Human blindness-causing blackflies found in Darjeeling: Study
Blackflies, carriers of the worm Onchocerca volvulus that causes human blindness, have been found in rivers in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts of West Bengal, according to a Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) study. Researchers used DNA barcoding to identify the species. The blood-sucking flies bite humans, releasing worms that travel through the bloodstream to the eyes, causing blindness.