Thelazia callipaeda infestation in an 8-month-old male infant in Hubei, China.

Abstract

Thelazia callipaeda, a zoonotic nematode, primarily infests the ocular tissues of mammals, occasionally humans. Infestations in infants under 1 year of age are rarely reported. This case describes an 8‑month-old male infant diagnosed with ocular T. callipaeda infestation in Hubei, China. The infant was brought to the hospital by his mother, who reported that he had been rubbing his right eye for 3 days, accompanied by increased ocular discharge and mild tearing. Upon examination, a whitish, motile, thread-like worm was observed in the conjunctival sac of the right eye. During ophthalmological surgical exploration, a total of 10 worms were removed from the right eye, with 8 sent for identification. All 8 adult nematodes collected were morphologically identified as T. callipaeda, consisting of 4 females and 4 males. Following the removal of the nematodes, the infant's ocular symptoms rapidly resolved, with no recurrence noted during a 2-month follow-up.