A case report (and video) of the worm-like, bloodsucking parasite Linguatula serrata, found in organ meats, that can migrate through the intestinal wall, into the bloodstream, and then inside one’s eyeball.
Tongue Worm in Human Eye
4.9/5 - (12 votes)
Let me start by saying this one is not for the squeamish. For years, I’ve shared many a foodborne malady. When people think foodborne illness, they tend to think of tummy flu. Not toxic megacolon, or sexually transmitted fish toxins, or any of the other bizarre case reports I run across of things one can contract at the dinner table.
Well, published recently in the official CDC journal, Emerging Infectious Diseases, I think I found something that takes the cake. It wasn’t the sushi worm found living in someone’s stomach, or a swallowed fish bone that came poking out. No, it was Linguatula serrata, tongue worm in human eye.
Evidently, if we prefer our viscera poorly cooked, we can swallow eggs that hatch in our intestines into wormlike, bloodsucking parasites that burrow out through the intestinal wall, and then migrate throughout our body. Rarely, they can tunnel into the eye. And when they say tongue worm in human eye, they mean like literally swimming around inside the eyeball. And yes, they’ve got video.
To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by Serena
Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.
- Koehsler M, Walochnik J, Georgopoulos M, Pruente C, Boeckeler W, Auer H, Barisani-Asenbauer T. Linguatula serrata Tongue Worm in Human Eye, Austria. Emerg Infect Dis. 2011 May; 17(5):870-2.
- Bathla G, Teo LL, Dhanda S. Pictorial essay: Complications of a swallowed fish bone. Indian J Radiol Imaging. 2011 Jan; 21(1):63-8.
- Lange WR, Lipkin KM, Yang GC. Can ciguatera be a sexually transmitted disease? J. Toxicol Clin Toxicol. 1989; 27(3):193-7.
- Zullo A, Hassan C, Scaccianoce G, Lorenzetti R, Campo SM, Morini S. Gastric Anisakiasis: Do not Forget the Clinical History! J Gastrointestin Liver Dis. 2010 Dec; 19(4):359.
Images thanks to Dennis Tappe and Dietrich W. Büttner.
Let me start by saying this one is not for the squeamish. For years, I’ve shared many a foodborne malady. When people think foodborne illness, they tend to think of tummy flu. Not toxic megacolon, or sexually transmitted fish toxins, or any of the other bizarre case reports I run across of things one can contract at the dinner table.
Well, published recently in the official CDC journal, Emerging Infectious Diseases, I think I found something that takes the cake. It wasn’t the sushi worm found living in someone’s stomach, or a swallowed fish bone that came poking out. No, it was Linguatula serrata, tongue worm in human eye.
Evidently, if we prefer our viscera poorly cooked, we can swallow eggs that hatch in our intestines into wormlike, bloodsucking parasites that burrow out through the intestinal wall, and then migrate throughout our body. Rarely, they can tunnel into the eye. And when they say tongue worm in human eye, they mean like literally swimming around inside the eyeball. And yes, they’ve got video.
To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by Serena
Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.
- Koehsler M, Walochnik J, Georgopoulos M, Pruente C, Boeckeler W, Auer H, Barisani-Asenbauer T. Linguatula serrata Tongue Worm in Human Eye, Austria. Emerg Infect Dis. 2011 May; 17(5):870-2.
- Bathla G, Teo LL, Dhanda S. Pictorial essay: Complications of a swallowed fish bone. Indian J Radiol Imaging. 2011 Jan; 21(1):63-8.
- Lange WR, Lipkin KM, Yang GC. Can ciguatera be a sexually transmitted disease? J. Toxicol Clin Toxicol. 1989; 27(3):193-7.
- Zullo A, Hassan C, Scaccianoce G, Lorenzetti R, Campo SM, Morini S. Gastric Anisakiasis: Do not Forget the Clinical History! J Gastrointestin Liver Dis. 2010 Dec; 19(4):359.
Images thanks to Dennis Tappe and Dietrich W. Büttner.
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Title
Tongue Worm in Human Eye
LicenseCreative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Content URLDoctor's Note
Other not-for-the-squeamish videos include Cheese Mites and Maggots; Toxic Megacolon Superbug; Allergenic Fish Worms; and Pork Tapeworms on the Brain. The one I mentioned about the fish toxins that spread through intercourse is Sexually Transmitted Fish Toxin.
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