Nodding syndrome—a new hypothesis and new direction for research
Nodding syndrome (NS) is an unexplained neurological illness that mainly affects children aged between 5 and 15 years. NS has so far been reported from South Sudan, northern Uganda, and Tanzania, but in spite of extensive investigations, the aetiology remains unknown. We hypothesize that blackflies...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2014-10-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Infectious Diseases |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971214015793 |
| _version_ | 1818345833550053376 |
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| author | Robert Colebunders Adam Hendy Miriam Nanyunja Joseph Francis Wamala Marieke van Oijen |
| author_facet | Robert Colebunders Adam Hendy Miriam Nanyunja Joseph Francis Wamala Marieke van Oijen |
| author_sort | Robert Colebunders |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Nodding syndrome (NS) is an unexplained neurological illness that mainly affects children aged between 5 and 15 years. NS has so far been reported from South Sudan, northern Uganda, and Tanzania, but in spite of extensive investigations, the aetiology remains unknown. We hypothesize that blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) infected with Onchocerca volvulus microfilariae may also transmit another pathogen. This may be a novel neurotropic virus or an endosymbiont of the microfilariae, which causes not only NS, but also epilepsy without nodding. This hypothesis addresses many of the questions about NS that researchers have previously been unable to answer. An argument in favour of the hypothesis is the fact that in Uganda, the number of new NS cases decreased (with no new cases reported since 2013) after ivermectin coverage was increased and with the implementation of a programme of aerial spraying and larviciding of the large rivers where blackflies were breeding. If confirmed, our hypothesis will enable new strategies to control NS outbreaks. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T17:08:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-32547928ebea432db4381430d22b3311 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1201-9712 1878-3511 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T17:08:39Z |
| publishDate | 2014-10-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Infectious Diseases |
| spelling | doaj.art-32547928ebea432db4381430d22b33112022-12-21T23:37:37ZengElsevierInternational Journal of Infectious Diseases1201-97121878-35112014-10-0127C747710.1016/j.ijid.2014.08.001Nodding syndrome—a new hypothesis and new direction for researchRobert Colebunders0Adam Hendy1Miriam Nanyunja2Joseph Francis Wamala3Marieke van Oijen4Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, BelgiumDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, BelgiumWHO Uganda, Disease Prevention and Control, UgandaMinistry of Health, UgandaDepartment of Neurology, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, NetherlandsNodding syndrome (NS) is an unexplained neurological illness that mainly affects children aged between 5 and 15 years. NS has so far been reported from South Sudan, northern Uganda, and Tanzania, but in spite of extensive investigations, the aetiology remains unknown. We hypothesize that blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) infected with Onchocerca volvulus microfilariae may also transmit another pathogen. This may be a novel neurotropic virus or an endosymbiont of the microfilariae, which causes not only NS, but also epilepsy without nodding. This hypothesis addresses many of the questions about NS that researchers have previously been unable to answer. An argument in favour of the hypothesis is the fact that in Uganda, the number of new NS cases decreased (with no new cases reported since 2013) after ivermectin coverage was increased and with the implementation of a programme of aerial spraying and larviciding of the large rivers where blackflies were breeding. If confirmed, our hypothesis will enable new strategies to control NS outbreaks.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971214015793Nodding syndromeEpilepsyTanzaniaUgandaSouth SudanOnchocerciasisOnchocerca volvulusBlackflies |
| spellingShingle | Robert Colebunders Adam Hendy Miriam Nanyunja Joseph Francis Wamala Marieke van Oijen Nodding syndrome—a new hypothesis and new direction for research International Journal of Infectious Diseases Nodding syndrome Epilepsy Tanzania Uganda South Sudan Onchocerciasis Onchocerca volvulus Blackflies |
| title | Nodding syndrome—a new hypothesis and new direction for research |
| title_full | Nodding syndrome—a new hypothesis and new direction for research |
| title_fullStr | Nodding syndrome—a new hypothesis and new direction for research |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nodding syndrome—a new hypothesis and new direction for research |
| title_short | Nodding syndrome—a new hypothesis and new direction for research |
| title_sort | nodding syndrome a new hypothesis and new direction for research |
| topic | Nodding syndrome Epilepsy Tanzania Uganda South Sudan Onchocerciasis Onchocerca volvulus Blackflies |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971214015793 |
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