This report deals with an imported case of calabar swelling suspective of loiasis, who had been in Nigeria, Africa for 2 years. This 33-year-old Korean technician was admitted to Severance Hospital, Yonsei University Medical Center, because of erythematous swellings on left hand and foot. His peripheral blood showed persistent eosinophilia (over 30 percent of WBC), increased IgE(1,000 unit/ml) and significantly high antifilarial antibody titer with enzyme immunoassay, although no microfilaria was detected on the peripheral blood films. Under the impression of Loa loa infection diethylcarbamazine was administered for a month. Four months later mobile swellings and eosinophilia disappeared, and anti-filarial antibody titers were normalized. It is assumed that the patient had suffered from Loa loa infection, which is the first report on loiasis in Korea.
parasitolgy-helminth-nematoda ; Loa loa ; loiasis ; case report ; Nigeria ; imported disease

The process of globalization increases the risk of global transmission of infectious diseases, resulting in pressure for country's prevention and control of imported infectious disease. Based on the risk assessment of disease importation and local transmission, a strategy that conducting importation prevention and routine prevention and control before the importation of disease and taking emergency control measures after the importation of disease was developed. In addition, it is important to take part in global infectious disease response action, aid the countries with outbreak or epidemic to actively decrease the risk of disease importation.
Communicable Diseases ; Communicable Diseases, Imported/transmission* ; Disease Outbreaks/prevention & control* ; Epidemics ; Global Health ; Humans ; Risk Assessment ; Travel