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Subretinal angiostrongyliasis-induced optic neuritis
Authors Sinawat S , Yospaiboon Y, Sinawat
Received 1 February 2013
Accepted for publication 14 March 2013
Published 27 May 2013 Volume 2013:7 Pages 977—979
DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/OPTH.S43565
Checked for plagiarism Yes
Review by Single anonymous peer review
Peer reviewer comments 3
Suthasinee Sinawat,1 Yosanan Yospaiboon,1 Supat Sinawat2
1Vitreoretinal Unit, Department of Ophthalmology, 2Department of Physiology, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
Abstract: A 27-year-old Thai male presented with progressive visual loss and a membrane-like floater in the right eye that had persisted for 1 month. He had a history of eating raw foods, including snails. His initial visual acuity was counting fingers at 1 ft and he had a relative afferent pupillary defect. A movable larva with subretinal tracks was found in the subretinal space near a normal optic disc. Visually evoked potentials showed delayed latency, which indicated secondary retrobulbar optic neuritis. A diode laser was directly applied to the motile worm. The patient was subsequently prescribed oral prednisolone and albendazole. After treatment, his visual acuity was slightly improved at 2/60. Ocular manifestation is a very rare event resulting from parasitic infection. In only 1.1% of angiostrongyliasis cases is an Angiostrongylus cantonensis larva identified in the eye. Ocular angiostrongyliasis with optic neuritis may be secondary to mechanical injury and/or inflammatory reactions. Steroid treatment is recommended, although most patients have only slight visual improvement after treatment.
Keywords: Angiostrongylus cantonensis, intraocular, ocular angiostrongyliasis, parasitic infection
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