Ocular thelaziosis: A case report of an emerging zoonosis

To describe an unusual case of ocular thelaziosis due to Thelazia callipaeda, an underdiagnosed and emerging zoonosis.

We report an 81-year-old woman presented to our emergency department with a week long history of bilateral redness and tearing that had not improved despite antibiotics and corticosteroid topical treatment. Slit-lamp biomicroscopy showed signs of bilateral conjunctivitis and mucopurulent discharge in fornices. Under the upper tarsal conjunctiva of the left eye, two filiform worms were identified, which were removed and sent on wet mount slides for microscopic examination and genetic identification. The rest of the ophthalmoscopic examination was rigorously normal. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay turned positive for Thelazia callipaeda. During further questioning, the patient reported that she had been on summer vacation in contact with dogs which were infected with eye worms.

Ocular thelaziosis is an emerging zoonosis in Spain, but also in the rest of the world. Ophthalmologists should include ocular thelaziosis in humans as a possible cause of conjunctivitis, tearing, and corneal ulcer, thus avoiding underdiagnosis and inappropriate treatments. The epidemiology of the disease makes anamnesis essential. A confocal biomicroscopy is a useful device for identifying this eyeworm but the definitive diagnosis will be made taking into account the morphological identification under microscope, together with the molecular identification by PCR techniques.