onchocerciasis

noun

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on·cho·cer·ci·a·sis | \ ˌäŋ-kō-ˌsər-ˈkī-ə-səs

, ˌäŋ-kə- \

plural onchocerciases\ ˌäŋ-kō-ˌsər-ˈkī-ə-ˌsēz

, ˌäŋ-kə- \

Definition of onchocerciasis

: infestation with or disease caused by filarial worms (genus Onchocerca) especially : a human disease marked by subcutaneous nodules, dermatitis, and visual impairment and caused by a worm (O. volvulus) found in Africa and tropical America which is transmitted by the bite of a female blackfly

— called also river blindness

Examples of onchocerciasis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The century-old suramin, currently used to treat African sleeping sickness and river blindness (onchocerciasis), has also gotten some traction as a potential Covid-19 treatment. — Joshua Cohen, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2022 River blindness, also known as onchocerciasis, is the second leading cause of preventable blindness in the world. — Jeffrey R. Aeschlimann, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2021 Doctors have prescribed ivermectin for humans to treat parasitic worm diseases like intestinal strongyloidiasis and onchocerciasis. — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2021 During the first 10 years of the program, ivermectin was donated for use against river blindness (onchocerciasis). — Joshua Cohen, Forbes, 29 Aug. 2021 The claim that ivermectin causes infertility traces back to a flawed 2011 Nigerian study, in which researchers analyzed 37 men with onchocerciasis. — Mckenzie Sadeghi, USA TODAY, 15 Sep. 2021 Firstly, the research looked at 385 patients with onchocerciasis, but ultimately decided to only enroll 37 of them in the study, excluding a whopping 90% of potential participants due to initial low sperm counts. — Victoria Forster, Forbes, 11 Sep. 2021 The drug is available with a prescription to treat head lice, onchocerciasis (river blindness) and other ailments in humans. — Jake Zuckerman And Terry Demio, USA TODAY, 30 Aug. 2021 It’s used in humans to treat head lice, onchocerciasis (river blindness) and other ailments. — Jake Zuckerman And Terry Demio, The Enquirer, 30 Aug. 2021 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'onchocerciasis.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for onchocerciasis

New Latin Onchocerca, genus of filarial worms (from oncho-, probably erroneously for onco-, from Greek ónkos "barb of an arrow" + -o- -o- + -kerka, feminine of -kerkos "having a tail [of the kind specified]," adjective derivative of kérkos "tail") + -iasis — more at angle entry 2, cercus

Note: The genus Onchocerca was introduced by the Austrian zoologist Karl Moriz Diesing (1800-67) in a brief Latin description of the worm Onchocerca reticulata appended to an article by J. Hermann, "Trichina, bei einem Pferde gefunden," Oesterreichische medicinische Wochenschrift, 1841, no. 9 (February 27), p. 199-200. Diesing's coinage is presumed to mean "hook-tailed," on the assumption that his oncho- is a mistake for onco-, but nothing in the description renders this self-evident. Perhaps the reference is to the spicule (copulatory organ) of the male.

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Dictionary Entries Near onchocerciasis

onchium

onchocerciasis

Oncicola

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“Onchocerciasis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/onchocerciasis. Accessed 4 Jul. 2022.

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More Definitions for onchocerciasis

onchocerciasis

noun

on·cho·cer·ci·a·sis | \ ˌäŋ-kō-ˌsər-ˈkī-ə-səs

plural onchocerciases\ -ˌsēz

Medical Definition of onchocerciasis

: infestation with or disease caused by filarial worms of the genus Onchocerca especially : a human disease marked by subcutaneous nodules, dermatitis, and visual impairment that is caused by a worm (O. volvulus) found in Africa and tropical America and transmitted by the bite of a female blackfly

— called also onchocercosis, river blindness

— see craw-craw