Question: Who is at risk for Parasites - Loiasis? ?
Answer: Loa loa parasites are found in West and Central Africa. Ten countries have areas where there are high rates of infection (i.e., where more than 40% of the people who live in that area report that they have had eye worm in the past). An estimated 14.4 million people live in these areas of high rates of infection. Another 15.2 live in areas where 20–40% of people report that they have had eye worm in the past. More on: Where Loa Loa is Prevelant [WHO Map] The people most at risk for loiasis are those who live in the certain rain forests in West and Central Africa. The deerflies that pass the parasite to humans usually bite during the day and are more common during the rainy season. They are attracted by the movement of people and by smoke from wood fires. Rubber plantations are areas where more deerflies may be found. The flies do not typically enter homes, but they might be attracted to homes that are well lit. Travelers are more likely to become infected if they are in areas where they are bitten by deerflies for many months, though occasionally they get infected even if they are in an affected area for less than 30 days. Your risk of infection depends on the number of bites received, the number of infected deerflies in the area you visit, and the length of your stay in the area.
Source: CDC

Question: How to diagnose Parasites - Loiasis ?
Answer: In people who have been bitten by the flies that carry Loa loa in areas where Loa loa is known to exist, the diagnosis can be made in the following ways: - Identification of the adult worm by a microbiologist or pathologist after its removal from under the skin or eye - Identification of an adult worm in the eye by a health care provider - Identification of the microfilariae on a blood smear made from blood taken from the patient between 10AM and 2PM - Identification of antibodies against L. loa on specialized blood test Diagnosis of loiasis can be difficult, especially in light infections where there are very few microfilariae in the blood. The specialized blood test is not widely available in the United States. A positive antibody blood test in someone with no symptoms means only that the person was infected sometime in his/her life. It does not mean that the person still has living parasites in his/her body.
Source: CDC

Question: What are the treatments for Parasites - Loiasis ?
Answer: Decisions about treatment of loiasis can be difficult and often require advice from an expert in infectious diseases or tropical medicine. Although surgical removal of adult worms moving under the skin or across the eye can be done to relieve anxiety, loiasis is not cured by surgery alone. There are two medications that can be used to treat the infection and manage the symptoms. The treatment of choice is diethylcarbamazine (DEC), which kills the microfilariae and adult worms. Albendazole is sometimes used in patients who are not cured with multiple DEC treatments. It is thought to kill adult worms. Certain people with heavy infections are at risk of brain inflammation when treated with DEC. This can cause coma or sometimes death. People with heavy infections need to be treated by experienced specialists. Sometimes, other medical conditions need to be addressed first in order to make it safer to use DEC. Sometimes treatment is not recommended. More on: Resources for Health Professionals: Treatment
Source: CDC

Question: How to prevent Parasites - Loiasis ?
Answer: There are no programs to control or eliminate loiasis in affected areas. Your risk of infection may be less in areas where communities receive regular treatment for onchocerciasis or lymphatic filariasis. There are no vaccines that protect you from loiasis. If you are going to be in an area with loiasis for a long period of time, diethylcarbamazine (DEC)—300mg taken once a week—can reduce your risk of infection. Avoiding areas where the deerflies are found, such as muddy, shaded areas along rivers or around wood fires, may also reduce your risk of infection. You may reduce your risk of bites by using insect repellants that contain DEET (N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide) and wearing long sleeves and long pants during the day, which is when deerflies bite. Treating your clothes with permethrin may also help. For a description of CDC's information for preventing insect bites, see CDC's Yellow Book. More on: Insect Bite Prevention
Source: CDC