Table 5. Microfilaria in the anterior chamber of the eye, the cornea, and puctate and sclerosing keratitis in onchocerciasis patients (n = 82) post ivermectin treatment. Differences were evaluated using Pearson's chi-square test.
| right EYE | left EYE | |||||
| before ivermectin | 4 years PIT$ | 23 years PIT | before ivermectin | 4 years PIT | 23 years PIT | |
| Microfilaria (MF) in the anterior chamber of the eye (MFAC) | ||||||
| MF Absent (in %) | 37 (45) | 54 (66) | 78 (95)** | 47 (57) | 64 (78) | 80 (98)** |
| Impossible to examine (in %) | 2 (2) | 4 (5) | 4 (5) | 1 (1) | 2 (2) | 2 (2) |
| MFAC >20 (in %) | 1 (1) | 1 (1) | 0 | 1 (1) | 1 (1) | 0 |
| MFAC 1–10 (in %) | 40 (49) | 20 (24) | 0*** | 30 (37) | 14 (17) | 0*** |
| MFAC 11–20 (in %) | 2 (2) | 3 (4) | 0 | 3 (4) | 1 (1) | 0 |
| Dead microfilaria (MF) in the cornea (DMFC) | ||||||
| MF Absent (in %) | 60 (73) | 71 (87) | 79 (96) | 69 (84) | 74 (90) | 80 (98) |
| Impossible to examine (in %) | 2 (2) | 3 (4) | 3 (4) | 1 (1) | 2 (2) | 2 (2) |
| DMFC 1–10 (in %) | 20 (24) | 8 (10) | 0** | 12 (15) | 6 (7) | 0** |
| Punctate Keratitis | ||||||
| Absent (in %) | 44 (54) | 20 (24) | 80 (98)*** | 47(57) | 26 (32) | 80 (98)*** |
| Impossible to examine (in %) | 1(1) | 2 (2) | 2 (2) | 1 (1) | 1 (1) | 2 (2) |
| Number of Lesions 1–10 (in %) | 36 (44) | 59 (72) | 0*** | 33 (40) | 50 (61) | 0*** |
| Number of Lesions 11–20 (%) | 1 (1) | 1 (1) | 0 | 1 (1) | 5 (6) | 0 |
| Sclerosing Keratitis (SK) | ||||||
| Absent (in %) | 74 (90) | 58 (71) | 75 (92) | 73 (89) | 60 (73) | 77(94) |
| Impossible to examine (in %) | 0 | 2 (2) | 2 (2) | 0 | 1 (1) | 2 (2) |
| SK advanced (in %) | 2 (2) | 1 (1) | 1 (1) | 1 (1) | 0 | 0 |
| SK in evolution (in %) | 6 (7) | 21 (26) | 4 (5)* | 8 (10) | 21 (26) | 3 (4)* |
$
PIT = post initial treatment.
*p<0.001 compared to 4 years PIT;
**p<0.001 compared to before ivermectin;
***p<0.0001 compared to before ivermectin and 4 years PIT.