Parasite that lived in woman's eye for 2 years likely came from crocodile meat

LIVESCIENCE ^ | Nicoletta Lanese

[nickcarraway]

Doctors described a case of a rare infection called ocular pentastomiasis, which is caused by a parasite known to lay its eggs in snakes.

A mass that had been growing in a woman's eye for two years turned out to be a parasite that sometimes passes from reptiles to humans, doctors say.

The doctors flagged contaminated crocodile meat as a potential source of the rare infection, which may make it the first case of its kind in medical literature, they reported Thursday (April 11) in JAMA Ophthalmology.

The report's authors diagnosed the woman with an infection called "ocular pentastomiasis," a rare eye infection caused by parasites called pentastomids. In this case, a parasite had embedded itself under the conjunctiva, or clear outer membrane, of the patient's left eye. There, it had grown to about 0.4 inch (10 millimeters) long.

The 28-year-old, from Basankusu in Congo, showed no symptoms other than the notable mass in the corner of her eye, her doctors reported. Upon examination, they found the mass could move and surgically removed it, which revealed a pale, C-shaped larva. They shipped the grub off for further analysis, and scientists found that it belonged to a species called Armillifer grandis.

This species, along with another in the genus Armillifer, is known to sometimes cause human infections in Africa. Other types of pentastomid have been reported to infect people in other regions of the world.

[Getready]

Loa Loa is another parasite which can get into the eye, also “river blindness” does the same....

Being a real Tarzan wasn’t that safe.

[ansel12]

I’m giving up crocodile meat.

[Bob434]

oh that’s just great- now i have to give up crocodile meant too?

[pepsi_junkie]

Doctor: I was able to remove the parasite. I crushed it in fact. And saw eggs. It's very likely she laid many of them inside you.

Old pop culture reference. Most probably never saw it but if you did ... if you did, you never forgot it.

[fidelis]

Old pop culture reference. Most probably never saw it but if you did ... if you did, you never forgot it.

I saw it as a kid and, no, I never forgot it. One of my favorite episodes of NG ever. The guy had it coming.

[broken_clock]

Been scared of earwigs ever since :-0

[lizma2]

““river blindness” does the same....”

Onchocerciasis. Treated with Ivermectin in central Africa (who had VERY few cases of Covid because of it.)

But the jab makers couldn’t get an EAU (i.e. can’t get sued) if there were alternative meds.

Evil scam.

[bgill]

sometimes passes from reptiles to humans, doctors say. The doctors flagged contaminated crocodile meat as a potential source of the rare infection, which may make it the first case of its kind in medical literature

When from "sometimes" to "rare" to "first case" within one and a half a sentences.

[bgill]

Just another meat scare to get you to eat bugs.

[ansel12]

So, bugs or crocodile.

Before I decide tell me which bugs.

[9YearLurker]

Was she crying crocodile tears?

[alexander_busek]

Why bother operating? Why not simply wait until the parasite matured and emerged from the patient under its own power?

Some people are so fussy!

Regards,