriously debilitating disease caused by the filarial parasite Onchocerca volvulus, which infects millions in Africa as well as in South and Central America. Research has been hampered by a lack of good animal models, as the parasite can only develop fully in humans and some pri...

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Main Authors: Judith E Allen, Ohene Adjei, Odile Bain, Achim Hoerauf, Wolfgang H Hoffmann, Benjamin L Makepeace, Hartwig Schulz-Key, Vincent N Tanya, Alexander J Trees, Samuel Wanji, David W Taylor
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2008-04-01
Series:PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0000217&type=printable
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author Judith E Allen
Ohene Adjei
Odile Bain
Achim Hoerauf
Wolfgang H Hoffmann
Benjamin L Makepeace
Hartwig Schulz-Key
Vincent N Tanya
Alexander J Trees
Samuel Wanji
David W Taylor
author_facet Judith E Allen
Ohene Adjei
Odile Bain
Achim Hoerauf
Wolfgang H Hoffmann
Benjamin L Makepeace
Hartwig Schulz-Key
Vincent N Tanya
Alexander J Trees
Samuel Wanji
David W Taylor
author_sort Judith E Allen
collection DOAJ
description River blindness is a seriously debilitating disease caused by the filarial parasite Onchocerca volvulus, which infects millions in Africa as well as in South and Central America. Research has been hampered by a lack of good animal models, as the parasite can only develop fully in humans and some primates. This review highlights the development of two animal model systems that have allowed significant advances in recent years and hold promise for the future. Experimental findings with Litomosoides sigmodontis in mice and Onchocerca ochengi in cattle are placed in the context of how these models can advance our ability to control the human disease.
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1935-2735
language English
publishDate 2008-04-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
spelling doaj-art-9d1f33605a1b4e62a09a3c957b063a9e2025-08-20T01:59:56ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases1935-27271935-27352008-04-0124e21710.1371/journal.pntd.0000217Of mice, cattle, and humans: the immunology and treatment of river blindness.Judith E AllenOhene AdjeiOdile BainAchim HoeraufWolfgang H HoffmannBenjamin L MakepeaceHartwig Schulz-KeyVincent N TanyaAlexander J TreesSamuel WanjiDavid W TaylorRiver blindness is a seriously debilitating disease caused by the filarial parasite Onchocerca volvulus, which infects millions in Africa as well as in South and Central America. Research has been hampered by a lack of good animal models, as the parasite can only develop fully in humans and some primates. This review highlights the development of two animal model systems that have allowed significant advances in recent years and hold promise for the future. Experimental findings with Litomosoides sigmodontis in mice and Onchocerca ochengi in cattle are placed in the context of how these models can advance our ability to control the human disease.https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0000217&type=printable
spellingShingle Judith E Allen
Ohene Adjei
Odile Bain
Achim Hoerauf
Wolfgang H Hoffmann
Benjamin L Makepeace
Hartwig Schulz-Key
Vincent N Tanya
Alexander J Trees
Samuel Wanji
David W Taylor
Of mice, cattle, and humans: the immunology and treatment of river blindness.
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
title Of mice, cattle, and humans: the immunology and treatment of river blindness.
title_full Of mice, cattle, and humans: the immunology and treatment of river blindness.
title_fullStr Of mice, cattle, and humans: the immunology and treatment of river blindness.
title_full_unstemmed Of mice, cattle, and humans: the immunology and treatment of river blindness.
title_short Of mice, cattle, and humans: the immunology and treatment of river blindness.
title_sort of mice cattle and humans the immunology and treatment of river blindness
url https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0000217&type=printable
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