POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION FOR DETECTING ONCHOCERCA-VOLVULUS IN POOLS OF BLACKFLIES

The detection of Onchocerca volvulus infected simuliids or blackflies is routinely done by dissection and microscopic examination of individ ual flies, but this method is tedious and time consuming. Here we desc ribe a method of detecting single O. volvulus infected blackflies in p ools of uninfected blackflies. Using a PCR with Onchocerca specific pr imers it is possible to reproducibly detect one heavily infected black fly in a pool of 80 flies, or to detect one blackfly inoculated with o ne microfilaria in a pool of 20 flies. With the method described large numbers of blackflies can be rapidly screened for the presence of O. volvulus infected flies.