A rare case of tick infestation of the eyelid: case report and literature review

ABSTRACT This article presents a case of tick infestation of the lower eyelid by a previously unreported species. A 71-year-old male presented with a tick attached to the lower eyelid. The tick was identified morphologically, and then molecularly via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing of its DNA. In addition, a review of the literature relevant to the genera of ticks associated with infestation of the human eye is provided. The tick, which was in the nymphal developmental stage, was first identified according to taxonomic keys as Dermacentor sp. For complete species identification, 16s rDNA gene PCR and sequencing were performed, which showed that the tick was D. marginatus. Systematizing tick species could assist physicians in determining the potential for transmission of tick-borne human diseases.