Genotypic assignment of infection by Dirofilaria repens.
Dirofilariasis is a parasitic disease, which if treated inappropriately due to misdiagnosis, can cause unwanted complications particularly when the infection is located in the breast. The numerous obstacles that can cause misdiagnosis of dirofilariases by standard morphological procedures prompted the development of a Dirofilaria repens-specific direct polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based diagnostic approach using freshly infected dog blood. Reliable amplification of nematode DNA from formalin-fixed infected human specimens by this method is only possible from relatively fresh biological material, preserved in the fixative for up to 20 days. We report here our first case of dirofilariasis since the development of PCR genotyping, where the pathogen was morphologically unrecognizable and the diagnosis was based exclusively on DNA amplification. We complete our methodological contribution to the clinical laboratory diagnosis of dirofilariasis by presenting two more cases, where the primary genotypic assignment of infection by D. repens was further confirmed by conventional morphological means.
Vakalis
Nicholas
N
Department of Parasitology, Entomology and Tropical Diseases, National School of Public Health, 196 Alexandras Ave, 11521 Athens, Greece. nikosvak@ath.forthnet.gr
Vougioukas
Nicholas
N
Patsoula
Eleni
E
Spanakos
Gregory
G
Sioutopoulou
Despina O
DO
Vamvakopoulos
Nicholas C
NC
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D018509:DNA, Helminth / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D004182:Dirofilaria / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D004184:Dirofilariasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D015822:Eye Infections, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012876:Skin Diseases, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology
D018509:DNA, Helminth