Doctors discovered that what appeared to be a simple lump in a woman's eye was actually a live worm.
A 28-year-old from Congo in Africa had observed the painless growth over two years. Astoundingly, doctors were able to identify and extract a half-inch parasite wriggling in her left eye.
Further tests revealed that she had contracted ocular pentastomiasis, a rare eye infection caused by snake parasites. These tongue worms can infect humans through contact with affected snakes or consuming undercooked meat.
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Despite this, the woman insisted she had not handled snakes or consumed their meat.
Reporting in the medical journal JAMA Ophthalmology, physicians noted: "However, she was used to eating crocodile meat. No case of ocular infection has ever been reported in individuals who eat crocodile meat, but crocodiles can be infected by pentastomids.
Therefore, there's a possibility the infection happened when the woman ate crocodile meat containing parasite eggs. This meat could also have been contaminated via infected snake meat on a market stall.", reports the Mirror.
Pentastomiasis, a rare infection typically found in Africa, Malaysia, and the Middle East, could cause severe health issues if left untreated. Most patients don't show symptoms, leading to many cases going unrecorded.
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However, if the bug migrates to the eye, it can result in eye pain, glaucoma, or even total vision loss. In extreme cases, the parasites can cause organ perforation, severe immune reactions, and even death.
Treatment for this infection involves surgical removal of the parasites. If doctors attempt to kill the larvae with anti-parasitic drugs, the dead grubs can trigger a dangerous immune response, according to the report authors.
To prevent infection, hygiene measures such as wearing gloves, washing hands after contact with reptiles, and avoiding consumption of undercooked reptile meat are recommended.
