Dirofilaria repens diagnosed by the presence of microfilariae in fine needleaspirates: a case report.
BACKGROUND: Dirofilariasis due to Dirofilaria repens with viablemicrofilariae outside the worm have not been reported before. CASE: A 40-year-old truck driver fromrural Shiraz, Iran, had a firm mass, 2.5 x 2.5 cm, at the dorsolateral aspect of the right forearm.Fine needle aspiration (FNA) was performed on 2 occasions. Several microfilariae with blunt heads,pointed posterior ends and empty caudal spaces resembling microfilariae of Wuchereria bancrofti butlonger were seen. Since Iran is a nonendemic area for lymphatic filariae and the patient had ahistory of contact with a dog, with the impression of dirofilariasis, the mass was excised, and thepresence of adult worms in tissue sections confirmed the diagnosis. CONCLUSION: This caseofsubcutaneous dirofilariasis was diagnosed by detecting microfilariae in FNA smears and wasconfirmed on histopathology.
Negahban,S　Daneshbod,Y　Atefi,S　Daneshbod,K　Sadjjadi,SM　Hosseini,SV　Bedayat,GR　Abidi,H
Department of Pathology, Dr. Daneshbod Pathology Laboratory, Shiraz, Iran.
　Dirofilaria repens　 Fine needle biopsy, NOS　 Legal fine　 Mass, NOS Iran
