We report a case of a dirofilariasis manifesting as a breast nodule in a 32-year-old Tunisian woman. It appeared as a relatively well-circumscribed and slightly dense nodule on mammography and was hypoechogenic with enhanced through transmission on ultrasonographic examination. The patient was treated by surgical resection. Histopathologic analysis could identify viable female and male worms as Dirofilaria repens. Dirofilaria is rare in Tunisia and this is the second human case reported. The patient lived all her life in Tunisia and had never been abroad.
1. Beaver PC, Orihel TC. Human infection with filariae of animals in the United States. Am J Trop Med Hyg14:1010-1029, 1965
2.
2. Gutierrez Y. Diagnostic features of zoonotic filariae in tissue sections. Hum Pathol15:514-525, 1984
3.
3. MacDougall LT, Magoon CC, Fritsche TR. Dirofilaria repens manifesting as a breast nodule. Diagnostic problems and epidemiologic considerations. Am J Clin Pathol97:625-630, 1992
4.
4. Frouge C, Vanel D, Tristant H. Dilofilariasis of the breast mimicking carcinoma on mammography. Am J Roentgenol159:220-221, 1992
5.
5. Chaabouni M, Sallami R, Ben SaidM, Ben Rachid MS, Romdhane K. Dirofilariose sous-conjonctivale a propos d'un cas decouvert dans la region de Kairouan. Arch Inst Pasteur Tunis67:5-9, 1990
6.
6. Pampiglione S, Canesti Trotti G, Rivasi F. Human dirofiliarasis due to Dirofiliaria (Nochtiella) repens: A review of the world literature. Parassitologia37:149-193, 1995
7.
7. Marty P. Human dirofilariasis due to Dirofilaria repens in France. A review of reported cases. Parassitologia39:383-386, 1997
8.
8. Vakalis NC, Himonas CA. Human and canine dirofilariasis in Greece. Parassitologia39:389-391, 1997
9.
9. Gutierrez Y, Misselevich I, Fradis M, Podoshin L, Boss JH. Dirofilaria repens infection in Northen Israel. Am J Surg Pathol19:1088-1091, 1995
10.
10. Dissanaike AS, Abeyewickreme W, Wijesundera MD, Weerasooriya MV, Ismail MM. Human dirofilariasis caused by Dirofilaria (Notchiella) repens in Sri-Lanka. Parassitologia39:375-382, 1997
11.
11. MacLean JD, Beaver PC, Michalek H. Subcutaneous dirofilariasis in Okinawa, Japan. Am J Trop Med Hyg28:45-45, 1979
12.
12. Shekhar KC, Pathmanathan R, Krishnan R. Human infection with Dirofitarria repens in Malaysia. J Helminthol19:55-57, 1996
13.
13. Bennett IC, Furntival CM, Searle J. Dirofilariasis in Australia: Unusual cause of a breast lump. Aust NZ J Surg59:671-673, 1989
14.
14. Gutierrez Y, Paul GM. Breast nodule produced by Dirofilaria tenuis. Am J Surg Pathol8:463-465, 1984
15.
15. Jelinek T, Shulte-Hillen J, Losher T. Human dirofilariasis. Int J Dermatol35:872-875, 1996
16.
16. Santamaria B, Di Sacco B, Muro A, Genchi C, Simon F, Cordero M. Serological diagnosis of subcutaneous dirofiliariosis. Clin Exp Dermatol20:19-21, 1995
17.
17. Favia G, Lanfrancotti A, Della Torre A, Cancrini G, Coluzzi M. Polymerase chain reaction identification of Dirofilaria repens and Dirofilaria immitis. Parasitology113:567-571, 1996
