Loiasis

[Marquetta]

Loiasis is infection of tissues under the skin or under the clear outer membrane that covers the eye (conjunctiva) with the roundworm Loa loa.

Itchy swellings may appear, mainly on the arms and legs.
Sometimes worms travel under the clear membrane that covers the eyes.
Doctors diagnose loiasis by identifying worm larvae (microfilaria) in a sample of blood or seeing an adult worm traveling across the eye.
The only drug that kills both adult worms and larvae is diethylcarbamazine.

Loiasis is a filarial worm infection that occurs only in rain forest areas of western and central Africa.
(See also Overview of Parasitic Infections and Filarial Worm Infections Overview.)

[Merna]

A tropical African disease caused by infestation with eye worms, which cause transient subcutaneous swellings, often accompanied by pain or fever.