Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A Case of Human Thelaziasis and Review of Chinese Cases

  • Short Communication
  • Published:
Acta Parasitologica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Human cases of thelaziasis caused by Thelazia callipaeda have increased in China in recent years. Although this species is of medical importance, our knowledge about the epidemiology of thelaziasis is still fragmentary. This study first reports a case of thelaziasis in central China. Then, the epidemiology of thelaziasis in China in the past 100 years (1917–2018) is reviewed.

Methods

A 5-year-old girl experienced discomfort in her left eye. Four thread-like worms were seen in the nasal upper eyelid of the left eye. The symptoms disappeared after these parasites were removed. In addition, we reviewed studies of Chinese human thelaziasis cited in articles or book chapters in all languages from inception to 31 Dec 2019.

Results

China is the nation with the most reports of thelaziasis (653 cases) in the world. More human cases were reported in central and eastern China than in other areas, and the majority of cases were from rural areas in poor socioeconomic settings.

Conclusion

Special attention should be paid to this neglected disease in China. The use of a One Health approach is imperative for preventing eyeworm infections in humans.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

References

  1. do Vale B, Lopes AP, da Fontes Conceição M, Silvestre M, Cardoso L, Coelho AC (2019) Thelaziosis due to Thelazia callipaeda in Europe in the 21st century—a review. Vet Parasitol 275:108957

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Bradbury RS, Breen KV, Bonura EM, Hoyt JW, Bishop HS (2018) Case report: conjunctival infestation with Thelazia gulosa: a novel agent of human thelaziasis in the United States. Am J Trop Med Hyg 98(4):1171–1174

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Kosin E, Kosman ML, Depary AA (1989) First case of human thelaziasis in Indonesia. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health 20(2):233–236

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Koyama Y, Ohira A, Kono T, Yoneyama T, Shiwaku K (2000) Five cases of thelaziasis. Br J Ophthalmol 84(4):441

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Hossain MI, Hossain MA, Nahar L, Hossain MM, Mondal AS, Alim MA, Mahmud MC, Islam A (2011) Human thelaziasis in Bangladesh. Mymensingh Med J 20(1):128–130

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Sohn WM, Na BK, Yoo JM (2011) Two cases of human thelaziasis and brief review of Korean cases. Korean J Parasitol 49(3):265–271

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Nguyen VD, Thanh HL, Chai JY (2012) The first human case of Thelazia callipaeda infection in Vietnam. Korean J Parasitol 50(3):221–223

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Viriyavejakul P, Krudsood S, Monkhonmu S, Punsawad C, Riganti M, Radomyos P (2012) Thelazia callipaeda: a human case report. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health 43(4):851–856

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Wang S, Yu SJ, Wang XL, Zhao MY, Deng S, Shang H, An CL (2014) A pediatric case report and literature review of thelaziosis in China. Int J Infect Dis 29:249–250

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Das JK, Das D, Deshmukh S, Gupta K, Tomar SS, Borah E (2018) Live encysted Thelazia callipaeda presenting as a lump adjacent to the right lacrimal sac in a 42-year-old female: a rare case report. Indian J Ophthalmol 66(8):1220–1223

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Sah R, Khadka S, Adhikari M, Niraula R, Shah A, Khatri A, Donovan S (2018) Human thelaziasis: emerging ocular pathogen in Nepal. Open Forum Infect Dis 5(10):ofy237

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Otranto D, Dutto M (2008) Human thelaziasis, Europe. Emerg Infect Dis 14(4):647–649

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Paradžik MT, Samardžić K, Živičnjak T, Martinković F, Janjetović Ž, Miletić-Medved M (2016) Thelazia callipaeda—first human case of thelaziosis in Croatia. Wiener Klin Wochenschr 128(5–6):221–223

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. López Medrano R, Guerra Calleja G, Díez Morrondo C, Panadero Fontán R (2015) Ocular thelaziosis, an emergent zoonosis in Spain. Med Clin 145(7):317–318

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Tasić-Otašević S, Gabrielli S, Trenkić-Božinović M, Petrović A, Gajić B, Colella V, Momčilović S, Cancrini G, Otranto D (2016) Eyeworm infections in dogs and in a human patient in Serbia: a one health approach is needed. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 45:20–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Colella V, Kirkova Z, Fok É, Mihalca AD, Tasić-Otašević S, Hodžić A, Dantas-Torres F, Otranto D (2016) Increase in eyeworm infections in eastern Europe. Emerg Infect Dis 22(8):1513–1515

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. McGarry JW, Graham-Brown J, Pasztor M (2017) Threats of vector-borne zoonotic disease in Europe: dogs, drosophilids, and oriental eye worm. Lancet Infect Dis 17(11):1115–1117

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Papadopoulos E, Komnenou A, Thomas A, Ioannidou E, Colella V, Otranto D (2018) Spreading of Thelazia callipaeda in Greece. Transbound Emerg Dis 65(1):248–252

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Shen J, Gasser RB, Chu D, Wang ZX, Yuan XS, Cantacessi C, Otranto D (2006) Human thelaziosis—a neglected parasitic disease of the eye. J Parasitol 92(4):872–875

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Zhang X, Shi YL, Wang ZQ, Duan JY, Jiang P, Liu RD, Cui J (2017) Morphological and mitochondrial genomic characterization of eyeworms (Thelazia callipaeda) from clinical cases in central China. Front Microbiol 8:1335

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Otranto D, Lia RP, Traversa D, Giannetto S (2003) Thelazia callipaeda (Spirurida, Thelaziidae) of carnivores and humans: morphological study by light and scanning electron microscopy. Parassitologia 45(3–4):125–133

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Zhang X, Shi YL, Han LL, Xiong C, Yi SQ, Jiang P, Wang ZX, Shen JL, Cui J, Wang ZQ (2018) Population structure analysis of the neglected parasite Thelazia callipaeda revealed high genetic diversity in eastern Asia isolates. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 12(1):e0006165

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (U1704189 and 81971956), Henan Province Science and Technology Key Project (182102310075) and Backbone Teachers Development Program in Henan Province (2017GGJS011).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, No. 100 Science Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, People’s Republic of China

    Shi Nan Liu, Fang Fang Xu, Wen Qing Chen, Peng Jiang, Jing Cui, Zhong Quan Wang & Xi Zhang

Authors
  1. Shi Nan Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Fang Fang Xu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Wen Qing Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Peng Jiang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jing Cui
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Zhong Quan Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Xi Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Zhong Quan Wang or Xi Zhang.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

All authors have declared that they have no conflict of interests.

Ethical Approval

Patient management in this study was strictly performed according to the rules of the Life Science Ethics Committee of Zhengzhou University, following the principles expressed in the Declaration of Helsinki. To collect the parasites from the eye of the child patient, we first obtained permission from her legal guardians. In addition, the worms were not collected for the purpose of this study but for removal from the child patient to treat thelaziasis.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (DOC 1638 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Liu, S.N., Xu, F.F., Chen, W.Q. et al. A Case of Human Thelaziasis and Review of Chinese Cases. Acta Parasit. 65, 783–786 (2020). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11686-020-00190-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s11686-020-00190-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation