Loa loa

Loa loa is the larial nematode (roundworm) species that 2 Disease

causes Loa loa lariasis. It is commonly known as the
eye worm. Its geographic distribution includes Africa Main article: Loa loa lariasis
and India.[1]
L. loa is one of three parasitic larial nematodes that
cause subcutaneous lariasis in humans. The two
other larial nematodes are Mansonella streptocerca and 2.1 Pathogenesis
Onchocerca volvulus (causes river blindness).
Loa loa parasites infect human hosts by travelling from
Maturing larvae and adults of the eye worm occupy the
the entry site through subcutaneous tissues and causing insubcutaneous layer of the skin the fat layer of humans,
ammation in the skin wherever they travel. If a parasite
causing disease. The young larvae develop in horseies of
stops in one place for a short period of time, the human
the genus Chrysops (deer ies, yellow ies), including the
host will suer from local inammation known as Calspecies C. dimidiata and C. silacea, which infect humans
abar swellings. These are localized, tense, inammatory
by biting them.
pruritic subcutaneous edema seen in joints of extremities,
lasting for 13 days. They represent areas of angioedema
resulting from a host response to allergens released by the
1 Biology
maturating worm and its metabolic products.[3] Calabar
swellings often occur in the wrist and ankle joints but
disappear as soon as the parasite begins to move again.
1.1 Morphology
Parasites can also travel through and infect the eye, causLoa loa worms have a simple body including a head, body, ing the swelling of the eye. Common[1]symptoms include
and tail. Males range from 20mm to 34mm long and itching, joint pain, fatigue, and death.
350m to 430m wide. Females range from 20mm to
70mm long and are about 425m wide.[1]

2.2 Diagnosis and treatment

The main methods of diagnosis include the presence of

microlariae in the blood, the presence of a worm in the
Three species involved in the life cycle include the para- eye, and the presence of skin swellings. Surgical removal
of the worm can easily be performed. The common treatsite Loa loa, the y vector, and the human host:[2]
ment for the disease is the use of the drug Ivermectin.[1]

1.2

Life cycle

A vector y bites an infected human host and ingests Ivermectin has become the most common antiparasitic
agent used worldwide but can lead to residual microlarmicrolariae.
ial load when given in the management of loiasis. High
Microlariae move to the fat body of the insect host. microlarial loads should be decreased by a course of
ivermectin, a prolonged administration of albendazole, or
Microlariae develop into rst stage larvae, second cytapheresis sessions to prevent occurrence of serious adverse events, including fatal encephalopathy induced by
stage, then third stage larvae.
dying microlariae. Cytapheresis is helpful in decreasing
Third stage larvae (infective) travel to the proboscis very high microlarial loads up to 75%. Diethylcarbaof y.
mazine kills both microlariae and adult worms but has
more severe side eects and can be fatal.
An infected vector y bites an uninfected human
host and the third stage larvae penetrates the skin
and enters human subcutaneous tissue.

3 References

Larvae mature into adults, who produce microlariae that have been found in spinal uid, urine, peripheral blood, and lungs.

[1] Schmidt, Gerald et al. Foundations of Parasitology. 7th

ed. McGraw Hill, New York, NY, 2005.

[2] Filariasis. Parasites and Health. Center for Disease

Control.
[3] Rivire, E., Kerautret, J., Combillet, F., & Malvy, D.
(2012). African Eye Worm. Journal Of Global Infectious
Diseases, 4(2), 135-136. doi:10.4103/0974-777X.96782

Taxonomy Browser: Loa Loa. National Center for

Biotechnology Information (NCBI).

REFERENCES

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

4.1

Text

Loa loa Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loa_loa?oldid=656037586 Contributors: Mahongue, Discospinster, Arcadian, Trlovejoy,

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4.2

Images

File:L_loa_whole_HBa.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/L_loa_whole_HBa.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: http://www.dpd.cdc.gov/dpdx/HTML/ImageLibrary/Filariasis_il.htm Original artist: CDC - DPDx

4.3

Content license

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