VietNamNet Bridge – Doctors of the Hanoi-based National Eye Hospital recently took out a 7cm filarial from the eye of a 47-year-old man in Hanoi.

This is not the first such case. The hospital has treated many patients who had filarials in their eyes. Most of the worms were mature, which are 5-12cm long.

Doctors said that this Dirofilaria Repens filarial species, which parasite on cats, dogs and wild animals. They are transmitted to human through mosquitoes. They often live in eyes, lungs, muscles, brain, liver and under skin.

Dr. Nguyen Van De from the Hanoi Medical University said that there was a case that doctors took out up to seven parasite worms from the eye of one patient. The worm, named Thelazia callipaeda, was previously founded in dogs.

Another species of worm that parasite in human eyes is Toxacary. The number of patients who are infected with Toxacary is rising, doctors said.

They warned that patients can die if the worms move to their brains.

PV