River Blindness (Noun)
Meaning
Infestation with slender threadlike roundworms (filaria) deposited under the skin by the bite of black fleas; when the eyes are involved it can result in blindness; common in Africa and tropical America.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural processes.
Examples
- The local health clinic reported an increased incidence of river blindness among children who spent most of their summer days playing in the contaminated waters.
- River blindness had been a persistent problem in the region, exacerbated by the lack of access to clean water and sanitation.
- After traveling to West Africa, the doctor noticed an alarming number of cases of river blindness among the villagers.
- The organization launched a campaign to eradicate river blindness by distributing insecticide-treated bed nets and conducting mass treatment programs.
- Researchers made a breakthrough in the treatment of river blindness with the discovery of a new medication that targeted the filarial parasites.