title: Dance of live adult filarial worms is a reliable sign of scrotal filarial infection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the value of the filarial dance sign as a diagnostic sign of scrotal filarial infection and to recognize unsuspected scrotal filariasis by this sign.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight symptomatic patients in whom the filarial dance sign was shown on high-resolution ultrasonography were studied, investigated, and followed after treatment with diethylcarbamazine citrate. Two patients underwent fine-needle aspiration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multiple foci (nests) of motile (live) filarial worms were observed in most patients. Fine-needle aspiration of the dilated lymphatic vessels in 2 patients confirmed the presence of microfilariae. Five of 8 patients had a favorable response to treatment with diethylcarbamazine citrate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High-resolution ultrasonography is a useful technique for diagnosing scrotal filariasis in symptomatic patients and is very useful in the follow-up period for assessing the response of worms to treatment.
authors.affiliation: Thane Ultrasound Centre, Thane, India.
authors.forename: Nitin G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Chaubal
authors.forename: Gautam M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Pradhan
authors.forename: Jyoti N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Chaubal
authors.forename: Subhash K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Ramani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D004049:Diethylcarbamazine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004605:Elephantiasis, Filarial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005369:Filaricides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005832:Genital Diseases, Male / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D008018:Life Cycle Stages; D008297:Male; D008842:Microfilariae; D012611:Scrotum / Q000469:parasitology*; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014958:Wuchereria bancrofti / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D005369:Filaricides; D004049:Diethylcarbamazine