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Ophthalmic Images
July 9, 2020

Ocular Filariasis via Dirofilaria Repens in a Fibrotic, Filtering Bleb

Author Affiliations
  • 1Eye Unit, Enrico Profili Hospital of Fabriano, Ancona, Italy
  • 2Department of Translational Surgery and Medicine, Eye Clinic, University of Florence, Careggi Teaching Hospital, Florence, Italy
JAMA Ophthalmol. 2020;138(7):e194417. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2019.4417

A 95-year-old woman was referred to the ophthalmological department with ocular discomfort and conjunctival inflammation resistant to tobramycin-dexamethasone eye drops. An ocular examination revealed the presence of a subconjunctival moving mass in a flat trabeculectomy bleb (Figure). The excision of the mass was performed immediately, and a thin, whitish, cylindrical worm was entirely removed. Polymerase chain reaction amplification determined that the worm was Dirofilaria repens. The patient recovered and showed no long-term ocular damage.

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