Rare European Eye Worm Detected in U.S. Eyelid Case, First of Its Kind
A 74-year-old California man developed a firm eyelid nodule after an insect bite; an MRI suggested a chalazion, but surgical removal and genetic testing identified the culprit as a nematode, Dirofilaria repens, a parasite common in Europe/Asia and reportedly the first such human case documented in the United States. The worm likely arrived via local animal hosts and mosquito vectors; humans are incidental hosts. The patient recovered after removal, and researchers urge continued surveillance of D. repens in North America amid expanding mosquito populations.