Equine ocular onchocerciasis: histopathologic study.

Equine eyes (368) were examined clinically and histologically for abnormalities associated with the presence of ocular microfilariae of naturally occurring Onchocerca sp infection. Forty of the eyes had microfilariae in the conjunctiva, but distinguishing clinical abnormalities were not associated with their presence. In 1 horse with ocular microfilariae that was treated with diethylcarbamazine daily for 2 weeks, ocular tissue samples were obtained before, during, and after the horse was treated, and the samples were compared histologically. During treatment of the horse, microfilariae apparently moved from the conjunctival stroma into the perilimbal corneal stroma; inflammatory cells were more abundant in the perilimbal tissues. The tissue samples obtained before and after the treatment appeared similar.