Can river blindness be eliminated?
A microsimulation model for onchocerciasis transmission found that control strategies based exclusively on mass treatment with ivermectin could eliminate the disease. However, results for different treatment intervals, coverage levels and precontrol endemicities showed that with some combinations control programmes would have to continue for over 35 years. Reduction of the treatment interval from 12 to 6 months can halve the completion time of the programme. Child mortality in São Paulo São Paulo has nearly 10 million inhabitants, and life expectancy at birth there has risen from 56.7 years in 1980 to 70.0 years in 1997. The mortality rate among children aged 12 60 months dropped by almost 30% between 1980 and 1998. Most of the decline occurred during the 1980s. Time series and spatial data analysis indicate factors affecting child survival, and where intervention is needed most. Ascariasis in the Islamic Republic of Iran Mass treatment against infection with Ascarasis helminths in dev
