© Science and Education Publishing DOI:10.12691/ajidm-2-2-3 The Prevalence and Distribution of Human Onchocerciasis in Two Senatorial Districts in Ebonyi

Abstract Background: There has been a recent increase in the number of human Onchocerciasis cases in hospitals in Ebonyi Central. This study therefore sets out to determine the prevalence of the disease in Ebonyi North and Central Senatorial Zones of Ebonyi State as well as determine the age groups and sex most affected. Methods: This study was carried out in Ebonyi North and Central Senatorial Zones of Ebonyi State between January 2011 and April 2012, among subjects of 20-59 years. Diagnosis was by skin examination for onchocercal lesions, ocular examination for ocular lesion and parasitological examination for the presence of microfilariae of Onchocerca volvulus in skin biopsies and adult filariae in excised nodules. Results: Out of the 250 persons randomly examined in each zone, 82 (32.8%) persons in Ebonyi Central zone comprising of 60 (38.7%) males and 22 (23.1%) females were found positive for Onchocerca volvulus while 73 (29.2%) persons in Ebonyi North Zone comprising 48 (32.0%) males and 25 (25.0%) females. Chi-square test shows that male subjects had significantly higher diseases prevalence (p < 0.05) than their female counterparts in the two zones but combined prevalence among male and female do no