Parasites, Hosts and Diseases

"Thelazia callipaeda"

Case Reports

Thelazia callipaeda (Nematoda: Spirurida) infections in 2 wildlife species, Prionailurus bengalensis and Nyctereutes procyonoides, in Korea: Jinho Jang, Young-Seok Park, YoungMin Yun, Keeseon S. Eom, Seongjun Choe; Parasites Hosts Dis 2025;63(1):95-101.
Published online February 25, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3347/PHD.24079

Abstract
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Thelazia callipaeda (Spirurida, Thelaziidae), a parasitic eye worm causing thelaziasis has been reported in humans and dogs in Korea. However, its occurrence in other potential reservoir hosts, including wild animals, remains unclear. In the present study, we described the 2 cases of thelaziasis from both of feral and captive wild animal in Korea. In August and November 2017, 2 cases of the parasitic infections were found in the third eyelid of rescued leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis and reared raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides at the Chungnam Wild Animal Rescue Center. A total of 20 and 24 worms were detected from the left and right eyes of leopard cat, respectively. In the left eye of the raccoon dog, 5 worms were recognized. Male worms were 969–11,860 μm long (10,600 μm on average) and 300–320 μm width (315 μm on average). Female worms were 13,430–15,330 (14,480) μm long and 320–370 (344) μm wide in size. They commonly had a characteristic scalariform buccal cavity and short esophagus. The vulva openings were located at the anterior of esophago-intestinal junction in females. The thelaziasis is reported in 2 species of wildlife, P. bengalensis and N. procyonoides, for the first time in Korea.

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Detection of intestinal parasites in leopard cat fecal samples using shotgun metagenomics
Jun Ho Choi, Singeun Oh, Myung-hee Yi, Dongjun Kang, Du-Yeol Choi, Xavier Chavarria, Arwa Shatta, Yoon Hee Cho, Seongjun Choe, Seung-Hun Lee, Ju Yeong Kim
Parasites, Hosts and Diseases.2025; 63(4): 349. CrossRef

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A Pediatric Case of Thelaziasis in Korea: Chung Hyuk Yim, Jeong Hee Ko, Jung Hyun Lee, Yu Mi Choi, Won Wook Lee, Sang Ki Ahn, Myoung Hee Ahn, Kyong Eun Choi; Korean J Parasitol 2016;54(3):319-321.
Published online June 30, 2016; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2016.54.3.319

Abstract
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In the present study, we intended to report a clinical pediatric case of thelaziasis in Korea. In addition, we briefly reviewed the literature on pediatric cases of thelaziasis in Korea. In the present case, 3 whitish, thread-like eye-worms were detected in a 6-year-old-boy living in an urban area and contracted an ocular infection known as thelaziasis incidentally during ecological agritainment. This is the first report of pediatric thelaziasis in Seoul after 1995.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Thelaziasis in humans: A systematic review of reported cases
D. Katterine Bonilla-Aldana, Jorge Luis Bonilla-Aldana, Jaime David Acosta-España, Ranjit Sah, Alfonso J. Rodriguez-Morales
New Microbes and New Infections.2025; 65: 101599. CrossRef
A Case of Thelazia Callipaeda Ocular Infection Identified in Patients with Subarachnoid Haemorrhage
Shin Hee Hong, Tae Hun Kim, Hye Jin Shi, Joong Sik Eom, Yoonseon Park
Korean Journal of Healthcare-Associated Infection Control and Prevention.2022; 27(1): 77. CrossRef
A Nest of Worms in the Eye
Huanhuan Cheng, Chunyun Wu, Juan Deng, Yingjie Liu
The American Journal of the Medical Sciences.2018; 355(5): e15. CrossRef
A Case of Twice Recurring Ocular Thelaziasis from Thelazia callipaeda
Bon Hyeok Gu, Dong Eun Oh
Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society.2018; 59(9): 867. CrossRef

