Thelazia

Thelazia
Thelazia callipaeda female[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Nematoda
Class: Secernentea
Order: Spirurida
Family: Thelaziidae
Genus: Thelazia
Bosc, 1819
Species

See text

Thelazia is a genus of nematode worms which parasitize the eyes and associated tissues of various bird and mammal hosts, including humans.[2] They are often called "eyeworms," and infestation with Thelazia species is referred to as "thelaziasis" (occasionally spelled "thelaziosis"). Adults are usually found in the eyelids, tear glands, tear ducts, or the so-called "third eyelid" (nictitating membrane). Occasionally, they are found in the eyeball itself, either under the conjunctiva (the membrane that covers the white part of the eye) or in the vitreous cavity of the eyeball.[3] All species of Thelazia for which the life cycle has been studied are transmitted by species of Diptera (flies) which do not bite, but which feed on tears.

Representative species

References

  1. This image is from the article: Otranto, D. and M. Dutto (2008) "Human thelaziasis, Europe." Emerging Infectious Diseases 14(4):647-649. The journal Emerging Infectious Diseases is published by the Centers for Disease Control, a US government agency.
  2. Otranto, D. and D. Traversa (2005) "Thelazia eyeworm: An original endo- and ecto-parasitic nematode." Trends in Parasitology 21(1):1-4.
  3. Xue, C., N. Tian, and Z. Huang (2007) "Thelazia callipaeda in human vitreous." Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology 42(6):884-885.
  4. de Oliveira Rodrigues, H. (1992) "Thelazia anolabiata (Molin, 1860) Railliet & Henry, 1910 (Nematoda: Thelazioidea), a new host record and systematic considerations." Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 87(Suppl 1):217-222.
  5. Koyama, Y., A. Ohira, T. Kono, T. Yoneyama, and K. Shiwaku (2000) "Five cases of thelaziasis." British Journal of Ophthalmology 84(4):441-442. (Note: This pdf includes pp. 439-440 in addition to the cited article.)
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