盘尾丝虫是引起盘尾丝虫病(河盲症)的病原体。盘尾丝虫病流行于非洲撒哈拉以南地区以及美洲南部与中部的几个地区。非洲西部热带雨林株和非洲西部草原生物气象株(bioclimes),在引起宿主眼疾能力上有差异。最近临床和动物模型基础上的研究表明,眼丝虫病的产生与特异的宿主抗原有关,提示:致盲与非致盲的盘尾丝虫的致病力可以反映在寄生虫某些特定抗原的质的差别上,这些 Onchocerciasis is the causative agent causing onchocerciasis (river blindness). Onchocerciasis is endemic in parts of sub-Saharan Africa and in the southern and central Americas. Tropical rainforest strains in western Africa and bioclimes in western Africa differ in their ability to cause eye disease in their hosts. Recent studies based on clinical and animal models indicate that the occurrence of eye filariasis is associated with specific host antigens, suggesting that the virulence of blinded and non-blinded Onchocerciasis may be reflected in the presence of certain parasites specific antigens The qualitative difference, these