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The First Human Case of Thelazia callipaeda Infection in Vietnam: Nguyen Van De, Thanh Hoa Le, Jong-Yil Chai; Korean J Parasitol 2012;50(3):221-223.
Published online August 13, 2012; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2012.50.3.221

Abstract
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A 26-year-old man residing in a village of Thai Nguyen Province, North Vietnam, visited the Thai Nguyen Provincial Hospital in July 2008. He felt a bulge-sticking pain in his left eye and extracted 5 small nematode worms by himself half a day before visiting the hospital. Two more worms were extracted from his left eye by a medical doctor, and they were morphologically observed and genetically analyzed on the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase 1 gene. The worms were 1 male and 1 female, and genetically identical with those of Thelazia callipaeda. By the present study, the presence of human T. callipaeda infection is first reported in Vietnam.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Clinical and parasitological significance of thelaziosis in dogs and cats
Milan Hadzi-Milic, Andjelka Lesevic, Petar Krivokuca, Nemanja Jovanovic, Tamara Ilic
Veterinarski glasnik.2025; 79(1): 20. CrossRef
The Vector-Borne Zoonotic Nematode Thelazia callipaeda in the Eastern Part of Europe, with a Clinical Case Report in a Dog in Poland
Leszek Rolbiecki, Joanna N. Izdebska, Marta Franke, Lech Iliszko, Sławomira Fryderyk
Pathogens.2021; 10(1): 55. CrossRef
A Case of Human Thelaziasis and Review of Chinese Cases
Shi Nan Liu, Fang Fang Xu, Wen Qing Chen, Peng Jiang, Jing Cui, Zhong Quan Wang, Xi Zhang
Acta Parasitologica.2020; 65(3): 783. CrossRef
A human corneal ulcer caused by Thelazia callipaeda in Southwest China: case report
Xiaoxing Wei, Bo Liu, Yijian Li, Ke Wang, Lixia Gao, Yuli Yang
Parasitology Research.2020; 119(10): 3531. CrossRef
Thelaziosis due to Thelazia callipaeda in Europe in the 21st century—A review
Beatriz do Vale, Ana Patrícia Lopes, Maria da Conceição Fontes, Mário Silvestre, Luís Cardoso, Ana Cláudia Coelho
Veterinary Parasitology.2019; 275: 108957. CrossRef
Human Thelaziasis: Emerging Ocular Pathogen in Nepal
Ranjit Sah, Shusila Khadka, Mahesh Adhikari, Reema Niraula, Apoorva Shah, Anadi Khatri, Suzanne Donovan
Open Forum Infectious Diseases.2018;[Epub] CrossRef
Morphological and Mitochondrial Genomic Characterization of Eyeworms (Thelazia callipaeda) from Clinical Cases in Central China
Xi Zhang, Ya L. Shi, Zhong Q. Wang, Jiang Y. Duan, Peng Jiang, Ruo D. Liu, Jing Cui
Frontiers in Microbiology.2017;[Epub] CrossRef
Coinfection with Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus and Oriental Eye Worm in a Rural Woman: The First Report of an Unusual Case
Kyung Sik Seo, Hye Min Lee, Ho Joon Shin, Joong Sun Lee
Annals of Dermatology.2014; 26(1): 125. CrossRef

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Two Cases of Human Thelaziasis and Brief Review of Korean cases: Woon-Mok Sohn, Byoung-Kuk Na, Ji Myong Yoo; Korean J Parasitol 2011;49(3):265-271.
Published online September 30, 2011; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2011.49.3.265

