Intraocular Gnathostomiasis: Report of a Case and Review of Literature

Intraocular gnathostomiasis is a rare parasitic infection caused by the third-stage larvae of spiruroid nematode Gnanthostoma spp. seen mostly in tropical and subtropical regions. It is a food-borne zoonosis caused by ingestion of raw or undercooked freshwater fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, all of which are known to harbor advanced third-stage larvae of Gnanthostoma spp. To date, 74 cases of intraocular gnathostomiasis have been reported from 12 different countries. Only four countries have reported more than 10 cases each, and India shares the rare distinction of being one of them, with 14 cases. Surprisingly, not a single case of cutaneous gnanthostomiasis has ever been reported from India. We present one such case of intraocular gnathostomiasis in a 41-year-old male who presented with an actively motile worm attached to the iris, and we review the pertinent literature of all such cases reported from India.