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[Human pulmonary dirofilariasis: the first case observed in Greece]
S Pampiglione1, F Rivasi, N Vakalis
1Département de Santé Publique Vétérinaire et Pathologie Animale, Université de Bologne, Italie.
Annales De Pathologie
|January 10, 2001
Summary
This study documents the first case of human pulmonary dirofilariasis, a lung infection caused by the Dirofilaria repens nematode, found in Greece. The diagnosis was confirmed after surgery for a suspected lung nodule.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Parasitology
- Human Pathology
Background:
- Human dirofilariasis is typically caused by Dirofilaria repens, a filarial nematode transmitted by mosquitoes.
- Most human infections manifest as subcutaneous or subconjunctival nodules, with fewer than 25 cases previously reported globally.
- Pulmonary involvement in human dirofilariasis is exceptionally rare.
Observation:
- A 31-year-old man in Greece presented with fever of unknown origin and a coin lesion on chest X-ray.
- A lobectomy was performed due to suspicion of lung cancer.
- Pathological examination revealed an immature female Dirofilaria repens within an infarcted lung nodule.
Findings:
- Morphological analysis confirmed the nematode as Dirofilaria repens.
- This represents the first documented case of pulmonary dirofilariasis in a human.
- The patient's infection presented as a solitary lung lesion, mimicking malignancy.
Implications:
- This case expands the known clinical spectrum of Dirofilaria repens infections in humans.
- Highlights the importance of considering parasitic etiologies in pulmonary coin lesions, even in non-endemic areas.
- Suggests potential for increased geographic range or underdiagnosis of pulmonary dirofilariasis.