title: Cytomorphologic profile of lymphatic filariasis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the cytologic findings in 34 cases of lymphatic filariasis reported on fine needle aspiration cytology for the identification of various parasitic structures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study of consecutive cytologically diagnosed lymphatic filariasis in a nine-year period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-three cases were confirmed as filariasis; 30 had microfilariae (group 1). Three cases (group 2) showed no microfilariae. The diagnosis in group 2 was based on the identification of an adult male worm (1 case), nongravid female worm (1 case) and fertilized eggs (1 case). Thirteen cases in group 1 also had fragments of gravid female worm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lymphatic filariasis can be diagnosed in the absence of microfilariae by identifying other parasitic fragments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University College of Medical Sciences, Delhi, India.
authors.forename: V K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Arora
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bhatia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D017178:Brugia malayi / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002648:Child; D004605:Elephantiasis, Filarial / Q000097:blood / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*; D004822:Epididymis / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014958:Wuchereria bancrofti / Q000302:isolation & purification*