Doctors surgically removed an 11-centimeter parasitic worm from a young woman's eyelid after it had migrated from her forehead over the course of a month. The 26-year-old patient sought medical attention after the parasite moved to her left eye. Although she reported no symptoms until the day of her visit, she told doctors that a small lump had appeared on her right temple a month prior, which disappeared before her eye became swollen. Medical staff explained that a small nodule forms at the infection site and develops into a worm over several months. Before the procedure, doctors filmed the white, cylindrical worm writhing under the thin skin of her upper eyelid, resembling a swollen vein. The surgery was successful, and the woman experienced no further complications. Researchers noted that the patient, from Romania, owned a dog, which is a more common host for the mosquitoes that transmit the parasite. Tests identified the worm as Dirofilaria repens, a species common in dogs, foxes, wolves, and raccoons. This parasite is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito, which simultaneously injects a tiny larva into the bloodstream while feeding. Once in the human body, the larva can grow into an adult worm in the lungs, under the skin, or around the eyes.
