title: Human pulmonary Dirofilariasis: one more case in Greece suggests that Dirofilaria is a rather common cause of coin lesions in the lungs in endemic areas of Europe.
abstract: Herein we describe a case of a 52 year-old male from Greece who presented with a coin lesion in the right lung, which proved to be an infection from Dirofilaria immitis. A careful review of the literature shows that, contrary to the common perception, humans may be frequently infected by Dirofilaria species. For this reason the authors suggest that in every case which presents with a coin lesion in the lung in endemic areas, dirofilariasis should always be considered, and excluded before any other intervention is decided.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Histology and Embryology, Medical School, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece. dmiliara@med.auth.gr
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Miliaras
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Meditskou
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kelekis
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Papachristos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004183:Dirofilaria immitis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004184:Dirofilariasis / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008174:Lung Diseases, Parasitic / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D003074:Solitary Pulmonary Nodule / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology