Following the migration of a Toxocara larva in the retina by optical coherence tomography and fluorescein angiography.
BACKGROUND
The Toxocara larva is known to migrate across the retina, but the layer in which it migrates and its effect on the retina has been unknown.


METHODS
An ocular Toxocara infection was diagnosed by an immunological test on a vitreous sample from a patient with a retinal lesion that had migrated. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) and fluorescein angiography (FA) were used in this investigation.


METHODS
Many small lesions were first detected in the peripheral retina, and vitrectomy was performed because of vitreous haze. Two peripapillary lesions were found during the vitrectomy. OCT of one lesion demonstrated a highly reflective mass located in the nerve fiber layer, and FA showed dye leakage from the lesion as well as hyperfluorescence of the disc. Three weeks later, another lesion was found in the macular area, and OCT and FA findings were the same as for the first lesions. Fluorescein leakage was also observed along the presumed path of the migrating larva.


CONCLUSIONS
The movement of the lesion from the peripapillary area to the macular area suggested that a Toxocara larva had migrated across the retina. OCT images indicated that the larva moved in the nerve fiber layer, and FA showed that it caused severe inflammation along its pathway.
Suzuki
Takashi
T
Department of Ophthalmology, Ehime University School of Medicine, Ehime, Japan. s-t-ishizuchi@orion.ocn.ne.jp
Joko
Takeshi
T
Akao
Nobuaki
N
Ohashi
Yuichi
Y
D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000032:analysis; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000276:immunology; D015822:Eye Infections, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D007814:Larva / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012160:Retina / Q000469:parasitology*; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D017166:Toxocara canis / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D014120:Toxocariasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*; D014821:Vitrectomy; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000276:immunology
D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D000947:Antigens, Helminth