How To Spot Onchocerciasis

Patchy Skin Depigmentation

When the skin irritations and nodules of onchocerciasis occur, they may be caused by the response of the body to the dying or dead blackfly larvae, which create seriously itchy skin. No matter what treatment is used or how hard an infected individual tries, they are bound to scratch their severely itchy skin, which may lead to skin damage. This skin damage, in turn, may cause a leopard-like appearance of the skin, skin color change, skin thinning, and damage to the elastic tissue that causes the skin to appear like cigarette paper. Constant damage due to itching and scratching remains the primary cause of skin damage and patchy skin depigmentation.

Learn about more symptoms of onchocerciasis now.