In the Lutsk district of the Volyn region, a woman was diagnosed with heartworm disease, a parasitic disease caused by roundworms of the genus Dirofilaria. A 14-centimeter-long worm was surgically removed from the patient's eye. This is the second confirmed case of the disease in the region in 2025.
This was reported by the Volyn Regional Center for Disease Control and Prevention of the Ministry of Health.
According to doctors, the woman sought medical help due to severe pain and a mass on her eyelid. During the operation, doctors removed a parasite from her eyelid, which was later identified as the causative agent of heartworm disease. The patient is currently in satisfactory condition.
The investigation showed that the woman had not traveled outside the region or abroad. This indicates a local infection — the pathogen was most likely transmitted by a mosquito. According to epidemiologists, favorable climatic conditions and active population migration contribute to the spread of this disease.
What is known about heartworm disease?
The disease is transmitted through the bites of infected mosquitoes. The main sources of infection for insects are animals: dogs, cats, foxes, wolves. Humans are an accidental host for the parasite. The incubation period can last from one month to two years.
Symptoms can be disguised as other diseases: atheroma, cyst, fibroma, venous thrombosis, allergy. Usually a seal appears, which gradually turns into a tumor. A characteristic sign is a feeling of movement under the skin - the helminth can move at a speed of up to 30 cm per day, changing localization.
The eye area is most often affected - eyelids, conjunctiva, eyeball. The skin of the scalp, neck, arms and legs can also be affected. In the human body, usually only one individual parasitizes, which grows slowly: up to 3 cm in 3 months, sometimes to large sizes in 6-24 months.
The final diagnosis is made only after surgery and laboratory testing.
Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises:
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destroy mosquito breeding sites: standing water, open containers of water;
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spray green areas with insecticides;
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protect your home with mosquito nets, use repellents, and avoid being outside without appropriate clothing in the evening;
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regularly deworm pets and use protective collars;
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Do not try to remove the parasite yourself - this may cause infection.
In 2025, two cases of heartworm disease with local transmission were already recorded in Volyn - in Lutsk and Kovel districts. In 2020–2024, nine cases of this disease were registered in the region, mainly in Lutsk district.
