Mus Erik, Viani Annalisa, Domenis Lorenzo, Maradei Fabio, Valastro Antonio, Marucci Gianluca, Giacomazzi Claudio Giuseppe, Magnani Silvia Carla Maria, Imparato Roberto, Cometto Annie, Casulli Adriano, Orusa Riccardo, Ventre Luca
Department of Ophthalmology, Beauregard Hospital, Azienda USL della Valle d'Aosta, Via L. Vaccari 5, 11100 Aosta, Italy.
S.C. Animal Health, Azienda USL della Valle d'Aosta, Località Amerique 7/l, 11020 Quart, Italy.
Pathogens. 2025 Apr 28;14(5):423. doi: 10.3390/pathogens14050423.
Dirofilariasis is a zoonotic infectious disease caused by a species belonging to the genus. Human dirofilariasis cases have increased in Europe in the last few decades. Dogs and wild canids represent the definitive hosts and principal reservoirs of while mosquito species are biological vectors. Humans act as accidental hosts, and clinical manifestations depend on the location of the worm in the organs or tissues. We described the first case of ocular dirofilariasis in the Aosta Valley region (Italy). a 62-year-old Italian woman complained of recurrent ocular redness, pain and discomfort, accompanied by itching and foreign body sensation in the right eye. The slit lamp biomicroscopic examination revealed conjunctival congestion on the temporal region of bulbar conjunctiva, and a long whitish vermiform mobile mass was detected under the conjunctiva. The anterior chamber showed no flare or cells in either eye, and the dilated fundus examination was normal. The worm was immediately surgically removed to prevent further migration, and was diagnosed morphologically and molecularly as . Following surgical removal, the symptoms resolved completely and rapidly, with no recurrence of ocular symptoms recorded during 12-month follow-up visits. Ocular dirofilariasis can lead to misdiagnosis due to its rare ocular manifestations, and it is considered an emergent zoonosis in European countries. Accurate diagnosis and control of ocular dirofilariasis by require a multidisciplinary approach under the One Health framework to effectively address this emergent zoonosis.
犬恶丝虫病是由该属的一个物种引起的人畜共患传染病。在过去几十年中，欧洲的人类犬恶丝虫病病例有所增加。犬类和野生犬科动物是终末宿主和主要储存宿主，而蚊种是生物传播媒介。人类作为偶然宿主，临床表现取决于蠕虫在器官或组织中的位置。我们描述了意大利瓦莱达奥斯塔地区首例眼犬恶丝虫病病例。一名62岁的意大利女性抱怨右眼反复出现眼红、疼痛和不适，并伴有瘙痒和异物感。裂隙灯生物显微镜检查显示球结膜颞侧区域结膜充血，结膜下检测到一个长的白色蠕虫状活动肿块。双眼前房均无闪光或细胞，散瞳眼底检查正常。为防止蠕虫进一步迁移，立即通过手术将其取出，并通过形态学和分子学诊断为犬恶丝虫。手术取出后，症状迅速完全缓解，在12个月的随访中未记录到眼部症状复发。眼犬恶丝虫病由于其罕见的眼部表现可能导致误诊，在欧洲国家它被视为一种新发人畜共患病。通过多学科方法在“同一健康”框架下准确诊断和控制眼犬恶丝虫病，对于有效应对这种新发人畜共患病至关重要。
