Galápagos Eye Parasite: Woman’s Exotic Travel Mishap
Worm Parasite Found in Woman’s Eye After Trip to Galápagos
A recent case report details a startling medical anomaly: a 26-year-old woman from the UK discovered a worm parasite living in her eye after a trip to South America and the Galápagos Islands. Researchers believe she contracted the infection weeks earlier during her visit to the islands off the coast of Ecuador.
The woman sought medical attention in Santiago, Chile, nine days after experiencing intense pain, swelling, and the sensation of movement in her right eye.Doctors identified and removed an elongated, mobile structure from her conjunctiva – the membrane covering the eye – using a moist cotton swab. She made a full recovery without complications.
researchers from Chile and elsewhere detailed the case in the journal Emerging Infectious diseases last month. Microscopic and genetic testing confirmed the parasite was an adult Philophthalmus lacrymosus fluke.
“Our clinical and epidemiologic findings show that the zoonotic eye fluke P. lacrymosus can infect humans in South America. The findings also suggest that the parasite might be endemic on the Galápagos Islands in Ecuador,”
The researchers suggest the parasite may be more common in the region than previously thought, possibly putting more people at risk of similar infestations.