Recently, an intriguing case came to light: a woman developed a lump on her eye over the course of two years, which turned out to be a maggot. It is suspected that she contracted this parasite by consuming infected crocodile meat.
The parasite in question is called pentastomid, resulting in an unusual case called ‘ocular pentastomiasis’.
The woman, aged 28 and from the Democratic Republic of Congo, had no other symptoms of infection other than the lump in her eye, which reached approximately one centimeter in length.
After detailed examination, doctors found that the lump could move, prompting them to perform surgical intervention. During the procedure, they found a small, pale larva inside. Further analysis revealed that it belonged to the species known as Armillifer grandis.
Armillifer is known to infect humans in Africa and other regions of the world, usually transmitted by snakes.
Typically, the parasites infect mice in the form of larvae, which are later ingested by snakes. Inside snakes, these parasites grow to adulthood and produce eggs, which are then disseminated by the snake, restarting the cycle.
In areas where people regularly handle or consume snakes, they can interrupt this cycle and end up becoming infected by the larvae.
However, the woman involved in this case specifically stated that she had not had contact with any reptiles, which adds an intriguing element to the situation.
Our patient reported never having had contact with snakes, but regularly consumed the meat of small crocodiles,” the doctor wrote, publishing the case in the journal JAMA Ophthalmology .
No cases of Armillifer eye infection have been reported in individuals who eat crocodile meat, but crocodiles can be infected by pentastomids.
Therefore, we recognize the possibility that the infection occurred after consumption of crocodile meat contaminated with pentastomid eggs. This meat may also have been contaminated by infected snake meat at a market stall.”
Although the precise origin of the infection cannot be confirmed with absolute certainty, the medical team emphasizes the importance of raising awareness about possible routes of transmission.
