Bombyx mori the molecular identification of the first known pheromone, bombykol, which required extracts from 500,000 individuals, due to the very small quantities of pheromone produced by any individual worm. Currently, research is focusing on genetics of silkworms and the possibility of genetic engineering. Many hundreds of strains are maintained, and over 400 Mendelian mutations have been described. Another source suggests 1,000 inbred domesticated strains are kept worldwide. One useful development for the silk industry is silkworms that can feed on food other than mulberry leaves, including an artificial diet. Research on the genome also raises the possibility of genetically engineering silkworms
Ocular larva migrans value in diagnosing ocular toxocariasis. The retinal lesion can mimic retinoblastoma in appearance, and mistaken diagnosis of the latter condition can lead to unnecessary "enucleation". The eye involvement can cause the following inflammatory disorders: In contrast to visceral larva migrans, ocular toxocariasis usually develops in older children or young adults with no history of pica. These patients seldom have eosinophilia or visceral manifestations. Ocular larva migrans Ocular larva migrans (OLM), also known as ocular toxocariasis, is the ocular form of the larva migrans syndrome that occurs when "Toxocara canis" (dog roundworm) larvae invade the eye. They may be associated with