Human onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness, is a parasitic disease caused by the nematode Onchocerca volvulus, which is transmitted by black flies of the genus Simulium. Current estimates suggest that over 123 million people are at risk of infection in 38 endemic countries; at least 25.7 million of these people are infected, and 1 million are blinded or have severe visual impairment. About 99% of the cases exist in a sub-Saharan belt extending from Senegal to Ethiopia. The disease is also endemic in Yemen and six countries in Latin America. Recent reports estimated that > 102 million individuals are at risk of the disease in the 20 countries of the African Program of Onchocerciasis Control (APOC), including Sudan.

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