Rare parasite lived in woman's eye for two years after consuming crocodile meat

In an unprecedented medical occurrence, doctors have identified a rare parasite residing in a woman's eye for a staggering two-year period. The revelation comes from a recently published case report in JAMA Ophthalmology. The 28-year-old woman hailing from Basankusu, Congo, sought medical attention due to a peculiar mass developing in her left eye. Despite the presence of this growth, she displayed no accompanying symptoms, apart from the visible lump.

Upon thorough examination, medical professionals discovered a movable mass beneath the conjunctiva, the transparent outer layer of the eye. Subsequent surgical removal unveiled a pale, C-shaped larva measuring approximately 0.4 inches (10 millimeters), as outlined in the study report.

The identified parasite belongs to the species Armillifer grandis, known to infect humans in various regions across Africa. Typically, these parasites inhabit snakes as their primary hosts, with rodents serving as intermediate hosts. Human infection generally occurs through inadvertent ingestion of eggs from contaminated food or water sources, or through close interaction with infected snakes. Another documented transmission route includes the consumption of undercooked snake meat.


In this particular case, the woman denied any direct contact with snakes, prompting medical professionals to consider an alternative source. Notably, the woman admitted to regularly consuming crocodile meat. While prior instances of Armillifer grandis infection linked to crocodile consumption remain unreported, it is established that crocodiles can harbor pentastomids. Hence, it is plausible that the infection resulted from ingesting crocodile meat containing parasite eggs, representing a potential new pathway for Armillifer grandis transmission.

Moreover, doctors speculated on the possibility of cross-contamination occurring at market stalls where both snake and crocodile meat are sold. This scenario further underscores the complexities involved in tracing the origin of such infections.