| Thelazia | |
|---|---|
| |
| Thelazia callipaeda female[1] | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Nematoda |
| Class: | Chromadorea |
| Order: | Rhabditida |
| Family: | Thelaziidae |
| Genus: | Thelazia Bosc, 1819 |
| Species | |
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See text | |
Thelazia is a genus of nematode worms which parasitize the eyes and associated tissues of various bird and mammal hosts, including humans.[2][3] They are often called "eyeworms", and infestation with Thelazia species is referred to as "thelaziasis" (occasionally spelled "thelaziosis"). Adults are usually found in the eyelids, tear glands, tear ducts, or the so-called "third eyelid" (nictitating membrane). Occasionally, they are found in the eyeball itself, either under the conjunctiva (the membrane that covers the white part of the eye) or in the vitreous cavity of the eyeball.[4] All species of Thelazia for which the life cycle has been studied are transmitted by species of Diptera (flies) which do not bite, but which feed on tears.
- ^ This image is from Otranto, Domenico; Dutto, Moreno (2008). "Human Thelaziasis, Europe". Emerging Infectious Diseases. 14 (4): 647–649. doi:10.3201/eid1404.071205. PMC 2570937. PMID 18394285.
- ^ Otranto, D.; Traversa, D. (2005). "Thelazia eyeworm: An original endo- and ecto-parasitic nematode". Trends in Parasitology. 21 (1): 1–4. doi:10.1016/j.pt.2004.10.008. PMID 15639731.
- ^ do Vale, Beatriz; Lopes, Ana Patrícia; da Conceição Fontes, Maria; Silvestre, Mário; Cardoso, Luís; Coelho, Ana Cláudia (2020). "Systematic review on infection and disease caused by Thelazia callipaeda in Europe: 2001–2020". Parasite. 27: 52. doi:10.1051/parasite/2020048. ISSN 1776-1042. PMC 7526429. PMID 32996882.
- ^ Xue, Chunyan; Tian, Nong; Huang, Zhenping (2007). "Thelazia callipaeda in human vitreous". Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology. 42 (6): 884–885. doi:10.3129/i07-167. PMID 18059522.