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Nematode - Loa loa
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Nematode - Loa loa

Loa loa
  • Microfilariae are transmitted by biting flies.
  • Adults move through the subcutaneous tissues, in the muscles, and under the conjunctiva of the eye.
  • Worm movement and angioedema produce subcutaneous swellings that may be itchy.
– Swellings are referred to as Calabar or fugitive swellings.
  • The ability of the worm to travel under the eye conjunctiva helps us remember its nickname: African eye worm. –– Can cause eye congestion and sensitivity, though permanent damage is not common.
Image Credits:
"CDC - DPDx - Loiasis," December 14, 2017. https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/loiasis/index.html.
UK, Nathan Reading from Halesowen. Loa Loa - Filarial Worm. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Adult_female_Loa_loa_filarial_worm_-_Extracted_from_a_patient%27s_conjunctiva_in_the_left_eye_-_(1).jpg#/media/File:Adult_female_Loa_loa_filarial_worm_-_Extracted_from_a_patient%27s_conjunctiva_in_the_left_eye.jpg.

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