# Delayed-Onset Loiasis: A Case of Loa loa Infection Diagnosed Six Years Post-exposure

## TL;DR

A woman was diagnosed with loiasis six years after exposure, highlighting the delayed symptoms and challenges in diagnosing this infection outside endemic regions.

## Contribution

This case report highlights delayed-onset loiasis and the risks of treatment in non-endemic regions.

## Key findings

- Loiasis was diagnosed six years after the patient's exposure in Gabon.
- Albendazole treatment triggered inflammatory reactions, emphasizing the need for microfilarial burden assessment.
- The case emphasizes the importance of considering loiasis in patients with a remote travel history.

## Abstract

Loiasis, caused by Loa loa, is a filarial infection endemic to Central and West Africa, increasingly recognized in non-endemic regions due to global migration and travel. Diagnosis in non-endemic regions can be challenging due to delayed symptom onset. We report a case of a 40-year-old woman presenting with ocular discomfort and a migrating subcutaneous parasite six years after residing in Gabon. Laboratory evaluation revealed eosinophilia and microfilariae on peripheral blood smear, confirming loiasis. Initial treatment with albendazole led to inflammatory symptoms, highlighting the risk of post-treatment reactions. This case underscores the importance of recognizing loiasis in patients with remote travel history, the need for careful microfilarial burden assessment, and multidisciplinary management to optimize treatment outcomes.