Just when you think the year can't throw anything else at you — there are parasitic worms living in the eyes of animals. Just because nature hates us, yes, they are potentially transmittable to humans. And, they can cause blindness.
Researchers found dozens of parasitic worms living in a black bear's eye. The animal died last November in Pennsylvania. Further research showed tiny less-than a couple of centimeters worms.
Scientists have found over a dozen parasitic worms in the eyes of a black bear, renewing fears that humans could face an emerging danger from the tiny worms that can cause blindness.
Caroline Sobotyk, the principal author of the study and an assistant professor of clinical parasitology at the University of Pennsylvania, said it's the first time they found the worms in a wild animal. Previously, they found worms in pets. She said it puts humans and their pets at risk.
"This does increase the risk for us humans to get this parasite as well, and for our pets and other animals," she said. The the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal new research paper shows a possibility of "transmission to humans and domestic animals."
Eye Worms Are Potential Risk
"It wouldn't come directly from any of our wildlife species into people. But wildlife could act as what we call a reservoir," said Kevin Niedringhaus, an assistant professor of wildlife pathology at the University of Pennsylvania who co-authored the study.
According to the CDC, flies pass the worms to animals and potentially humans. These flies will land near an animal's eyes. The worms cause ulcers that can potentially cause blindness. "Offspring of the worm is probably being collected by the fly, and then that's being carried over to another host, whether it's another animal or a human," Niedringhaus said.
Researchers aren't sure yet what sort of impact the parasites could have.
"We do not know the impact that these worms can cause in wildlife," Sobotyk said. However, that doesn't mean you should worry just yet about them. "No one's going to die because of eyeworms," she said. "Worst case scenario, they can cause blindness."
However, Niedringhaus said you should keep an eye on your pets.
"The best thing to do is to keep an eye probably on your pets first and foremost, because they're probably going to act, more than likely, as the means of potential transmission," he said.
