ACTA FAC MED NAISS 2014;31(3):171-176

Review article

UDC:617.7-002:616.993

DOI:10.2478/afmnai-2014-0021

Thelazia Callipaeda and Eye Infections

Suzana Otašević^1,3, Marija Trenkić Božinović², Aleksandar Tasić³, Aleksandar Petrović⁴, Vladimir Petrović⁴

¹University of Niš, Faculty of Medicine, Department for Microbiology and Immunology, Serbia

²Clinic of Ophthalmology, Clinical Centre Niš, Serbia

³Public Health Institute Niš, Serbia

⁴University of Niš, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Histology and Embriology, Serbia


SUMMARY

Eye infections can be caused by metazoans - helminths and for long this parasitosis was believed to spread only in tropical regions of the world. Lately, mostly subconjunctival infections of adults or immature forms of D. repens, which is nematoda-filaria of canids, have been described and the man is just an accidental host. The genus Thelazia (Spirurida, Thelaziidae) comprises a cosmopolitan group of eye worm spirurids responsible for eye infections of domestic and wild animals and humans, carried by different kinds of flies. Nematodes localized in the conjunctival space, lacrimal canals and surrounding ocular tissues of humans can cause symptoms from mild to very serious and severe ones if not treated. The chief aim of this paper was to describe the morphological characteristics, life cycle, prevalence and clinical significance of Thelazia spp. as a parasite of the eye. To ensure the diagnosis of thelasiosis and appropriate treatment, it is necessary to have continuing medical reports and increase the awareness of this infection.

Key words: Thelazia spp., vector-born zoonosis, eye infections