01580nas a2200349   4500000000100000008004100001260000900042653001000051653001100061653001000072653001100082653001900093653001100112653000800123653000900131653001900140653001600159653001900175653002700194653001500221653003200236653003000268100001200298700002200310700001200332700001500344245012500359300001000484490000700494520071500501022001401216       1993                            d  c199310aAdult10aBiopsy10aCongo10aFemale10aHealth Surveys10aHumans10aLeg10aMale10aMass Screening10aMiddle Aged10aonchocerciasis10aPigmentation Disorders10aPrevalence10aSensitivity and Specificity10aSeverity of Illness Index1 aCarme B1 aNtsoumou-Madzou V1 aSamba Y1 aYebakima A00aPrevalence of depigmentation of the shins: a simple and cheap way to screen for severe endemic onchocerciasis in Africa.  a755-80 v713 a<p>The prevalence of skin depigmentation in the pretibial region is closely correlated in the adult Congolese population with conventional indices (microfilarial index, mean microfilarial density, cyst index) for the evaluation of endemic onchocerciasis. Individuals over 15 years of age in endemic villages who had a microfilarial index of 80-90%, had a cystic index of 60-70% and a pretibial depigmentation index about 20% (30-40% for individuals aged > 50 years). Thus, in Africa, this new evaluation index offers a simple, noninvasive, quick and cheap way to identify areas where the level of endemic onchocerciasis is probably high and which are likely to benefit from an anti-onchocerciasis campaign.</p>  a0042-9686