title: Orbital dirofilariasis.
abstract: Dirofilariasis is a parasitic disease of domestic and wild animals that occasionally may present as zoonotic infection in humans. The microfilariae are accidentally transmitted to humans by Culex and Aedes mosquitoes. Ophthalmic infections with Dirofilaria are well documented all over the world, including America, Europe and Australia. The infection may be periorbital, subconjunctival or intraocular. In this report a case is described of orbital dirofilariasis that presented as ptosis and lid swelling. Australian ophthalmologists should consider dirofilariasis as part of the differential diagnosis of orbital swelling and inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Ocular Plastics Unit, Prince of Wales Hospital, University of New South Wales, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Gavin J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Stringfellow
authors.forename: Ian C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Francis
authors.forename: Minas T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Coroneo
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001763:Blepharoptosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D004182:Dirofilaria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004184:Dirofilariasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000601:surgery; D015822:Eye Infections, Parasitic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000601:surgery; D005141:Eyelid Diseases / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009916:Orbital Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed