[A case of pulmonary dirofilariasis].
A 41-year-old man was admitted to the hospital for detailed evaluation of chronic hepatitis C. A nodular shadow (15 x 15 mm) was detected in the left middle lung field on a chest X-ray film. Roentgenologic, cytologic, and bronchial endoscopic examinations resulted in no definitive diagnosis. To rule out a malignant tumor the left lung was partially resected (S6). Histological examination of the resected specimen revealed Dirofilaria worms in a necrotic mass. In most cases of pulmonary dirofilariasis, thoracotomy is done to confirm the diagnosis. Recently, however, antibodies against Dirofilaria have been detected by immunologic methods and have been used to help make the diagnosis in some cases. A less invasive procedure, such as a reliable immunologic test or a technique for thoracoscopic resection, would be very useful in cases of this benign condition.
Itoh
K
K
First Department of Internal Medicine, Nagoya City University Medical School, Japan.
Kojima
Y
Y
Nakamura
A
A
Yamada
Y
Y
Katayama
Y
Y
Takeuchi
T
T
D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D004184:Dirofilariasis / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000469:parasitology; D008174:Lung Diseases, Parasitic / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male