1968 Case of Onchocerciasis (aka River Blindness)
In some cases of onchocerciasis, the reaction of the body to the bacteria that lives within the roundworm causes more than just sight problems. It can cause skin atrophy and degradation in many different forms. Erisipela de la costa is an acute phase of infection that causes facial swelling and intense itching; when children experience such symptoms, they can scratch so much that they literally rip away parts of their face, especially when the muscles and skin are already atrophied and brittle.