Loa loa: Difference between revisions

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Loa loa
(Created page with "==Background== ===Epidemiology=== * Transmitted by ''Chrysops silacea'' and ''Chrysops dimidiata'' flies ==Clinical Presentation== * Often asymptomatic * Most common...")
 
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==Management==
 
==Management==
 
* Must rule out high-level microfilaremia (>2500 microfilariae/mL) before considering medical treatment, due to the risk of encephalitis
 
* Must rule out high-level microfilaremia (>2500 microfilariae/mL) before considering medical treatment, due to the risk of encephalitis
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{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Loa loa''}}
   
 
[[Category:Nematodes]]
 
[[Category:Nematodes]]

Revision as of 19:18, 7 July 2020

Background

Epidemiology

Clinical Presentation

  • Often asymptomatic
  • Most common symptom is Calabar swellings, a 10- to 20-cm painful, itchy subcutaneous swelling caused by migration of the adult worms
    • The lesions are essentially angioedema in response to the worm
  • Worms can also migrate to the conjunctiva, where they are visible
  • Infection can be complicated by hematuria and proteinuria, as well as as encephalitis, precipitated by treatment during high-level microfilaremia

Management

  • Must rule out high-level microfilaremia (>2500 microfilariae/mL) before considering medical treatment, due to the risk of encephalitis

References

  1. ^  Jérémy T Campillo, Paul Bikita, Marlhand Hemilembolo, Frédéric Louya, François Missamou, Sébastien D S Pion, Michel Boussinesq, CédricB Chesnais. Safety and Efficacy of Levamisole in Loiasis: A Randomized, Placebo-controlled, Double-blind Clinical Trial. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2021;75(1):19-27. doi:10.1093/cid/ciab906.