The Fight Against Loiasis: CERMEL and BNITM Partners Discuss Ways Forward on ÖRF Podcast

Loiasis, also known as Loa loa or eye worm disease, affects more than 20 million people worldwide. Despite its potentially severe consequences, this neglected tropical disease was not seriously considered or treated for a long time.

In this (German-language) podcast, Laura Salm-Reifferscheidt and the Austrian national public broadcaster ÖRF report on the disease and the work being done by practitioners on-site. Specifically, eWHORM partners CERMEL and BNITM discuss the challenges in combating this disease from scientific, medical, and societal perspectives.

Rella Zoleko-Manego from CERMEL highlights the societal challenges, noting that cultural factors often lead to reluctance to provide blood samples, necessitating more time and educational efforts. Meanwhile, Michael Ramharter from BNITM emphasises the complications the disease brings to patients, as symptoms are not always visible.