What does Loiasis mean?
Reviewed on 3/29/2021. Loiasis: The disease caused by the eye worm known as loa loa, a parasite that lives in humans and other primates. People contract the parasite when bitten by infected deer flies. The larvae of the worm enter the bloodstream and later develop into adult worms.
Where is Loiasis found?
Loa loa parasites are found in West and Central Africa. Ten countries have areas where there are high rates of infection (i.e., where more than 40% of the people who live in that area report that they have had eye worm in the past). An estimated 14.4 million people live in these areas of high rates of infection.
What are the symptoms of Loiasis?
You may develop an eye worm that crawls across the surface of your eye. Sometimes you may see a worm that crawls under your skin. Less common symptoms include itching all over your body, muscle pain, joint pain, and fatigue.
What is Loa loa infection?
Loiasis is a filarial nematode infection with Loa loa. Symptoms include localized angioedema (Calabar swellings) in skin and subconjunctival migration of adult worms. Diagnosis is by detecting microfilariae in peripheral blood or seeing worms migrating across the eye. Treatment is with diethylcarbamazine.
What causes Loiasis?
Parasites – Loiasis Loiasis, called African eye worm by most people, is caused by the parasitic worm Loa loa. It is passed on to humans through the repeated bites of deerflies (also known as mango flies or mangrove flies) of the genus Chrysops.
Can Loiasis cause blindness?
L. loa is one of three parasitic filarial nematodes that cause subcutaneous filariasis in humans. The other two are Mansonella streptocerca and Onchocerca volvulus (causes river blindness)….
| Loa loa | |
|---|---|
| Loa loa microfilaria found in blood film. (Giemsa stain) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Nematoda |
How is Loiasis treated?
There are two medications that can be used to treat the infection and manage the symptoms. The treatment of choice is diethylcarbamazine (DEC), which kills the microfilariae and adult worms. Albendazole is sometimes used in patients who are not cured with multiple DEC treatments. It is thought to kill adult worms.
How do you get rid of Loiasis?
What is the incubation period of Loiasis?
Some cases have been reported in travellers and immigrants from endemic areas. Months to years of exposure are typically required to establish infection, although some cases have been reported after as little as four days of exposure.
How do you get Loiasis?
Loiasis, called African eye worm by most people, is caused by the parasitic worm Loa loa. It is passed on to humans through the repeated bites of deerflies (also known as mango flies or mangrove flies) of the genus Chrysops.
What is the pathophysiology of loiasis?
[ 9] Loiasis is caused by infection with L loa (tissue nematode) parasites transmitted by Chrysops flies (commonly known as the mango fly or mangrove fly). The adult L loa worm can migrate across the subconjunctiva of the human eye, giving rise to the worm’s colloquial name, “African eye worm.”
What is Loa loiasis?
Loiasis, commonly known as “African eye worm,” is an infectious disease caused by the nematode Loa loa, which is transmitted to humans via the bite from one of two female Chrysops deerfly species: Chrysops silacea and Chrysops dimidiata.
What is the pathophysiology of Loa loa disease?
A chronic disease caused by infestation of the subcutaneous connective tissue of the body with the worm Loa loa and characterized by hyperemia, exudation of fluid, and a creeping sensation in the tissues with intense itching.
What is the meaning of loaiasis?
Also loaiasis. n. A chronic disease caused by infestation of the subcutaneous connective tissue of the body with the worm Loa loa and characterized by hyperemia, exudation of fluid, and a creeping sensation in the tissues with intense itching.