Subkutane Dirofilariose beim Menschen : Ein Fallbericht aus Österreich

A 45-year-old male patient developed skin nodules 14 months after a visit to Bahrein and 19 months after a visit to Greece.The nodules were evolving sporadically over the trunk until finally a cutaneous lesion was excised. Histological examination revealed a nematode surrounded by an inflammatory infiltrate. The nematode was classified as Dirofilaria repens. This is the second case reported in Austria. Identification of Dirofilariae from tissue sections is difficult, but the patients travel history and the knowledge of the parasite's geographic distribution are helpful. We present a detailed description of dirofilariasis infection in man and a review of the literature.