''Onchocerca lupi'' is a

nematode The nematodes ( or grc-gre, Νηματώδη; la, Nematoda) or roundworms constitute the phylum Nematoda (also called Nemathelminthes), with plant-Parasitism, parasitic nematodes also known as eelworms. They are a diverse animal phylum inhab ...

that causes ocular

onchocerciasis Onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness, is a disease caused by infection with the parasitic worm ''Onchocerca volvulus''. Symptoms include severe itching, bumps under the skin, and blindness. It is the second-most common cause of blindne ...

, an eye disease, in canines and felines. The parasite was first described in 1967 in a wolf from Georgia. The other ''

Onchocerca Onchocerca is a genus of parasitic roundworm. It contains one human parasite – ''Onchocerca volvulus'' – which is responsible for the neglected disease Onchocerciasis, also known as "river blindness" because the infected humans tend to live ...

'' spp., '' O. volvulus'', is a human parasite that causes ocular onchocerciasis in human and affects 37 million people globally.Otranto, Domenico, et al. "Human ocular filariasis: further evidence on the zoonotic role of Onchocerca lupi." ''Parasit Vectors'' 5.1 (2012): 84. The male ''O. lupi'' worms are smaller in size than the females. Males are 43–50 mm in length and 120-200 µm in diameter. Females are 275-420 µm in diameter but the total length are unknown while the longest fragments recorded were 160–165 mm. They both are fragile and slender. Life cycle The complete life cycle of ''O. lupi'' is still unknown. The black fly, ''

Simulium ''Simulium'' is a genus of black flies, which may transmit diseases such as onchocerciasis (river blindness). It is a large genus with several hundred species, and 41 subgenera. The flies are pool feeders. Their saliva, which contains antico ...

tribulatum'', is reported as a putative vector. Human Cases The number of reported human zoonotic ''O. lupi'' infections is increasing. The first human case was reported in Turkey. The worm was removed from the subconjunctival region of the left eye of an 18-year-old girl who was experiencing pain and had the history of a fly-bite on her left upper eyelid. The morphology and molecular analysis of its partial cox1 and 12S ribosomal DNA sequences were studied to identify. The additional cases have been documented in Turkey, Tunisia, Iran and the USA.Mowlavi, G., et al. "Human ocular onchocerciasis caused by Onchocerca lupi (Spirurida, Onchocercidae) in Iran." ''Journal of'' helminthology'' 88.02 (2014): 250-255.''Eberhard, Mark L., et al. "Zoonotic Onchocerca lupi infection in a 22-month-old child in Arizona: first report in the United States and a review of the literature." ''The American journal of tropical'' medicine and hygiene'' 88.3 (2013): 601-605.'' In the first reported case from USA, the infection site was unusual from all the previous cases and was found in a cervical spine of a 22-month-old girl. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan revealed that a soft tissue mass was running from C2 through C4. The left unilateral

laminectomy A laminectomy is a surgical procedure that removes a portion of a vertebra called the lamina, which is the roof of the spinal canal. It is a major spine operation with residual scar tissue and may result in postlaminectomy syndrome. Depending ...

was performed and a small biopsy of the mass was taken. The biopsy showed a mature female worm was present. It was suspected that the biopsy process might have killed the worm because the mass reduced in size. The 7 weeks follow-up revealed that the patient got better.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q22286619 Parasitic nematodes of mammals Spirurida