title: Conjunctivitis caused by Thelazia callipaeda infestation in a woman.
abstract: Thelazia is a nematode (Spirurida) that can parasitize the mammalian conjunctival sac. This is the first reported case of ocular. Thelazia callipaeda infestation in Taiwan. A 41-year-old woman experienced swelling, itching sensation and occasional blurred vision of the right eye 2 weeks after a small group of flies swarmed her eye while she was hiking. Her symptoms were first misdiagnosed as allergic conjunctivitis at a local medical clinic. During her first visit to our outpatient department, five white thread-like living worms were discovered on the superior and inferior fornices. The worms were cream-colored, slender and approximately 1 cm in length. Follicular and papillary conjunctivitis was noted in her right eye. After removing the worms, the symptoms resolved and no other worms were found in the following 2 months. This case is a remainder to physicians that parasitic infestation should be included in the differential diagnoses of ocular itching, conjunctivities, and blurred vision after insect contact.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Chun-Shan Medical and Dental College Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: W K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D003231:Conjunctivitis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017205:Spirurida Infections / Q000150:complications*; D013802:Thelazioidea