ID4U Episode 19 Loiasis ("African Eye Worm")
Dr. Kakande Reagan, Dr. Bri Bennett, and Dr. Jessica Pelletier discuss the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic workup, management, and prevention of loiasis. Take-Home Points: Loa loa is a multi-system parasitic disease with potentially serious complications if untreated. Diagnosis requires diurnal blood smears or thick-drop methods, and Giemsa or H&E staining is necessary to diagnose the worms appropriately. Microfilarial load dictates the treatment strategy. There is a risk of life-threatening encephalopathy not only with ivermectin, but also with DEC, which is the first-line therapy for loiasis. Prevention involves avoiding Chrysops fly bites. Loiasis complicates MDA in areas with co-endemicity for onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis. Caution should be used with drug selection in co-endemic areas. You can view the full show notes and references here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FFoxvW_quKvmRS2Rph09-azch8jb61aemniR8AOX8Ps/edit?usp=sharing Image attribution: Magne Flåten, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons Episode sound attributions: Counting to 20: Creative Commons 0: http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ More jazz guitar: more Jazz guitar.wav by Sub-d: https://freesound.org/s/49658/ -- License: Creative Commons 0 Ragtime Logo Standard Version: https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/ragtime-logo-standard-version-116100/ Bike bell 10.flac by cdrk -- https://freesound.org/s/495492/ -- License: Attribution 4.0