Dance of live adult filarial worms is a reliable sign of scrotal filarial infection.
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.
Chaubal
Nitin G
NG
Thane Ultrasound Centre, Thane, India.
Pradhan
Gautam M
GM
Chaubal
Jyoti N
JN
Ramani
Subhash K
SK
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
D005369:Filaricides; D004049:Diethylcarbamazine