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| WORM LIKE CREATURE REMOVED FROM EYE |
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PARASITE REMOVED FROM THE EYEBALL OF A YOUNG
N, NOT FOR THE SCREAMISH!Loa Loa worms (also
known as the "eye worm") are classified as
filarial worms, meaning they thrive in human
tissue. The Loa Loa worm is also called the
"eye worm" because they often migrate through
the eye and surrounding subsurface areas. At
one time, prior to the 1920s, loa loa worm
infections occurred in the United States.
Today, however, they mainly infect people who
are native to Sudan, and those who live in or
near Central and West Africa's swamps and
rain forests.
Loiasis is the infestation of loa loa worms
in humans. The larvae are first collected
from an infected individual when a mango fly
(horsefly) or a deer fly bites the
individual, and acquires the larvae. The
larvae then progress through the fly's body,
finally reaching the feeding tube. They are
then transferred to a human host when the fly
bites the human. The larvae may remain
unnoticed for months or years before becoming
an adult, mating, and producing offspring.
Adult female Loa Loa worms can reach a length
of 2 1/2 inches while males are approximately
half that size. Loa Loa worms can live
approximately fifteen years inside their
human hosts. They travel continuously through
connective and deep tissue, often without the
victim experiencing any sensation other than
occasional itching.
It is when the worm slows or reaches a
sensitive spot that a person will often feel
the greatest discomfort. At this point,
immune reactions may also include localized
redness and a condition called "Calabar"
swelling. Skin eruptions and muscle pain may
be evident.
When the Loa Loa worm reaches the eye tissue,
it can be easily seen and felt within the
eyeball for up to an hour. It is usually
removed under local anesthesia if the patient
is within proximity of a qualified physician.
When an adult worm dies, the surrounding
tissue may abscess and require excision.
Encephalitis can occur if the worm reaches
the brain.
After mating, the female will deposit eggs -
called microfilariae. These tiny organisms
then travel in a worm-like fashion in the
bloodstream during daytime hours, when
potential host flies are most abundant. They
congregate in the lungs at night.
A Loa Loa worm infection is rarely fatal and
treatments often cause more life-threatening
side effects than the actual infestation,
especially if the worms are widespread. The
most common treatments are DEC
(diethylcarbamazine) and Ivermectin
Tags : EYE WORM PARASITE CREATURE GROSS |
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Affichage : 911041
Durée : 95 s |
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