title: Human pulmonary dirofilariasis masquerading as a mass.
abstract: Pulmonary dirofilariasis, caused by Dirofilaria immitis, rarely affects humans and is usually asymptomatic, but may present as chest pain, cough, hemoptysis, wheezing, low-grade fever, and malaise. The dead and dying worms obstruct branches of the pulmonary artery, causing infarction and a granulomatous reaction. Coin lesions are apparent on radiography, raising concern of malignancy. Complete surgical excision is the treatment of choice and an anthelmintic can be administered if residual lesions are present or the patient is from an endemic area. We present two cases of pulmonary dirofilariasis presenting as coin lesions in the lung, which were clinically suggestive of malignancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Apollo Hospitals, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India shebasjacob@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Sheba
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jacob
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Apollo Hospitals, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India.
authors.forename: Ashok
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parameswaran
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Apollo Hospitals, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India.
authors.forename: Rajan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Santosham
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Apollo Hospitals, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India.
authors.forename: Rajiv
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Santosham
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001706:Biopsy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004183:Dirofilaria immitis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004184:Dirofilariasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008174:Lung Diseases, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000601:surgery; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000379:methods; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D003074:Solitary Pulmonary Nodule / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000601:surgery; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: Dirofilariasis; Lung; Lung diseases; Solitary pulmonary nodule; parasitic