Loiasis in a Japanese traveler returning from Central Africa

Tetsuro Kobayashi; Kayoko Hayakawa; Momoko Mawatari; Makoto Itoh; Nobuaki Akao; Rie Roselyne Yotsu; Jun Sugihara; Nozomi Takeshita; Satoshi Kutsuna; Yoshihiro Fujiya; Shuzo Kanagawa; Norio Ohmagari; Yasuyuki Kato

doi:10.2149/tmh.2015-05

This article has now been updated. Please use the final version.

Loiasis in a Japanese traveler returning from Central Africa

Tetsuro Kobayashi, Kayoko Hayakawa, Momoko Mawatari, Makoto Itoh, Nobuaki Akao, Rie Roselyne Yotsu, Jun Sugihara, Nozomi Takeshita, Satoshi Kutsuna, Yoshihiro Fujiya, Shuzo Kanagawa, Norio Ohmagari, Yasuyuki Kato

Author information

Tetsuro Kobayashi
Disease Control and Prevention Center, National Center for Global Health and Medicine
Kayoko Hayakawa
Disease Control and Prevention Center, National Center for Global Health and Medicine
Momoko Mawatari
Disease Control and Prevention Center, National Center for Global Health and Medicine
Makoto Itoh
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine
Nobuaki Akao
Department of Environmental Parasitology, Graduate School of Tokyo Medical and Dental University
Rie Roselyne Yotsu
Department of Dermatology, National Center for Global Health and Medicine
National Suruga Sanatorium
Jun Sugihara
Disease Control and Prevention Center, National Center for Global Health and Medicine
Nozomi Takeshita
Disease Control and Prevention Center, National Center for Global Health and Medicine
Satoshi Kutsuna
Disease Control and Prevention Center, National Center for Global Health and Medicine
Yoshihiro Fujiya
Disease Control and Prevention Center, National Center for Global Health and Medicine
Shuzo Kanagawa
Disease Control and Prevention Center, National Center for Global Health and Medicine
Norio Ohmagari
Disease Control and Prevention Center, National Center for Global Health and Medicine
Yasuyuki Kato
Disease Control and Prevention Center, National Center for Global Health and Medicine

Keywords: filarial infection, loiasis, returned traveler

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS Advance online publication

Article ID: 2015-05

DOI https://doi.org/10.2149/tmh.2015-05

The final version of this article is now available: Vol. 43 (2015), No. 2 pp. 149-153

Details

Abstract

We encountered a probable case of loiasis in a returned traveler from Central Africa. A 52-year-old Japanese woman presented to our hospital complaining of discomfort in her eyes and skin. She reported having frequently visited Central Africa over many years and having been extensively exposed to the rainforest climate and ecosystem. Although no microfilariae were found in her blood, there was an elevated level of IgG antibodies against the crude antigens of Brugia pahangi, which have cross-reactivity with Loa loa. She was treated with albendazole for 21 days, after which the antigen-specific IgG level decreased and no relapse occurred.

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