From the Guidelines
Onchocerciasis is a major endemic infection found in Eritrea, as it is one of the countries in Africa where the disease is prevalent 1.
Endemic Infections in Eritrea
- Onchocerciasis: a vector-borne parasitic neglected tropical disease (NTD) caused by the filarial nematode Onchocerca volvulus, transmitted through the bite of black flies of the genus Simulium 1.
Challenges in Elimination Efforts
- Technical and financial challenges, including inadequate funding, lack of trained field entomologists, and limited access to quality-assured laboratory facilities and diagnostic tools 1.
- Uncoordinated cross-border elimination efforts, with shared transmission zones across national borders and seasonal population migration contributing to sustained transmission of infection 1.
Recommendations for Accelerating Elimination
- Establishing a measurable threshold to identify the status of local transmission in hypoendemic areas, using tools such as the Ov-16 serological test 1.
- Implementing complete elimination mapping in previously untreated or hypoendemic areas, and following the progress of elimination efforts 1.
- Providing incentives to community volunteers, such as community-directed distributors (CDDs), to keep them motivated and performing their job effectively 1.
From the Research
Endemic Infections in Eritrea
- Trachoma is an endemic infection in Eritrea, with significant progress made in its elimination from 2006 to 2024 through the Surgery, Antibiotics, Facial Cleanliness and Environmental Improvement (SAFE) strategy 2
- Melioidosis, caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, is likely endemic in Eritrea, with a confirmed case reported in an Eritrean patient in Israel 3
- Visceral Leishmaniasis is endemic in the western states of Eritrea, although it is rare in the city of Asmara 4
- Foot-and-mouth disease virus serotype O, C, and SAT1 are the most dominant serotypes in Eritrea, with the disease being endemic in the country 5
Impact of Endemic Infections
- Endemic infections, such as malaria and helminthiases, may influence mucosal and systemic immunology, potentially impacting HIV susceptibility in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Eritrea 6