Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Aug 19: In a rare and shocking case, a 35-year-old man from rural central India, who had complained of blurry vision, was found to have a live parasitic worm moving inside his eye. Ophthalmologists detected the worm during an examination, and the case has been documented in the New England Journal of Medicine, published by the Massachusetts Medical Society.

The parasite, identified as Gnathostoma spinigerum, is a roundworm usually found in cats and dogs, but can infect humans through consumption of raw or undercooked meat. Doctors suspect the man acquired the infection after eating undercooked poultry and freshwater fish, both of which he had consumed.

On physical examination, the patient’s eye showed signs of conjunctival injection. Further fundoscopy revealed a worm “moving sluggishly” in the posterior segment of the eye.

“Gnathostomiasis is acquired through ingestion of undercooked freshwater fish, poultry, snake, or frog in regions where the disease is endemic,” the doctors explained in the report.

Commenting on the case, Abdhish Bhavsar, MD, clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology and retina specialist at Retina Consultants of Minnesota, said, “Gnathostomiasis is one of several parasites that can infect the eye and retina. Some of these worms are very small and can travel within or under the retina, causing severe damage, vision loss, or even blindness.”

The medical team performed a pars plana vitrectomy (PPV), a surgical procedure to treat retinal and vitreous conditions, by removing the vitreous gel and gaining access to the retina. The worm was extracted successfully.

Under light microscopy, doctors confirmed that the larval-stage nematode had a cephalic bulb, thick cuticle, and well-developed intestine — features characteristic of Gnathostoma spinigerum.

The case has drawn global medical attention, highlighting the risks of consuming undercooked meat in regions where such parasitic infections are endemic.