Abstract
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The present study was performed to describe 2 cases of human thelaziasis (HT) which occurred in Gyeongsangnam- do and to briefly review the previously reported Korean cases. A 58-year old woman, residing in Hadong-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do, came to Gyeongsang National University Hospital (GNUH) complaining of foreign body sensation and itching of the right eye in March 2000. Total 6 adult nematodes of Thelazia callipaeda (2 males and 4 females) were detected in her right eye. A 80-year old man, residing in Jinju-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, came to GNUH complaining of foreign body sensation, itching, and pain of the right eye in December 2007. A total of 5 worms (4 females and 1 degenerated) were removed from his right eye. We analyzed characteristics of the total 39 Korean HT cases reported to date, including the present 2 cases. Most of the cases (71.8%) occurred in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do before 2000, and 21 cases (53.8%) were males and 18 (46.2%) were females. The prevalence was higher in younger ages below 30 years (48.7%) than 31-60 years (41.0%) and over 61 years (10.3%). The seasonal prevalence showed a higher incidence in autumn (43.6%) than in other seasons. Most of the cases (94.9%) were conjunctival sac infections and only 2 (5.1%) were intraocular cases. The present 2 HT cases are the first reported cases in Gyeongsangnam-do. Some characteristics of Korean HT cases were analyzed.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Thelazia callipaeda (Nematoda: Spirurida) infections in 2 wildlife species, Prionailurus bengalensis and Nyctereutes procyonoides, in Korea
Jinho Jang, Young-Seok Park, YoungMin Yun, Keeseon S. Eom, Seongjun Choe
Parasites, Hosts and Diseases.2025; 63(1): 95. CrossRef
Thelaziasis in humans: A systematic review of reported cases
D. Katterine Bonilla-Aldana, Jorge Luis Bonilla-Aldana, Jaime David Acosta-España, Ranjit Sah, Alfonso J. Rodriguez-Morales
New Microbes and New Infections.2025; 65: 101599. CrossRef
Eight cases of canine thelaziosis found in two localities in Korea
Seongjun Choe, Sunmin Kim, Tilak Chandra Nath, Jeong-Ho Kim
Parasites, Hosts and Diseases.2023; 61(3): 325. CrossRef
A Case of Human Thelaziasis and Review of Chinese Cases
Shi Nan Liu, Fang Fang Xu, Wen Qing Chen, Peng Jiang, Jing Cui, Zhong Quan Wang, Xi Zhang
Acta Parasitologica.2020; 65(3): 783. CrossRef
A human corneal ulcer caused by Thelazia callipaeda in Southwest China: case report
Xiaoxing Wei, Bo Liu, Yijian Li, Ke Wang, Lixia Gao, Yuli Yang
Parasitology Research.2020; 119(10): 3531. CrossRef
Periocular thelaziasis presenting as an orbital mass – a case report
Kirthi Koka, Andrea Tongbram, Bipasha Mukherjee, Raman Muthusamy, Azhahia Nambi, Jyotirmay Biswas
Orbit.2019; 38(6): 503. CrossRef
A Pediatric Case of Thelaziasis in Korea
Chung Hyuk Yim, Jeong Hee Ko, Jung Hyun Lee, Yu Mi Choi, Won Wook Lee, Sang Ki Ahn, Myoung Hee Ahn, Kyong Eun Choi
The Korean Journal of Parasitology.2016; 54(3): 319. CrossRef
Ocular thelaziasis in a 7-month-old infant
AK Handique, A Tamuli, AM Khan
Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology.2014; 32(1): 84. CrossRef
Mitochondrial Genome of the Eyeworm, Thelazia callipaeda (Nematoda: Spirurida), as the First Representative from the Family Thelaziidae
Guo-Hua Liu, Robin B. Gasser, Domenico Otranto, Min-Jun Xu, Ji-Long Shen, Namitha Mohandas, Dong-Hui Zhou, Xing-Quan Zhu, Peter U. Fischer
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases.2013; 7(1): e2029. CrossRef
The First Human Case of Thelazia callipaeda Infection in Vietnam
Nguyen Van De, Thanh Hoa Le, Jong-Yil Chai
The Korean Journal of Parasitology.2012; 50(3): 221. CrossRef

