Subcutaneous dirofilariasis of the groin in a male due to Dirofilaria repens
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Hellenic Journal of Surgery (2017) 89:3-4, 178-180
Subcutaneous Dirofilariasis of the Groin in a Male due to Dirofilaria Repens Xaplanteri P, Patrikakos P, Kolonitsiou F, Zacharis N, Potsios C, Marangos M, Zacharis G
Abstract Dirofilariasis is a rare human parasitic disease. Dirofilaria repens most commonly causes subcutaneous and ocular infections. The case is presented of a 24-year-old Greek male with a painless swelling in the right groin of one month’s duration. Exploratory incision of the lesion revealed a whitish living worm of approximately 7 cm in length. The worm was removed and identified by its morphology as D. repens. This is the first case of dirofilariasis of the groin to be reported in Southwestern Greece. Key words: Dirofilaria repens; subcutaneous nodule; dirofilariasi;, nematodes
Introduction Dirofilaria repens is a nematode worm, a member of the Filaridae family. It is a rare human pathogen which usually causes localized subcutaneous infection [1]. The case is presented of a 24-year-old Greek male with subcutaneous dirofilariasis of the groin due to D. repens, reported here for the first time in Southwestern Greece.
Case Report A 24-year-old Greek male with a clear medical history attended the emergency department complaining of a painless swelling in the right groin. The swelling was of one month’s duration and was increasing. The patient had never traveled abroad and had no animal pets. The laboratory tests were within normal range, and no eosinophilia was detected. As the initial impression during physical examiXaplanteri P, Kolonitsiou F Department of Microbiology, University General Hospital of Patras, Greece Patrikakos P, Zacharis G Department of General Surgery, St. Andrew’s General Hospital, Patras, Greece Zacharis N GP, Internal Medicine, Patras, Greece Potsios C Department of Internal Medicine, Kalavryta General Hospital, Kalavryta, Greece Marangos M Division of Infectious Diseases, University General Hospital of Patras, Greece Corresponding author: Zacharis George Department of General Surgery, St. Andrew’s General Hospital, Patras, Greece Tel.: +30 2610 322362, Fax: +30-2610 322362 e-mail: [email protected] Received 3 July 2017; Accepted 24 July 2017 Hellenic Journal of Surgery 89
nation and ultrasonography (US) was of a subcutaneous cyst, an exploratory incision of the lesion was performed. A living whitish worm of approximately 7 cm in length was removed. The worm was identified morphologically as D. repens (Figure 1).
Discussion Members of the Filaridae nematode family cause the helminthic vector-borne parasitic disease filariasis in humans. The family includes the genera Dirofilaria, Brugia, Wuchereria, Onchocerca, Dipetalonema, Loa, and Meningonema. The genus Dirofilaria includes the species D. immitis, D. repens, D. tenuis, and D. ursi, of which D. repens infects humans and has been isolated from ocular infections, subcutaneous tissues, the brain, liver, and intestine [2]. The microfilariae of D. repens are ingested by a mosquito (Aedes, Anopheles, Culex, and Mans
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