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Health Check: Mystery of Nodding Syndrome Revealed

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A child is given a tablet against river blindness, caused by a parasitic worm and spread by the bite of an infected blackfly.

2017/02/22 GMT

Mystery of Nodding Syndrome Revealed

BBC World Service - Health Check, Mystery of Nodding Syndrome Revealed

Epilepsy caused by parasitic worm behind nodding syndrome mystery.

Epilepsy caused by parasitic worm behind nodding syndrome mystery; America’s salad bowl workers with poor diets; mental health screening  doesn’t help military personnel.

A mysterious condition which causes children to nod uncontrollably has baffled doctors for years.  A Belgian researcher has now linked nodding syndrome – a type of epilepsy – to river blindness which is spread by black flies. The flies – which are found in South Sudan and northern Uganda - infect people with worms. The condition can be treated to avoid the disabling symptoms caused by the worms. 

After any conflict a small proportion of military personnel are so affected by what they have witnessed, that they develop mental health difficulties. Countries such as the United States, Australia and the Netherlands routinely screen staff after deployment to see who might benefit from help. A British study using military personnel from after a stint in Afghanistan looked at whether having screening makes a difference - and the results were surprising. 

A fertile part of California – known as the “salad bowl” of America – is where many of the country’s vegetables are grown. But the healthy harvest doesn’t end up on the plates of those who work the fields of Las Salinas.  Many of the workers have Type 2 Diabetes because of their poor diets and unhealthy lifestyles. Beatriz Diaz speaks to the people who are trying to tackle this health paradox.  

(Image:  A child is given a tablet against river blindness, caused by a parasitic worm and spread by the bite of an infected blackfly.
Image credit: Issouf Sanogo / AFP / Getty Images)

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