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Brief Communication

Enzooticity of the dogs, the reservoir host of Thelazia callipaeda, in Korea: Min Seo, Jae-Ran Yu, Hyun-Young Park, Sun Huh, Sang-Kun Kim, Sung-Tae Hong; Korean J Parasitol 2002;40(2):101-103.
Published online June 30, 2002; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2002.40.2.101

Abstract
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The reservoir hosts of Thelazia callipaeda were examined. The eyes of the 76 dogs raised at farm, 78 military dogs (shepherds), 96 cattle, and 105 pigs were investigated for the presence of eyeworm. Among them, six worms of T. callipaeda were collected from two dogs raised at farm (2.7%), and 188 worms from 26 shepherds (33.5%). No worms were recovered from the cattle or pigs. These results suggest that the dogs, especially the military dogs are serving as a reservoir host of T. callipaeda in Korea.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Thelazia callipaeda (Nematoda: Spirurida) infections in 2 wildlife species, Prionailurus bengalensis and Nyctereutes procyonoides, in Korea
Jinho Jang, Young-Seok Park, YoungMin Yun, Keeseon S. Eom, Seongjun Choe
Parasites, Hosts and Diseases.2025; 63(1): 95. CrossRef
Characteristics of canine thelaziasis in the Republic of Korea: a retrospective study (2022–2024)
Eunjik Kim, Ye-In Oh, Youngwoo Park
Journal of Veterinary Science.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Epidemiology of Ocular Thelaziosis in Domestic Dogs in Beijing
Zichen Liu, Chang Yu, Xiaoli Tan, Ni Chen, Yipeng Jin
Pathogens.2024; 13(2): 166. CrossRef
Eight cases of canine thelaziosis found in two localities in Korea
Seongjun Choe, Sunmin Kim, Tilak Chandra Nath, Jeong-Ho Kim
Parasites, Hosts and Diseases.2023; 61(3): 325. CrossRef
Thelazia Callipaeda Infestation with Tarsal Ectropion
Yeo Jin Lee, Sung Eun Kim, Ji Hyun Kim, Ji-Sun Paik, Suk-Woo Yang
Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society.2020; 61(3): 294. CrossRef
A human corneal ulcer caused by Thelazia callipaeda in Southwest China: case report
Xiaoxing Wei, Bo Liu, Yijian Li, Ke Wang, Lixia Gao, Yuli Yang
Parasitology Research.2020; 119(10): 3531. CrossRef
Mitochondrial Genome of the Eyeworm, Thelazia callipaeda (Nematoda: Spirurida), as the First Representative from the Family Thelaziidae
Guo-Hua Liu, Robin B. Gasser, Domenico Otranto, Min-Jun Xu, Ji-Long Shen, Namitha Mohandas, Dong-Hui Zhou, Xing-Quan Zhu, Peter U. Fischer
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases.2013; 7(1): e2029. CrossRef
Zoonotic helminths affecting the human eye
Domenico Otranto, Mark L Eberhard
Parasites & Vectors.2011;[Epub] CrossRef
Parasitic Diseases of Companion Animals
Sung Shik Shin
Hanyang Medical Reviews.2010; 30(3): 246. CrossRef
Review of Zoonotic Parasites in Medical and Veterinary Fields in the Republic of Korea
Heejeong Youn
The Korean Journal of Parasitology.2009; 47(Suppl): S133. CrossRef
Human Thelaziosis—A Neglected Parasitic Disease of the Eye
Jilong Shen, Robin B. Gasser, Deyong Chu, Zengxian Wang, Xiaosong Yuan, Cinzia Cantacessi, Domenico Otranto
Journal of Parasitology.2006; 92(4): 872. CrossRef
First Thelazia callipaeda Infestation Report in a Dog in Taiwan
Chih-Huan YANG, Kwong-Chung TUNG, Ming-Yuan WANG, Shih-Chieh CHANG, Wu-Chun TU, Kai-Sung WANG, Ching-Lin SHYU, Wei-Ming LEE
Journal of Veterinary Medical Science.2006; 68(1): 103. CrossRef