Onchocerciasis and dracunculosis.

Onchocerciasis is a disease of Africa and Central and South America. It produces severe skin disease and is a leading cause of blindness worldwide. Dracunculosis infection, caused by the guinea worm Dracunculosis medinensis, occurs in tropical Africa. Included in this article are discussions of the vector and transmission, pathology, immunology, diagnosis, and treatment of these two diseases.