Death to Onchocerciasis and Lymphatic Filariasis (DOLF) Project

Lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis, commonly known as river blindness, are two of the most debilitating neglected tropical diseases that afflict millions of people in low and middle-income countries. Both diseases are caused by parasitic worms and are transmitted through the bite of infected blackflies (onchocerciasis) and mosquitoes (lymphatic filariasis). These infections can lead to severe disabilities and stigmatizing conditions, such as elephantiasis for lymphatic filariasis and skin diseases or blindness for onchocerciasis. The Death to Onchocerciasis and Lymphatic Filariasis (DOLF) project is a concerted effort to combat these diseases. The main focus is to optimize drug therapies and create efficient strategies for mass drug administration, hoping to control and eventually eliminate these diseases.

淋巴丝虫病（Lymphatic filariasis）与盘尾丝虫病（onchocerciasis，俗称河盲症）是两类极具致残性的被忽视热带病，困扰着中低收入国家的数百万民众。两种疾病均由寄生虫引发，分别通过受感染的蚋（传播盘尾丝虫病）和蚊子（传播淋巴丝虫病）叮咬进行传播。此类感染可导致严重残疾与易遭污名化的病症：淋巴丝虫病可引发象皮肿（elephantiasis），盘尾丝虫病则可引发皮肤病变甚至失明。“根除盘尾丝虫病与淋巴丝虫病”（DOLF）项目是对抗这两类疾病的协同攻坚行动，其核心目标为优化药物治疗方案，并制定高效的大规模药物给药策略，以期实现对这两种疾病的管控并最终完成根除。