{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,7]],"date-time":"2025-10-07T00:38:17Z","timestamp":1759797497048,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":18,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,6]],"date-time":"2025-10-06T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1759708800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.mdpi.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["TropicalMed"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: An epidemiological survey of Onchocerca volvulus infection and onchocerciasis in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area, Enugu State, Nigeria, was undertaken to assess its distribution and risks among individuals in the area. Methods: A total of 201 residents who have lived in the study area for at least one year were recruited. At recruitment, they were examined using a rapid assessment method. Their demographic information and risk factors were obtained using a structured questionnaire. Results: The overall prevalence for onchocerciasis was 3.5% (7\/201). The prevalence of onchocerciasis was observed to be non-significantly (p = 0.689) different among the studied communities. The sex and age-related prevalence differences were non-significant (p &gt; 0.05); however, onchocerciasis was more prevalent among males and those between 30 and 39 years of age. The prevalence of onchocerciasis was higher (p = 0.001) among farmers\/fishermen. The significant risk associated with onchocerciasis is the proximity of the water body to houses (p = 0.034). Conclusions: The onchocerciasis prevalence was low and not dependent on sex or age but rather occupation. Risks to onchocerciasis are environmental and occupational, with chances of scaled up prevalence and burden overtime if unchecked. There is a need for awareness campaigning to enable proper education of the people about onchocerciasis in the area and neighboring communities.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/tropicalmed10100285","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,6]],"date-time":"2025-10-06T11:42:49Z","timestamp":1759750969000},"page":"285","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Epidemiology and Risks Survey of Onchocerca\u00a0volvulus Infection in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area, Enugu State, Nigeria"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"10","author":[{"given":"Ifeoma Esther","family":"Aniaku","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Parasitology and Public Health Unit, Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 410105, Enugu State, Nigeria"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Grace Chinenye","family":"Onyishi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Parasitology and Public Health Unit, Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 410105, Enugu State, Nigeria"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6012-4118","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Chigozie Godwin","family":"Nwosu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Parasitology and Public Health Unit, Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 410105, Enugu State, Nigeria"},{"name":"Kemak Foundation, Abakaliki 480261, Ebonyi State, Nigeria"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Godwin Ikechukwu","family":"Ngwu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Parasitology and Public Health Unit, Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 410105, Enugu State, Nigeria"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Chioma Janefrances","family":"Okeke","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Zoology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka 420007, Anambra State, Nigeria"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Uche Boniface","family":"Oraneli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Parasitology and Public Health Unit, Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 410105, Enugu State, Nigeria"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2893-5305","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Chidiebere Agha","family":"Otuu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Parasitology, Public Health and Epidemiology Unit, Department of Animal and Environmental Biology, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Oye 370112, Ekiti State, Nigeria"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Nicholas Arome","family":"Akobe","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Parasitology and Public Health Unit, Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 410105, Enugu State, Nigeria"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Augustine Uchechukwu","family":"Nnama","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Parasitology and Public Health Unit, Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 410105, Enugu State, Nigeria"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-9967-3393","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kyrian Ikenna","family":"Onah","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Parasitology and Public Health Unit, Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 410105, Enugu State, Nigeria"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,6]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Arora, D.R., and Arora, B.B. 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Parasitol."}],"container-title":["Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2414-6366\/10\/10\/285\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,6]],"date-time":"2025-10-06T12:23:50Z","timestamp":1759753430000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2414-6366\/10\/10\/285"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,6]]},"references-count":18,"journal-issue":{"issue":"10","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,10]]}},"alternative-id":["tropicalmed10100285"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/tropicalmed10100285","relation":{},"ISSN":["2414-6366"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2414-6366","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,6]]}}}