Dirofilariasis in the vitreal cavity

    Abstract

    Dirofilariasis in the vitreal cavity

    R.R. Fayzrakhmanov, V.A. Bogdanova, M.S. Lebed’ko, E.D. Bosov

    N.I. Pirogov National Medical Surgical Center, Moscow, Russian Federation

    Institute of Advanced Training of Physicians N.I. Pirogov National Medical Surgical Center, Moscow, Russian Federation

    Relevance. Dirofilariasis (Dirofilariasis, from Lat. «diro, filum» – «evil thread») is a disease that belongs to the group of transmissible zoonotic biohelminthiasis. Man is the facultative host of dirofilariae. That is why the survival rate of larvae in the human body is very low. Up to 50% of cases of dirofilariasis registered in humans are due to dirofilariasis of the visual organs. The intraocular form is extremely rare. The true incidence of dirofilariasis in humans is unknown, due to the fact that there is no official registration. Dirofilariae widely circulates in the natural environment, but at the moment there are no systematic measures to identify and deworming infected animals. In addition, due to insufficient awareness of doctors working in the practical healthcare system, this pathology is often detected and treated under various diagnoses of non-parasitic etiology.

    Purpose. To present a clinical case of a method of surgical removal of dirofilariasis in the vitreal cavity.

    Material and methods. The article presents a rare clinical case of intraocular invasion of dirafilariasis, and also describes the surgical tactics of helminth extraction.

    Results and discussion. The patient underwent surgical treatment in the volume of vitrectomy with the removal of the parasite with positive functional results. Surgical intervention is a radical and the only possible treatment in the case of intraocular invasion of dirofilaria.

    Conclusion. It is important to understand that localization of dirofilaria in the vitreous cavity, without radical surgical treatment, can lead to threatening consequences of vision loss. And the increase in the frequency of cases of dirofilariasis indicates the need for doctors to be wary of the differential diagnostic approach in identifying pathologies.

    Key words: dirofilaria, helminthiasis, vitreoretinal surgery, vitreous, intraocular invasion

    For citation: Fayzrakhmanov R.R., Bogdanova V.A., Lebed’ko M.S., Bosov E.D. Dirofilariasis in the vitreal cavity. Clinical cases in ophthalmology. 2023;1: 25–29.

    Corresponding author: Violetta A. Bogdanova, violbogdanova@gmail.com