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Loa loa (Eye worm)

Loa loa (Eye worm)

Parasitology

Ectoparasites

Pediculus humanus and Phthirus pubis (Lice)
Sarcoptes scabiei (Scabies)

Protozoa

Acanthamoeba
Naegleria fowleri (Primary amebic meningoencephalitis)
Toxoplasma gondii (Toxoplasmosis)
Cryptosporidium
Entamoeba histolytica (Amebiasis)
Giardia lamblia
Babesia
Plasmodium species (Malaria)
Leishmania
Trichomonas vaginalis
Trypanosoma brucei
Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas disease)

Worms

Diphyllobothrium latum
Echinococcus granulosus (Hydatid disease)
Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus
Angiostrongylus (Eosinophilic meningitis)
Anisakis
Ascaris lumbricoides
Enterobius vermicularis (Pinworm)
Guinea worm (Dracunculiasis)
Loa loa (Eye worm)
Onchocerca volvulus (River blindness)
Strongyloides stercoralis
Toxocara canis (Visceral larva migrans)
Trichinella spiralis
Trichuris trichiura (Whipworm)
Wuchereria bancrofti (Lymphatic filariasis)
Clonorchis sinensis
Paragonimus westermani
Schistosomes

Key Takeaways

Loa loa is a filarial tissue nematode or roundworm, transmitted by deer fly, mango fly, or the horsefly. Loa loa worm is known as the eye worm as sometimes it's seen crawling in the patient's conjunctiva. Other symptoms include non-erythematous skin lesions known as calabar swellings, skin irritation, conjunctivitis, joint inflammation.

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Flashcards

Loa loa (Eye worm)

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Questions

USMLE® Step 1 style questions USMLE

0 of 1 complete

A 35-year-old man comes to the physician for evaluation of irritation in the left eye. He returned from a trip to the Ivory Coast 3 months ago. Temperature is 37.0°C (98.6°F), blood pressure is 115/83 mmHg, and pulse is 79/min. On physical examination, the left eyelid appears swollen. Slit-lamp examination reveals a transparent worm in the conjunctiva of the left eye. Which of the following is the most likely mode of transmission of this worm to the patient?