Human ocular angiostrongyliasis: a literature review

Human ocular angiostrongyliasis caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection in the eye is a very rare condition. Until now, there has been no comprehensive analysis of this disease. We searched and analysed the references found on the Internet that refer to human ocular angiostrongyliasis and reviewed the aetiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, epidemiology and treatment of the condition. Twenty-six references were found reporting 35 patients from 10 countries that were diagnosed with human ocular angiostrongyliasis. People are usually infected by eating raw or undercooked intermediate hosts of the parasite such as snails or contaminated vegetables. The most common symptom was visual loss. Although several treatments have been used, ocular angiostrongyliasis can still result in permanent visual impairment and may even cause blindness. As the eye is the site of infection and direct visualization is possible, ocular examination is crucial for diagnosis. The therapeutic success depended on early and complete surgical removal.