[Human muscle dirofilariasis of difficult diagnosis]

A case of Dirofilariasis by Dirofilaria repens localized in the left temporalis muscle, in a 43-year-old woman, is described. It was acquired in South-western Sicily but became apparent in Pisa. It is the seventh case of human Dirofilariasis reported from this area, confirming the existence of an endemic focus. In spite of the numerous investigations to identify clinically the illness (needle-aspirate, Echography, CTScan) the diagnosis was possible only upon discovery of the nematode in the histological sections of the surgically removed nodule.