Ocular Gnathostomiasis in Brazil: A Case Report

Abstract

Gnathostomiasis is a parasitic disease caused by nematode larvae ingestion of 15 known species of the genus Gnathostoma (one of the Gnathostomatidae family members). This parasite uses freshwater fish as a host and can infect - through the consumption of raw fish or their viscera - other animals such as dogs, cats, chickens, pigs, and humans. This parasitic disease, with humans acting as hosts, has been known since 1945 (India), and ocular complications have been known since 2004 (intravitreal; also described in India). Latin American countries, especially Mexico and Peru, have reported cases of the disease since 1970. The first dermatological case was reported in Brazil in 2009 (the individual had acquired the disease in Peru). This article describes the first reported ophthalmic case of the disease in Brazil and refers to a male patient, 30 years old, living in the municipality of Juruá, Amazonas State. The disease evolved within 30 days through a fistulized tumor in the inner corner of the lower eyelid. Following excision, the anatomical and histopathological examination revealed the presence of a different parasite species from other previously known genera.

Ocular Gnathostomiasis—Update of Earlier Survey

“…Since our initial survey performed of cases reported up to and including 2009, we found an additional nine case reports of ocular gnathostomiasis and two of our own unpublished cases (one each from Thailand and Venezuela), which were listed in Table 1. [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] Following careful investigation of each report, two cases reported from India 5,6 were determined to be the same case. Therefore, during the survey period the actual number of unique cases from India is four and the total number is 10 including two unpublished cases.…”

Case Report: Ocular Gnathostomiasis in Venezuela Most Likely Acquired in Texas

“…Gnathostomiasis is an emerging fish-borne zoonosis in Latin America, with reported prevalence in Mexico and Ecuador since the 1970s. 1,2 In addition, few sporadic indigenous gnathostomiasis cases have been reported from several South American countries 16 such as Brazil, 4,5 Peru, 6 Argentina, 17 and Colombia. 18 Nevertheless, not much attention has been paid for gnathostomiasis in Venezuela, until recent report of an indigenous case of cutaneous gnathostomiasis in a 25-year-old man who went to Apure State for game fishing and consumed a raw freshwater fish.…”

“…1,2 Recent epidemiological surveys added several Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam and Laos as endemic. 1 In addition, sporadic cases of gnathostomiasis have recently been reported from previously nonendemic countries such as Australia, 3 Brazil, 4,5 and Peru. 6 The cases among travelers, not only those who have been to endemic countries 7 but also to nonendemic African countries such as Botswana 8 or Zambia, 9 suggest much wider distribution of this parasite than we thought previously.…”

Human gnathostomiasis: a neglected food-borne zoonosis

“…Gnathostoma larvae can migrate to the skin though subcutaneous tissue, and penetrate other tissues and organs including the eyes, ears, breasts, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, thoracic spinal cord, genitourinary system and CNS [ 8 , 39 ]. Clinical features mostly manifest as cutaneous and visceral migrans, depending on which parts of the body have been invaded.…”