AIIMS Bhopal Doctors Find Live Worm in Patient's eye

Doctors at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhopal successfully removed a worm from the eye of an individual through a complex surgery, after he suffered vision issues. The 35-year-old man from Madhya Pradesh was admitted to the hospital as he suffered problems regarding eyesight. Upon inspection, it was discovered that a worm had infiltrated his immune system and was located in his eye.

The man had visited several doctors as he felt his vision weakening, who prescribed him medicines for the same. However, there was not much improvement in his condition which further made him consult doctors at AIIMS Bhopal.

Once evaluated, it was diagnosed that a worm was living in the vitreous gel, which is located in the vitreous chamber of the eye, behind the lens and in front of the retina. It provides nutrients to your eye and helps your eye keep its shape.

The case is considered to be rare as live worms usually do not infiltrate our body. Moreover, the surgical procedure to remove the worm was a difficult task as the parasite inside was alive and moving.

The surgery, led by Dr Samendra Karkur (Chief Retina Surgeon at AIIMS Bhopal) was a huge success even though the team faced troubles with the worm moving.

The surgical procedure involved stopping the movement of the parasite with the aid of high precision laser technology, without causing any harm to the individual. Once the worm was immobilized, a vitreoretinal surgery technique was performed to remove the one-inch-long worm from the patient's eye.

The worm, which was later identified as Gnathostoma spinigerum, is a parasitic nematode that causes gnathostomiasis in humans. Gnathostoma spp. are spirurid nematodes characterized by the presence of a prominent cephalic bulb and body spines, and are typically associated with carnivorous mammal definitive hosts. ^[1] Humans are accidental hosts; the only forms found in humans are larvae or immature adults that never reach reproductive maturity. ^[1]

Gnathostoma spinigerum, which can enter the human body through eating raw or undercooked meat; once inside, it can travel to different parts of the body, including the skin, brain, and eyes, causing serious problems.

References:

1. “CDC - DPDx - Gnathostomiasis.” 2019. Www.cdc.gov. May 7, 2019. https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/gnathostomiasis/index.html. (Accessed on February 18, 2025)

‌(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Jithin Paul/MSM)